Going viral can be both a blessing and a curse for a brand. While it can help boost your visibility and reach, it can also lead to a sudden influx of traffic that can overwhelm your website or social media channels. Therefore, it's essential to have a plan in place before going viral.
Viral content has become the Holy Grail of online marketing. Everyone wants to create content that will go viral, with the hopes of gaining a massive amount of attention, traffic, and revenue. But as exciting as the idea of virality sounds, it's also unpredictable. One moment you're a nobody, and the next you're the talk of the town. This unpredictability puts a lot of pressure on individuals and companies alike. In this article, we'll discuss the importance of being prepared before going viral and how to handle it when it does strike.
- Building a strong foundation: Before going viral, it's important to build a strong foundation. This includes having a solid brand identity, mission, and values. This will help ensure that when you do go viral, your brand remains consistent and recognizable.
- Establishing brand identity: Your brand identity should be easily recognizable and stand out in a sea of competition. Take the time to establish a unique look, feel, and voice that resonates with your target audience.
- Creating high-quality content: Content is the king, and high-quality content is the key to creating a strong foundation. Focus on creating content that is informative, entertaining, and visually appealing.
- Having a content distribution plan: Having a content distribution plan is crucial. Without a plan, your content may not reach the intended audience. Use various channels to promote your content, including social media, email marketing, and paid advertising.
- Ensuring website and server readiness: When your content goes viral, it can generate a massive amount of traffic. Ensure that your website and server are ready to handle the increased traffic to avoid downtime or crashes.
- Monitoring social media mentions: Keep an eye on social media mentions to stay informed about what people are saying about your brand. This will help you gauge the sentiment and respond accordingly.
- Responding to comments and messages: Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages. This shows that you care about your audience and value their feedback.
- Controlling the narrative: When your content goes viral, it's essential to control the narrative. This means being proactive in addressing any potential negative publicity that may arise.
- Engaging with new followers: Engage with your new followers by creating content that resonates with them. This will help establish a long-lasting relationship with your new audience.
- Leveraging the momentum: Take advantage of the momentum generated by the viral content to create additional content that continues to captivate your audience.
- Preparing for increased traffic: Prepare for increased traffic by having additional server capacity and bandwidth available to handle the surge in visitors.
- Evaluating the impact: Once the virality has subsided, evaluate the impact of the viral content on your brand, including traffic, engagement, and revenue.
- Celebrating success: Celebrate your success and recognize your team's effort in creating viral content.
- Navigating potential downsides: Be prepared to navigate potential downsides that may arise from the viral content, such as negative comments or publicity.
- Planning for the future: Use the success of the viral content to inform your future content strategy and marketing efforts.
Information is out there so you are not going in blind, do your homework
- Examples of brands that handled viral moments well: Analyze the strategies used by brands that successfully navigated viral moments and apply them to your own marketing efforts.
- Examples of brands that failed to handle viral moments: Learn from the mistakes of brands that failed to handle viral moments, and avoid making the same errors.
- Plan for the future: Use the insights gained from your viral moment to inform your future content strategy. This will help ensure continued success and growth for your brand.
In conclusion, virality can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it's also unpredictable. Remember, going viral is not the ultimate goal for your brand. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content and building a strong foundation for your brand. If you do go viral, use it as an opportunity to strengthen your brand and build lasting relationships with your followers.
