Leveraging Trust Periods after Virality in TikTok, SEO, and Beyond

Imagine you've just thrown the most talked-about party in your neighborhood. The food was perfect, the music was spot-on, and the vibe was so good that people you didn’t even know were talking about it. In the days and weeks following your legendary bash, you've become something of a local celebrity. Neighbors greet you more warmly, people you barely know want to be your friend, and you're suddenly getting invites to all sorts of gatherings. This is your "trust period" in the neighborhood social scene.

Just like a content creator who hit the jackpot with a viral video, your successful party has temporarily boosted your social standing. Your neighbors now trust you to be the life of the party, a purveyor of good times, much like the way viral content creators are momentarily seen as reliable sources of engaging content by algorithms and audiences alike.

To capitalize on this trust period, you might decide to host follow-up events, keeping the momentum going. Each successful party cements your reputation further, just as consistent, engaging content does for the creator. However, throw one bad party, and you might find your newfound popularity waning, much like how a few poorly received posts can affect a creator's visibility on social media platforms.

In both cases, the trust period is a window of opportunity, a time when your stock is high, and your ability to influence or engage is at its peak. The question is how to use this opportunity.

Unofficial TikTok Strategy - Trust is Fleeting?

I was in a conversation with a friend of mine who is influential on TikTok posting. Amongst much good information, he shared an intriguing insight into the tactics some influencers employ on TikTok. According to him, there's an unofficial TikTok strategy that comes into play once a video hits viral status. Essentially, the creator enters what's called a "Trust Period" with TikTok for the next 7 to 8 videos.?

This period means that these subsequent videos are likely to receive a significant viewership boost. The savvy approach here is to leverage this window. Once you create content that goes viral, pivot the following 7 to 8 videos towards promoting a service or product. Then, you rinse and repeat this cycle, maintaining a balance between viral-worthy content and promotional efforts.

Of course, I looked into his concept of a "trust period" or a window of opportunity for content creators after a video goes viral on platforms like TikTok. I found it is not an official term used by TikTok or other social media platforms, but it is a phenomenon observed and reported by many content creators.

After the TikTok Video Goes Viral: What Happens Next?

After a TikTok video goes viral, the platform's algorithm may identify the creator as a source of engaging content, which could lead to a temporary boost in the visibility of their subsequent posts. This is because social media algorithms generally prioritize content that is likely to engage users, keeping them on the platform longer. A viral video signals to the algorithm that the creator's content is capable of generating significant engagement.

However, the specifics of how TikTok's algorithm works are not publicly disclosed in detail, and the platform continuously evolves its content recommendation system. The impact of a viral video on subsequent content visibility can vary based on several factors, including the nature of the viral content, the consistency of the creator's posting schedule, the engagement level of subsequent posts, and changes in the platform's algorithm.

While there might not be a formal "trust period," best practices for content creators suggest taking advantage of the momentum generated by a viral hit. One way is to produce content that is promotional in nature, hoping to make sales or conversion. Another is to post content consistently, make that content engaging with your audience, and create content that is similar to the viral hit, as these strategies can help maintain and possibly amplify the visibility gained from going viral.

Traffic Breeds Traffic: Is There a Trust Period in SEO?

In the realm of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), the concept of a "trust period" following a significant increase in traffic to a webpage is somewhat analogous to what happens on social media platforms, but the mechanisms and factors at play are different. In SEO, there isn't a defined "trust period" as such, but there are dynamics and effects that can lead to sustained increased visibility and higher search rankings under certain conditions.

Factors Influencing Sustained SEO Benefits After a Traffic Increase

• Quality and Relevance of Content: If a page receives a surge in traffic due to its content being highly relevant or particularly useful for a specific query, this can positively influence its future search rankings. High-quality content that satisfies user intent can lead to better engagement metrics (like lower bounce rates and longer dwell times), which are positive signals to search engines.
• User Engagement Metrics: An increase in traffic, especially if accompanied by high engagement (longer read times, low bounce rates, etc.), can signal to search engines that the content is valuable, potentially leading to higher rankings.
• Backlinks: If the increase in traffic is associated with the content being linked to from other reputable sites (perhaps because the content went viral and was shared widely), this can significantly boost the page's SEO. Search engines view backlinks from authoritative sites as endorsements, improving the site's trustworthiness and authority.
• Social Signals: While the direct impact of social signals (likes, shares, etc.) on SEO is a topic of debate among SEO professionals, high social engagement can indirectly affect SEO through increased visibility, backlinks, and traffic.

No Automatic Trust, But a Window of Opportunity

Unlike social media algorithms that might immediately boost a creator's content visibility after a viral hit, search engines like Google use complex, multifaceted algorithms that consider hundreds of signals to rank content. A sudden spike in traffic doesn't automatically grant a webpage a "trust period." However, if the spike is due to factors that align with the search engine's goal of delivering relevant, high-quality content to users, the page could indeed see sustained or even improved rankings.

