Why Going Viral Should Not Be Your Goal on Social Media

Some time ago, I read the tragic story of a couple obsessed with ‘going viral’ on YouTube.This sad story inspired me to write this post on why going viral should not be your goal on social media.

As mentioned in this article, according to psychological theory, content that feels novel or fills information gaps may trigger dopamine release in the brain. Further, content that touches the right emotions-excitement, surprise, nostalgia, etc. also latches onto a viral effect. The thought of your content going viral on social media is cool, but that is not the purpose of creating content.

So, what should your social media goal be? Before I answer that, let’s clarify what going viral means.

There is no need to risk your life or empty your bank account for the sake of creating great content. Do the best you can with what you have, where you are. Share on X

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What Does “Going Viral” Mean in Social Media?

On social media, any piece of content—e.g., a picture, quote, article, speech, song, video clip, game, or news item—that is funny, informative, clever, shocking, or so surprising that people pass it on to all their friends immediately is said to ‘go viral’.

A viral post is shared, copied, and spread across all social platforms. On Facebook, going viral means that a post has generated tremendous attention, such as many likes, shares, and comments.

Speaking of attention, what is an attention span? Are you familiar with that Microsoft study that stated that humans now have a shorter attention span than goldfish? There is an increasing demand for our attention. Aside from advertisements, television networks, family members, work duties, and cute animal videos, other people always fight for it.

Becoming ‘viral’ on the Internet means that a piece of news, an image or a video has become incredibly popular in hours or days by being shared by thousands (sometimes even millions) of people on social media.

Viral videos (in particular) are interruptive, just like the social media platforms on which they are shared. It’s not as if you go to YouTube or Google and look them up. You see them in your social media feed, fighting for your attention amid so much noise. It’s for this reason that short videos are so effective. You can easily justify taking 60 seconds to watch an inspirational story your friend shared. However, the longer the video gets, the harder it becomes to justify to yourself why you aren’t concentrating on your work!

Many businesses want to “go viral,” And it’s no wonder. “Going viral means that your content resonates so much that people talk about it all across the Internet. However, this is often not an excellent long-term approach for many businesses.

Some brands mistakenly believe that the goal of social media is to have their content ‘go viral.’

Now that you know what it is all about, it is easy to see why you would want your content to achieve that goal. But should that be your goal?

Creating a viral campaign involves several factors in your chosen type of content, most of which are out of your control.

The audience on each social media channel decides whether your content goes viral. What content will be a hit or a miss is out of your control? It lies only with your audience. Since each platform is unique, content that goes viral on one platform may not perform well on another.

Going viral is not a valid, sustainable, and replicable strategy. Most viral content dies off almost as fast as it rises. Think of Pokemon Go. It was a viral success, but its craze has died down today. But most of your content will never go viral. So, if that’s your goal, you’ll be very miserable.

According to a study by BuzzSumo, 50% of content gets eight shares or less, highlighting how rare it is for content to go viral.

Several factors are involved in your content going viral most of which are out of your control. Share on X

What Should Be Your Goal for Social Media?

Viral content on social media is not the norm. Instead, it is exceptional, even for the largest viral sites. To create a viral video or other types of content, you must first understand your target audience.

The purpose of creating content on social media is to drive the conversation around your brand. Your goal is to get a good ROI on building that material.

To create great content, you must first understand your target audience. Your content is only effective if it speaks to people so convincingly that they feel compelled to share it.

Before beginning a social media campaign, a business owner should create at least one marketing persona. A persona represents your target audience and includes information such as demographics, psychographics, and social media habits.

You can create a marketing persona by talking to current and potential customers to understand what is important to them as they consider purchasing or sharing your content online. With this information, creating shareable content will be easier for you.

As mentioned earlier, every social media platform is different, so the content you create will differ depending on your chosen platform. Before creating content, choose a platform on which to specialise. For many business owners, Facebook is an excellent platform for starting a social media marketing campaign. You must select the platform based on information gained while developing your marketing persona.

Focus on producing content that is entertaining, informative, educative and shareable. Learn to create content with consistency. Social media platforms use algorithms that rank content based on users’ likelihood of engagement. Typically, a piece of content that is expected to engage followers (i.e. viral content) is ranked at the top of the page, and it ranks content that is expected to be less engaging toward the bottom.

These algorithms reward content that creates engagement by amplifying it to other social network users. They bury content that does not create engagement on their respective social networks. Though easier said than done, focus on creating content with high engagement since it will have greater reach and is thus more likely to be re-shared by millions.

It is essential to time the release of content so that it will receive maximum visibility. You should determine the best time based on the habits and preferences of your target audience and the social media platform you are using.

Since we already know that social media platforms use algorithms to rank content based on the probability of user engagement, we need to plan to publish content at just the right time. Publishing at the right time can positively affect the performance of your content.

