Viral Isn't Always A Dirty Word, Especially On Social Media

Everyone and their mother has a social media account these days. Far from the teen-based fan following of trendsetters like MySpace, audiences of all ages are taking to more recent contenders like Instagram. And, for the most part, they do so for their pleasure. Sure, stories of overnight social media successes do the rounds, but do any of us really believe that we could hit viral heights?

Not really, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen anyway. In fact, the user-led focus of this platform means that anyone could rise up the ranks if they hit the right note.

The trouble is that you aren’t an influencer or even business-minded. In fact, before now, you mainly posted updates for your gram! As such, you may be wondering what on earth to do with this unexpected success. Luckily, we’ve got some pointers to see you through. 

Seek professional representation

As soon as your social media gains big-time exposure, you go from being yourself to being a brand. As such, seeking professional help is your best chance at protecting your legal rights, understanding the ins and outs of business, and the multitude of other proposals that are about to come your way. You’ll also want to be sure to get yourself an agent fast, before offers come flooding in that you simply don’t know what to do with. Because trust us; the chances are that they will. 

Consider how to use this momentum

Unexpected momentum can be a powerful force, and it’s all too easy to agree to the first brand deals/offers of representation because they’re better than anything you could’ve imagined. But, jumping into decisions here is the worst thing you can do. Remember, that momentum will likely only build as your subscriber numbers keep soaring, so you have time to take check. Use this to consider what it is that you want to happen out of this attention. Do you want to go down the influencer route, or would you rather get stuck in building a sales pipeline so that you can sell your own products? Or, perhaps you simply want to use this attention to raise awareness of matters close to home. All of it is easily within reach if you just take your time to get past that initial confusion!

Remember that you can say no

In keeping with the idea that you don’t need to accept those first offers, it’s also fundamental to remember that you can say no to offers that don’t sit right with you/sound worthwhile. Whatever happens, you can bet that people will want to talk to you, work with you, or even commission you to write them books (yes, it really does happen!) Only by keeping a strong mentality at all times can you stop this avalanche from collapsing on you altogether. And, once you’ve slowed the flow a little by remembering that ‘no’ is in your vocabulary, you might just be able to start enjoying the experience/getting out of it everything that you desire.