Strategy After a Traffic Spike

To capitalize on a spike in traffic from an SEO perspective, content creators and website owners should ensure that they continue to provide high-quality, relevant content. They should also engage in standard SEO best practices, such as optimizing on-page content, improving site speed, and earning high-quality backlinks.

Also, it would be a good idea for a website owner to place a call-to-action (CTA) on a webpage that has experienced a spike in traffic. Capitalizing on increased visitor numbers by adding a well-placed CTA can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the page, guiding users towards desired actions such as signing up for a newsletter, registering for a webinar, making a purchase, or any other key conversion goal. This strategy not only helps in converting one-time traffic into recurring visitors or customers but also maximizes the return on the content's sudden popularity. By ensuring that the CTA is relevant and aligned with the interests that brought visitors to the page initially, website owners can effectively leverage the surge to achieve business objectives.

Exploring Other Trust Periods in Digital Marketing

The concept of a "trust period" in digital marketing generally revolves around leveraging a window of opportunity following a successful campaign, a viral moment, or any significant positive change in a brand's digital presence. While the term isn't formally recognized across all digital marketing channels in the same way it's discussed in SEO or social media contexts, the underlying principle of capitalizing on increased visibility, credibility, or audience engagement applies in several areas. Here are a few digital marketing strategies or tactics where a form of "trust period" can be observed:

1. Email Marketing: After a successful email campaign that results in high open rates, engagement, or conversions, subscribers may be more receptive to future communications. This period post-campaign can be seen as a "trust period" where the audience is more likely to engage with subsequent emails. The key to leveraging this period is to maintain relevance, continue offering value, and avoid overwhelming subscribers with too frequent or irrelevant content.
2. Content Marketing: When a piece of content (be it a blog post, a video, or an infographic) significantly outperforms average engagement metrics, it not only increases traffic but also boosts the brand's authority on the topic. The subsequent period can be crucial for strengthening audience trust and loyalty by consistently producing high-quality, valuable content that meets the heightened expectations.
3. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: In PPC campaigns, especially on platforms like Google Ads, the concept of Quality Score resembles a trust metric. A high Quality Score, indicating that your ads and landing pages are relevant and valuable to users, can lead to lower costs per click and better ad positions. Following a successful campaign where high engagement rates improve your Quality Score, you might find subsequent ads perform better, benefiting from this "trust period." It's crucial to continue optimizing ads and landing pages to maintain and capitalize on these gains.
4. Influencer Marketing in Other Social Media: After a successful influencer collaboration that leads to high engagement or conversion rates, there's an implicit trust and rapport established not just between the brand and the influencer but also between the brand and the influencer's audience. Capitalizing on this trust period involves maintaining the relationship with the influencer for future collaborations and engaging directly with the new audience members who interacted with the initial campaign.
5. Reputation Management: Online reputation, particularly in the form of reviews and customer feedback, can also experience a "trust period" following positive publicity or a surge in positive reviews. This period is critical for bolstering the brand's image, engaging with customers, and encouraging more feedback. Proactively managing and responding to reviews, both positive and negative, can extend this period of increased trust and goodwill.

Across all these strategies, the key to leveraging a "trust period" effectively is to recognize when it's happening and to act swiftly to sustain momentum. This means planning follow-up content, campaigns, or engagements that build on the initial success without sacrificing quality or relevance.

Conclusion - Capitalizing on Trust Periods

In wrapping up our exploration of "trust periods" across digital platforms and real-world social dynamics, let's circle back to our neighborhood party analogy. Imagine if, after hosting the most unforgettable block party, you decide to leverage your newfound popularity by throwing Tupperware parties aimed at selling products to your now adoring neighbors.

Suddenly, the spontaneous and genuine nature of your initial bash feels overshadowed by a commercial agenda. The shift from community hero to salesperson could risk the special cachet you earned, making your next invitation less eagerly anticipated. This scenario mirrors the potential pitfall for content creators who pivot too aggressively from viral hits to promotional content, risking the loss of their audience's trust and engagement.

However, the digital realm operates on a different scale and with a different set of expectations. Online, the vastness of the audience and the diversity of content consumption mean that promotional content—when done smartly and sparingly—doesn't necessarily dilute a creator's appeal. In fact, if the promotional videos are engaging, creative, and offer genuine value, they might not only sustain the audience's interest but also enhance the creator's reputation as a versatile content provider.

Moreover, in the digital space, the audience has the freedom to engage with content selectively, allowing creators to maintain a balanced portfolio of viral and promotional content without alienating their base. This unique aspect of content consumption online creates a more forgiving environment for creators looking to capitalize on their moments of viral fame.

In conclusion, while transitioning from a viral hit to promotional content might seem akin to swapping spirited block parties for Tupperware sales in the real world, the vast and varied landscape of the internet offers a more nuanced outcome. Here, scale and audience expectations can turn what seems like a risky move into an opportunity for sustained success and growth. The key lies in maintaining the quality and creativity that brought the audience to you in the first place, ensuring that every post—viral or promotional—resonates and engages.