In the world of social media, going viral is often seen as the ultimate goal. As a social media manager, I’ve had the privilege of working with clients who have experienced this phenomenon, albeit in vastly different ways. Two completely different cases stand out for me, each offering valuable insights into the complexities of viral content. 

One of my clients experienced the more stereotypical viral post – an immediate surge in views and engagement, only to see it plummet just as quickly within a few days. The other saw a more gradual build-up of attention, where one viral video led to another, creating a snowball effect that continued to gain momentum over time.

The Sudden Surge: Viral for a Moment

The first example is a client whose content went viral immediately – within an hour of posting it out, the numbers started to rapidly increase and it became an immediate explosion, being shared by thousands and thousands of users. The numbers were absolutely staggering – hundreds of thousands of views, a significant spike in followers and an unprecedented amount of engagement. We were all very excited – for about 48 hours I received WhatsApp messages from lots of their team, simply quoting view numbers at me with exclamation marks. 

However, the euphoria was short-lived. As quickly as the views soared, they began to plummet. The next few posts struggled to gain the same level of attention, and within days, the viral moment had fizzled out. It was a brief, yet powerful experience.

From the outside, it might seem like a dream come true: the viral moment that every brand or creator strives for. But as a social media manager, the reality was a bit more sobering. This kind of success, while thrilling, can also leave everyone feeling rather flat as the views dissipate just as swiftly as they came.

The Snowball Effect: Slow and Steady Wins the Race

In contrast, my second client’s viral journey was a slower, more methodical rise. Yes, one video initially garnered a significant amount of attention, but it didn’t stop there. Instead, the attention continued to build over time. Their audience returned to watch it again, shared it with others, and soon the original post led to further engagement. The next video in the series didn’t have to work as hard for attention – because their audience was already primed, it quickly found its way into the feeds of even more users.

This gradual build-up became a snowball effect – each new video built on the momentum of the last. The engagement was more consistent, with new content being released and continuing to gain traction. This steady growth, while less dramatic than the initial surge of the first client, proved to be much more sustainable in the long run. Followers remained loyal, and the brand was able to build upon its viral success rather than having to chase another fleeting moment.

Eight months after their first viral video, my client’s sales are now ten times what they were, we’ve had several viral videos since, and has been probably one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had in my job.

What I Learned as a Social Media Manager

Both experiences have been incredibly educational for me as a social media manager. It isn’t the first time that client content has gone viral, but it really stood out to me about how a viral post can have a genuine life-changing impact. 

The first lesson is the unpredictable nature of going viral. Even with careful planning, you can never truly know which piece of content will take off. There are many who argue that there is an art to creating viral content, but there’s also an element of chance, timing, and more often than not, a fair amount of sheer luck. In the case of my first client, a viral moment arrived out of nowhere, and despite our best efforts to replicate it, it hasn’t happened since (although it’s worth pointing out that the views on recent videos since then aren’t poor by any means). 

The second lesson is the importance of building a relationship with your audience. The slow viral journey of my second client showed me more than ever that going viral doesn’t always have to come in the form of an immediate explosion. Sometimes, consistency, authenticity, and steady content creation are more effective in cultivating a loyal audience. It reminded me that social media success is not always about chasing viral hits but about creating an enduring connection with your followers.

Lastly, I’ve learned the value of managing expectations. For both clients, I had to remind them that going viral, while exciting, isn’t the end goal. It’s a moment in time, not a sustainable strategy. Success in social media is built on long-term engagement and continuous content creation, not just one-off viral videos.