Going viral is the dream of many content creators, and there are two things that you need to do if you want it to happen. If you stick to these two golden rules, they will help you go viral on TikTok.
There’s a fantastic podcast for anyone that’s pursuing creative work, such as social media content, on a regular basis. It’s by Father Bronques, called Make Art Not Content. His podcast will give you a kick up the ass with his philosophy about creating great work.
The greatest artists in the world kept evolving. David Bowie created a different musical style and persona for every album. He worked in music, theatre, art, even the writing found in his lyrics was unique. Picasso, another great artist, worked with everything from paint to the theatre and experimented with a vast range of styles during his career.
Other artists have a single success and spend the rest of their careers trading off that one hit, or continually attempt to replicate that hit.
What kind of artist do you want to be?
Rule 1: Innovate. Constantly look for new ways to create and present ideas on social media. User other people as inspiration to develop your own style. Every piece of content is a stepping stone to the next.
As soon as you start creating unique, original content, your chances of going viral have increased massively.
Going viral is like winning a lottery scratchcard. You’re in the game to win, but you have no control over when it happens. Which leads us to the second rule.
On TikTok, it’s about one in twenty videos that will hit far higher views than your other videos.
As soon as you’ve created your first piece of content that goes viral, you’ve entered the one-in-twenty loop.
If you want to go viral again, the best way to ensure that happens is to make another twenty pieces of content, quickly.
It’s like working in sales, it’s a numbers game. The more losses you get, the quicker you’ll get to the next win. Just like Bowie and Picasso, you need to keep producing work until you reach your next hit.
Rule 2: Keep. Making. Content. Whether that’s one piece a week, or three times a day, find a cadence that you can meet and stick to it.
I’m here for the truth, not to massage your ego. You need to stick at this, it won’t happen overnight. However, that magic combination of innovation and consistency is all you need to make the numbers blow up.
Learn more by downloading my free ebook and joining one of my masterclass webinars!
Gavin is a consultant, writer & content creator helping people learn about our global food system. Every month his food policy TikToks and food waste challenges reach millions, helping people understand where their food comes from and how to use it more sustainably.
He also helps organisations around the world tell stories about food. He’s written in national titles and consulted on sustainable food systems for organisations across Europe, including the European Commission and WWF. His background in photography took him across Ecuador and Colombia chasing down the world’s finest chocolate and coffee for National Geographic and Huck. He’s spoken on TV and radio in the UK and US, and been featured in the national press, alongside titles as far afield as Mexico, Japan and Kazakhstan.
