While crowdfunding continues to be big, an alternative which asks people to pledge their social voice (i.e Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr) is on the rise. The most famous of these is called Thunderclap (there are others, such as KickYourIdea).

What does it involve exactly?

Users have to choose a goal (such as 100 people) which, if reached, means that every person will send out the same message at the same time on the same day. The idea is that this will cause enough of a ruckus to make the promoted link viral.

Thunderclap is actually not all that new, and was banned by Twitter three years ago (only to re-emerge on Facebook). It seems those difficulties are all behind them now, with the brand growing in strength.

Tips for creating a successful Thunderclap campaign

• Have a clear goal in mind. What are you promoting?
• Keep your campaign simple. Can you make it sound appealing in very few words?
• Give yourself a manageable deadline and a realistic goal of people to enlist. It'd be a shame if you didn't reach the number you set out to (your campaign will not go out).

Essentially, give yourself time to promote this campaign properly, and don't forget to think about what happens once the Thunderclap campaign has gone out!