Viral: Is it good or bad?

Going viral is what everyone seemingly wants to happen on social media.  But is it really what you want?

What does "Going Viral" really mean. Going viral is when you post something and it gains in popularity very quickly and extends way past your network of connections. Ok, so that was a vague definition.  Basically it is when a post gets shared and viewed by millions of people. It is the golden calf of social sharing. People have had entire careers built because something has gone viral. 

1. There is no way to make something go viral. It is a natural and organic process. Either it does or doesn't, and it rarely has to do with the quality of the content. It is usually about the "right" people seeing it and sharing it. Enough of the "right" people share it and it starts gaining exposure on an exponential rate. It can also mean getting mainstream, non-social media, news coverage.

2. Is that something you really want? No everyone is out to their family and friends. If you are concerned about people discovering that you are in porn, then you should not use the social networks with facial recognition, ie. Facebook. Google Plus also has elements of Facial recognition, though Twitter does not. 

The best way to get exposure is to target your marketing to your niche. Make sure that you are using appropriate hashtags and keywords that are relevant. If you don't want to have a viral video, post content that your audience would be interested in seeing but something not appealing to people outside your audience. For instance, a video of you sucking on toes is great for foot fetish. A blooper reel of you sucking someones toes and then slipping and getting an accidental kick in the face and falling off the bed might be funny, but that could be appealing to a wider audience and land you in the viral video category.

If you don't want a viral video, don't post a blooper reel on Youtube where it is likely to be found and shared.  Marketing can quickly blow up in both a good and a bad way. You can't always control the reach but you can control the content. So be specific in your goals.


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