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Brands Achieving Success without Viral Content

Here are a few examples of brands that have achieved long-term success without relying on viral content:

Costco (American Retail Chain)

• Strategy: Costco focuses on its membership model, offering exclusive deals and low prices to its members. They don’t spend heavily on traditional advertising.
• Success: Costco has become the second largest retailer in the world, with annual sales of $152 billion and a global renewal rate of over 90%.

Source: Expert Beacon

Tesla, Inc (American Multinational Automotive & Clean Energy Company)

• Strategy: Tesla focuses on creating innovative products and relies on word-of-mouth and social media engagement rather than traditional advertising.
• Success: Tesla has built a strong brand presence and loyal customer base without spending heavily on marketing.

Source: Pepper Content

Supreme (American Clothing Brand)

• Strategy: Supreme uses creative collaborations and a minimalist approach to marketing, avoiding traditional advertising.
• Success: Supreme has a huge fanbase and strong brand loyalty, making it a highly sought-after fashion brand.

Source: Pepper Content

Trader Joe’s (American Grocery Store Chain)

• Strategy: Trader Joe’s focuses on offering unique products and a great shopping experience without traditional advertising.
• Success: Trader Joe’s has built a loyal customer base and strong brand identity through word-of-mouth and customer satisfaction.

Source: Fabrik

These brands demonstrate that creating valuable content and building strong relationships with customers can lead to long-term success without relying on viral content.

Key Takeaways

In today’s age of social media dominance, many social media managers and marketing experts often aim for the elusive “viral status” with their social media content. However, focusing solely on going viral may not be the most effective strategy for building a successful online presence. While a funny video or user-generated content with relevant hashtags can undoubtedly attract attention on social media networks, consistently creating high-quality and compelling content is more important in the long run.

Social media influencers and active users may help spread messages through influencer marketing, but using generic hashtags and aiming for viral status may not always translate to long-term success. Instead, social media marketers should create engaging content that resonates with their target audience on their social media profiles and sites.

By prioritising a solid marketing strategy and expert tips for crafting compelling content, businesses can gradually build a loyal following of social media users and establish a meaningful connection with them. Remember, it’s not about one viral post but about creating valuable content that attracts and retains a dedicated audience over time.

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Conclusion

Instead of chasing fleeting fame by creating viral content, focus on producing excellent content that resonates with your target audience. Use your content to showcase your brand’s ability to foster a community and give it a human face and persona.

If your content is original, insightful, and helpful, and it happens to go viral, that’s great! If not, that’s fine, too. Consistently creating quality content is the key to long-term success.

Remember, there’s no need to risk everything for viral fame. Do the best you can with what you have and where you are, and you’ll build a meaningful and lasting online presence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What Are the Negative Effects of Going Viral Online?

• Invasion of privacy as personal information may be exposed.
• Increased scrutiny from the public and media can lead to stress and anxiety.
• Trolls and online harassment can be overwhelming and damaging to mental health.
• Difficulty maintaining a sense of normalcy and control over one’s image and reputation.

Q: Why You Shouldn’t Try to Go Viral?

Creating content to go viral can compromise authenticity and integrity. Attempting to go viral can result in a focus on quantity over quality, leading to a decline in overall content quality. The pressure to constantly produce viral content can lead to burnout and mental health issues. Going viral does not guarantee long-term success or engagement and can result in a short-lived moment of fame.

Q: Is Going Viral Good or Bad?

Going viral can increase visibility and reach a wider audience. It can lead to increased engagement and interaction with your content. Virality boosts brand visibility and recognition and attracts negative attention, trolls, and unwanted scrutiny.

Q: What Happens When You Go Viral on Social Media?

• Increased visibility and exposure to a larger audience.
• Potential for increased followers, likes, and engagement on social media platforms.
• Opportunities for brand partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations.
• Possibility of viral content leading to increased website traffic and sales.

Q: Should You Only Make Viral Content?

Viral content can help increase visibility and reach a larger audience. Creating a variety of content can appeal to different segments of your target audience. Over-reliance on viral content may lead to a lack of consistency in your messaging and brand identity. Quality and authenticity should be prioritised over generating viral content.

Q: Should You Post Viral Content on Social Media?

Posting viral content on social media platforms can increase engagement and reach. It has the potential to attract new followers and grow your audience. Sharing viral content can help increase brand awareness and visibility. However, it is important to consider whether the content aligns with your brand values and messaging before posting.

Q: Why Does Viral Content Go Viral?

Viral content is often emotionally appealing or relatable, leading people to share it with others. It may also contain surprise, humour, or controversy that captures people’s attention. Social dynamics play a role, as people share content that they think will make them look good or help them connect with others. Timing and luck also play a factor, as the right content shared at the right time can quickly gain traction and spread rapidly.

