How To Extract Maximum Value When Your Post or Ad Goes Viral. Lessons From Top Marketers

Going viral on social media for many of us is a mythical event, utterly unexpected and, as an unfortunate consequence, often a golden opportunity that is wasted. We spend a magical sleepless night (or two) watching all the adulation pouring in, but when the noise has subsided, life resumes as if nothing had happened because we don’t do anything about it.

“Winning the Internet” means nothing if you have nothing to show for it.

The very top marketers (and that could be any of us if we consider our personal brands) know that “going viral” is never a certainty, but if they put out the right content to the right audience on a regular basis, it is always a possibility. They plan for that possibility, and they make sure that they squeeze every possible benefit from the short timeframe of their fame. Many also subscribe to the notion that “going viral” is a by-product of their work rather than an aim in itself. If you write with a specific intention of going viral, your work risks losing its authenticity.

So, plan for going viral, but don’t live for it – life is too short, even for the 100mph digital marketing wizards. The content conveyor is a place of amazing creativity, but when the viral hit does come, you have to switch into an organized “make the most of it” mode. In my experience as a digital publishing executive, and in anecdotal discussion with digital marketing colleagues, this mode comprises of four stages: 

Acknowledge. If your content goes viral for positive reasons, it is important that you are involved in the conversations as early as possible. Understand which platforms are most active and let people know that you appreciate their attention. If the content goes viral for negative reasons, you only have one chance to make the right response. If you leave it too long, the haters will only grow in number, and you have a PR disaster on your hands. In both situations, you have to take ownership for what you have “chosen” to put out into the world – people want to feel like they are in a two-way conversation with you.

Engage. Opportunities to reach out to your followers in an organic and genuine way are rare. In a world that is drowning in direct marketing and sponsored posts, crafting a meaningful response to as many people as possible is the least that a brand (or an individual) can do. This doesn’t happen enough, and when someone feels that they are being listened to, they will retain an affinity for your brand. The more fans you have out there in the world, the better. Engaging with them is the first step to building a relationship.

Build. If you understand why your piece of content went viral (by talking to people), it makes absolute sense to create a follow-up campaign to continue the conversations and debate. You might want to use different media and reach out to other social media platforms, and if this is done in a measured and considered fashion, it can easily prolong the visibility and message that you are trying to get across. It is important to avoid desperate “copy cat” attempts as the viral formula is unlikely to be repeated, but if you supplement rather than copy, there is every chance that the reaction will be positive.

Measure. Return On Investment. Yes, even marketers have to account for their place at the table – no MD sees marketing as a bottomless pit. A viral update offers the chance to give a large-scale injection of activity at the top of the sales funnel, and if this can be tracked down to concrete sales (etc.), the case is made for your marketing budget for the foreseeable future. Content marketing is notoriously hard to measure, but when a viral hit comes along, even the Financial Director will be smiling. Measure your success, communicate it to the wider business and let them know that you are making a difference.

Going viral feels great, but it feels even better if you are in control and maximizing the opportunities to squeeze every last benefit from the windfall.

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