Are Viral Social Media Moments Overrated?

“We want to go viral.” I’m sure many social media marketing professionals have heard this term from clients at least once. “Going viral” seems to be the gold standard when thinking of big picture goals related to digital marketing, social media best practices, and audience engagement.

You may be thinking of your favorite viral moment right now. Mine is the Numa Numa dance video that was created by Gary Brolsma back in the early 2000s and sparked endless memes that are still popular today. Gary’s video was shared far and wide because of his genuine exuberance related to something he loved, an obscure Moldovian band named O-Zone.

When you consider the longevity of viral moments, it’s understandable why marketers are aiming for this type of content. Viral moments usually have a few different commonalities. Relatability. Unexpectedness. Social value. They also tend to spark a strong emotional response from the viewer. Why do people take action in the first place? They feel something unique that drives their behavior.

We know that when viral moments happen, they are often unpredictable. I doubt that Gary Brolsma intended to have this 1-minute 40-second video, shot from his low-resolution webcam, shared hundreds of millions of times. However, what he recorded clearly resonated with viewers. They wanted to discuss the video. They wanted to celebrate the content collectively and feel belonging. Beyond that, they wanted others to feel what they felt the first time they watched. And with that, the shared online experience is forever engrained in the minds of those who watched the clip.

What’s fascinating is that brands responded to Gary’s influence before “influencers” were part of our current lexicon. Gary Brolsma was featured in a Vizio Super Bowl commercial and in parody videos for several online companies, including College Humor. His brand and newfound fame were ripe for commodification and he was happy to lend his name and image to sell products. Again, reinforcing the idea that viral moments have the power to drive the public to act, and in this case, buy.

With that, the debate continues. Are viral moments overrated? Should they be an integral part of social media strategic planning? Many would say, “Yes, absolutely.” More traffic and eyes on what I’m doing means more return for me. Not necessarily. While increasing reach through viral content is always a good thing for brands, long-term engagement is still more important.

Your audience is looking for inherent value and what your product or service can do for them. If they don’t find that, they will quickly unfollow, unlike and forget about you as soon as the next viral moment hits the digital space. Daily interaction with your audience and continued refinement of your social media approach informed by insights will build brand loyalty in the long run. Driving traffic to social media channels and gaining followers can increase your reach, however, authentic content and audience engagement is what will keep them there.

So, next time you’re having that planning meeting, don’t be afraid to aim high. Create a strategic plan that excites your audience. Include ideas that are fun, brand-specific and add value. But don’t forget that what keeps them is how you solve their problems, not solely through entertainment.

WordSpark Digital Consulting is ready to connect with social impact clients to execute an effective digital marketing strategy and deepen their connection with relevant audiences and drive leads. Interested in collaborating? Let’s connect.