Is going viral really worth it?

As businesses and creatives, you will have almost all gone through the complicated feelings and desires to go viral on social media.? But is going viral really a good thing? Keep reading to find out what we think.???

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What is the desire to go viral really about??

We all want to feel ‘seen’ for our work, and viral content can be an invaluable part of that.? Going viral can increase your visibility and audience significantly, and sometimes with mind-blowing results.???

In an overly crowded marketplace on social media, it can feel extremely demotivating to get very little views or engagement on our content, which is often where the desire for virality stems from.? But it is important to remember that virality does not equal worth.? Content that doesn’t go viral doesn’t make it any less worth viewing than content that does.???

With that being said, there are some benefits to having content go viral and this can include increased financial gain from sales or monetised platforms, the opportunity to collaborate with other brands, businesses and creators that can help to further growth, and a significant increase in following and potential customer base going forward.? However, there are also many negative impacts of going viral.???

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The Consequences of Going Viral??

One of the biggest downsides to going viral is the lack of consistency afterwards.? Often accounts that go viral overnight then struggle to keep up with the spike in followers, comments and likes going forward.? There is also the feeling of needing to go viral again, and again, or you might feel like a one-hit wonder and imposter syndrome will rear its head.???

There’s also the negative impact of new followers not relating to your more ‘normal’ content as it were, which can then cause a spike in unfollows shortly after, or your algorithm being affected when your next piece of content doesn’t do as well as the viral post.???

The desire to go viral can lead to losing authenticity as a brand by constantly trying to post things that don’t stay true to your core values.? There is also the risk of backlash through misunderstanding and misinterpretation from viewers that are not part of your target audience.? This can seriously harm your business and reputation if things don’t go as planned, and it can be hard to gain that back trust from your loyal followers and customers again afterwards.? Trolling and criticism can lead to serious mental health issues, so it’s worth considering whether virality is actually something you truly want.???

Forbes said ‘Think about the consequences of going viral similarly to containing a literal virus.’ There is certainly some truth to this statement, with controversial posts spreading like wildfire and sometimes there’s no going back after negative backlash.???

Algorithms are very delicate and quite often, very random, and they can be difficult to understand.? After a post goes viral, there is usually a spike in visibility for a short while, however, in a world full of content, trends are short-lived, and the next ‘viral’ thing will soon come to take its place.???

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Final Thoughts??

Overall, it is better to prioritise slow, sustainable growth over trying too hard keep up with trends in the hopes that the algorithm will pick up your content and push it out to the millions.? Whilst this may feel counterintuitive at times, it will lead to more consistency and the opportunity of connecting with your audience to grow a loyal customer base in a genuine way.???

The risks outweigh the benefits of going viral, especially when it comes to burnout.? The pressure to stay relevant can be so overwhelming and can even lead to strained resources and a lack of creativity with future content.???

Of course, going viral is incredibly appealing and can open some serious doors for growth, but be careful how you go about your content and always ensure that it is created with your authentic voice and core values intact.???

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