Samurai CMS

We live in a society soaked in self-absorption. Everyone seems to think their status updates, tweets, and blogs have people hanging on every word. Guess what?

They don’t.

Your friends will follow what you say, sure. But you’re competing with a few hundred other friends on Facebook and their idols on Twitter, so it’s pretty tough to hog the spotlight. What does all this have to do with Michael Oliveira’s column on the definition of the word viral?

People have acquired an expectation today that others will find their videos as enjoyable to watch as they were to create. This is unrealistic, selfish and egocentric. But it’s come by honestly, in that online, today, you can post a few words and you know for a fact that you’ll have an audience of some size, guaranteed. It wasn’t too long ago that it just wasn’t that easy.

Now it is.

But there is nothing so arrogant as thinking you can create a “viral” video on a whim. There is no magic formula which makes a video go viral. The cause is an x-factor. Even if you create a video that is subjectively, objectively, qualitatively and quantitatively amazing, there is no guarantee it will get the credit it deserves. Sometimes genius goes over the heads of the mainstream. Other times, worthless trash becomes a phenomenon (see Shore, Jersey).

There is a galaxy of creativity and a universe of content out there, and as the article says, even a ton of hits doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve gone viral. For example, if AC/DC comes out with a new video and gets a million views, is it really viral, or did people just want to check out AC/DC’s latest song?!!

When making a video, don’t be so self-aware of the possibility of going viral that it detracts from your work. Take a hard look at what you’re doing from a cold, unfamiliar set of eyes. Why should anyone care? Ask yourself: Is it hilarious? Does it make me think? Does it make me happy? Is it incredibly intelligent? Is it incredibly stupid? Does it target a large and specific cross section of the public? If the answer to at least three of these questions is truthfully yes, then you’ve likely done a good job. But viral? That’s not for you to decide.

Good luck.

Chris Flook is the Director of Sales for StyleLabs' CMS Samurai in Western Canada.  StyleLabs offers full service business and marketing solutions for entrepreneurs, musicians, athletes and small/medium business. www.stylelabs.ca