Q: Is Going Viral a Scalable Social Strategy?

Going viral is unreliable or sustainable as it relies on chance and unpredictable factors. Replicating viral post success consistently is challenging. Building a long-term, scalable social strategy involves consistently creating valuable and engaging content. Focusing on building a robust and engaged community over time is a more scalable approach compared to relying on going viral.

Q: What Does Going Viral Mean?

Going viral refers to content that spreads rapidly and widely on the internet, often through social media platforms. Viral content typically resonates with a large audience, eliciting strong emotional responses, whether humorous, shocking, or relatable.

The phenomenon is usually characterised by exponential growth in shares, likes, and views within a short time frame. Successful viral content often leads to increased brand visibility, and user engagement, and can significantly boost marketing efforts and online presence.

Q: How Many Views Are Considered Going Viral?

The definition of “going viral” can vary, but generally, it starts at around 1,000 views for smaller audiences or niche content. For more mainstream content, reaching tens of thousands to millions of views within a short time frame is often considered viral.

The engagement rate, including likes, shares, and comments, is also a key factor, as videos with strong engagement can amplify visibility despite lower view counts. Platforms may have their standards, with some considering anything over 100,000 views within a week to be viral for trending topics.

Q: How Do You Make It Go Viral?

Create engaging and relatable content that resonates with your target audience and encourages sharing. Use trending topics and hashtags to increase visibility and reach a broader audience on social media platforms.

Collaborate with influencers or industry leaders to tap into their follower base and amplify your message. Encourage interaction through calls to action, such as asking for opinions, sharing personal stories, or promoting user-generated content.

Q: What Makes Content Go Viral?

Emotional resonance is key; content that elicits strong feelings, whether joy, anger, or nostalgia, tends to be shared widely. Relatability and relatability-driven narratives connect with audiences, making them feel understood and more likely to share with others who share similar experiences.

Unique or surprising elements, such as unexpected twists or original ideas, grab attention and encourage sharing on various platforms. Timeliness and relevance to current trends or events can significantly boost the likelihood of content going viral as people are eager to engage with topical issues.

Q: What Types of Content Go Viral?

• Emotional appeal: Content that evokes strong emotions such as joy, anger, or surprise is more likely to be shared and go viral.
• Relatability: Posts that resonate with people’s personal experiences or current trends often achieve widespread engagement and sharing.
• Eye-catching visuals: High-quality images or videos can capture attention quickly and encourage users to share the content with their networks.
• Unique or unexpected twists: Content that offers new perspectives, clever humour, or surprising information tends to stand out and prompt shares.

Q: What Are the Disadvantages of Going Viral?

Going viral can lead to a loss of privacy, as personal information and details may become widely shared without consent. The sudden surge of attention can be overwhelming, resulting in stress and anxiety for those unprepared for rapid public scrutiny.

Viral fame can be fleeting, leading to pressure to create more content and maintain relevance, which can affect mental health and creativity. Misinterpretation or backlash from the public can occur quickly, as not all viral content is well-received, leading to potential reputational harm.

Q: What Happens When You Go Viral on Social Media?

Increased visibility and exposure can lead to a rapid growth in followers and engagement on your social media accounts. Brands and businesses may reach out for potential collaborations, sponsorships, or partnerships, leading to monetisation opportunities.

The content creator can experience a surge in traffic to their website or other platforms, boosting their overall digital presence. Viral moments can trigger media coverage or interviews, providing additional platforms to share your message or story.

Q: Why Do You Think Going Viral Is Not an Effective Marketing Strategy?

Viral content is unpredictable and relies on luck, making it a risky and unreliable marketing approach. Focusing on viral strategies can divert attention from building a strong brand identity and consistent messaging.

Viral marketing often leads to a temporary spike in engagement but does not guarantee long-term customer loyalty or conversion rates. The audience drawn in by viral content may not align with your target market, resulting in low-quality leads and wasted resources.

Q: Why Is Everyone Trying to Go Viral?

Achieving viral status can lead to significant exposure and recognition, boosting personal or brand visibility. Going viral often translates to increased engagement and following on social media platforms, which can be monetised.

Viral content can create opportunities for collaboration, partnerships, and other professional advancements within one’s field. The thrill of virality taps into human psychology, driving people to share and connect over trending ideas or challenges.

Related Article(s)

• The Psychology of Viral Content
• 12 Common Content Marketing Mistakes to Avoid Immediately
• 50 Interesting Quotes from Top Social Media Influencers
• Should You Post the Same Content to All Social Networks?
• 9 Principles of Social Media Marketing – Infographic
• How to Create Viral Content Marketing Campaigns to Grow Your Audience
• Why You Must Be Thinking about Content Marketing
• Outsource Social Media Marketing

 

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