Alas, This Post Won’t Make You Famous By Morning
Brands that last longer than an algorithm are never built overnight
Dear reader,
I have no doubt that at one point or another we have all felt the allure of ‘overnight success’. The desire for success that seems effortless is…compelling.
However, as I’m sure you well know, there is more to overnight success than meets the eye.
Social media has been among us long enough by now that we have weathered several of its lifetimes. We have seen the rise of influencers and the fall of celebrities. We are seeing the autobiographies of the children of these influencers and are just beginning to understand the long-term effects of such platforms. And, of course, of the ever-coveted power of virality.
The viral moment hits when the algorithm wakes up on the right side of the bed and several stars align. And to anyone other than the elusive algorithm, it is random, unpredictable and unexpected.
That is to say: useless.
Content that goes viral is often unplanned, and while the initial boost in audience is always celebrated, the longer-term effects of such skewed interest causes more harm than good.
Engagement stats are distorted. Your audience is bloated. The pressure is now on to keep the attention of these new eyes and expectations, and thus you begin to make the shift from authentic to performative.
A performative brand is an unsustainable brand.
A sustainable brand is built on time, clarity and trust. It comes from sowing the seeds slowly, allowing yourself space for depth, reflection and alignment. It is about building the foundations quietly, your own way, until you are secure enough in what you’ve built that you know it can survive every market shift, every new platform. And it is at this moment, when it is secure, that it suddenly experiences growth and is perceived as an overnight success.
But you and I know that it is not.
We know that it is the result of hard work: of the foundational work. Of thorough research, and sound positioning. Of a voice that rings clear among the crowd and of a presence that commands attention, instead of begging for it.
Our work.
So when the moment comes that somebody declares you to be an overnight success – and it will – don’t hesitate to gently correct them.
You’ve worked too hard to be called that.
No virality was harmed in the making of this post.
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