Social Media Mastery - What are the main attributes to going viral? - Episode 30

Episode 30. Another milestone has been hit!

Hello, and welcome back to another edition of SMM! The newsletter designed to inspire you to give content creation a go and give yourself the best chance of success!

Today’s topic is:

What are the main attributes to going viral on Social Media?

A subject we have covered before, but I do not believe we done enough justice!

Let’s start off by saying:

Everybody can go viral & create a social media following!

And it’s worth stressing that everyone can, and probably should, develop the traits we’re going to talk about today (even just for everyday life).

While some people will naturally flourish in the digital world, most won’t. That’s why I’ve put together the list below: if you can develop these traits, you’ll give yourself a much stronger chance of success on your chosen platform(s).

Here are the traits I believe are most critical to growth on social media:

1. Consistency - This is the trait I talk about most. A lot of businesses believe that posting on social media “when they remember” will be enough to drive viral growth. I can confirm this is nonsense. Crafting an online presence takes time and requires regular practice. If you can’t commit to posting a set number of times per week or month, it’s probably not worth starting.

2. Authenticity - A trait that can be difficult for some. If you aren’t honest online and you’re putting on a fake character, people will figure it out. Does that mean you shouldn’t use a heightened version of yourself? Of course not. But the key is to still remain yourself.

3. Collaborate - Peter Thiel once wrote “Competition is for losers” in his book Zero to One. He explains how the best companies work with their so-called “rivals”, while those focused solely on beating others often end up with nothing. Social media is the same. Work with other creators or businesses rather than constantly trying to beat them.

4. Tunnel Vision - Pick your niche and don’t stray away from it. If, on my Formula One page, I suddenly started talking about politics, the F1 fans I’d previously acquired wouldn’t care and would potentially unfollow. Any politics followers I might gain would then quickly become bored when I returned to motor racing. Find your target market and don’t lose sight of them. Those who aim for everyone often end up with no one.

5. Visionary - Long-term thinkers win on social media. The creators and businesses that are “big” today didn’t start posting yesterday; they’ve likely spent years building their audience. There’s no such thing as an overnight success.

Conclusion:

If you struggle with any of the above, I strongly suggest working to improve as much as you can. I’ve never met anyone who’s been successful on social media without developing all of these traits.

Make sure to subscribe, and remember - “When you show up as yourself, you stand out without even trying.”

- Jacob

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