Stop trying to go viral

Everyone wants to go viral. Everyone. Some people legitimately do it on accident, and some people spend a good portion of their content creation time and energy trying to make it happen. Some know how to do it and succeed, seemingly without really trying.

As someone who has gone viral specifically within an online fandom space (going viral, but miniature), I'm going to argue that while the concept of virality may seem both appealing and attanible, it's not worth it. Not even if you happen to do it accidentally.

For the most part, things that go viral on the internet go viral for the wrong reasons. And if not for the wrong reasons, negative consequences almost always eventually follow.

For one thing, going viral may seem like it will reap all the benefits for you. But those benefits, in most cases, are very short-lived. You might get an influx of followers or subscribers, you might get in touch with some brands, you might even get free cool stuff. But if there's one thing creators have learned from virality, it's that it's like setting something on fire. It burns bright and fast, but unless you set another one immediately after that, it will burn out (and so will you).

And for another, going viral really doesn't mean what it used to. Most people who go viral aren't getting a book deal or a sustainable long-term income or fame. They're getting attention that will very quickly fade away.

If you want to build a lasting online presence as a content creator, you have to think beyond going viral. If it eventually happens to you, that could be great in some aspects. But if you don't have a solid foundation of content, audiences, and a platform, it's all going to collapse before it ever has a chance to fly.