Do you want to be famous? Do you want to have millions of people who want to be like you and get interviewed on tv shows? Well, you are in luck because it seems like in today’s world you can be famous for just about anything. Whether it’s following your friend around and complementing his sneakers or re-making a song that is originally about sex into a song about someone always lying. It seems as though just about anything can get you adored by the public.
There is no exact formula to go viral. It just happens and it can happen to anyone. This seems to be the other annoyance with the culture. There is no pattern for fame. Most of the time, when people try to make videos go viral on purpose, they end up not gaining traction. Ever wondered why Instagram and Vine only allow a certain time span for their videos? The time span not only is a limit but it also makes the user think about the content they put out. It takes creativity but really anything ranging from a few minutes to seconds can enthrall someone enough to hit that share button.
It may be a stretch to say that every week there is a new trend on social media, but no matter what it is, the views will start to rack up if the public decides on its worth. Mindless entertainment will catch someone’s attention. Once it gets shared a couple of times around, it then becomes a trend. From tens to hundreds; thousands to millions of views.The public decides who and what goes viral and their pick is like the groundhog picking how long spring will last. This is the only factor that keeps going viral from “being easy.” You can’t plan something taking off and getting shared across platforms to friends, family and followers.
Companies have also looked to monetize these viral sensations as well. Vans Skate Shoe Co. recently got a big promotion from the ‘’Damn, Daniel” kids saying “Back at again with the white Vans.” They capitalized off that free promotion by giving Daniel a lifetime supply of vans. The voice saying, “Damn, Daniel,” received a brand new surfboard with the slogan and the Ellen logo emblemed onto it.
Certain Viners who make “comedy” content have achieved such acclaim, they go on tour. Much like the group “Magcon Boys” which consists of names like Nash Grier and Cameron Dallas. They have millions of fans and get photos taken and followed that would indicate Brad Pitt was around. Viral videos have the power to create a whole new breed of celebrities and fame. It may not last long or it may last a long time, but the main task to create something to get noticed and then to create something that others want to share and show others. If it’s “good” enough, you’re golden. Former Youtube comedian King Bach became an A-List celebrity of sorts thanks to vine. Creative ways to make someone laugh in six seconds has allowed Bach to become a cast member of Nick Cannon’s “Wild n’ Out” and attend events like Justin Bieber’s post-Grammy party.
There’s also the need and want to become viral. This kind of publicity can lead to other opportunities such as book deals, ad contracts, acting gigs and talk show requests. That is part of the fame. It also can bring in an income. Profiting off viral sensations began with Youtubers getting paid based off of their views, rights to the video and the number of subscribers they have. More traffic for YouTube equals more money for Google, which encourages users to produce more content with financial incentives, resulting to more money brought back to the corporate heads. Maybe the reason viral videos receive so much attention nowadays is only because of a subliminal trap for the modern-day consumer. The news station the boisterous interviewee was on brings more attention to that local news station and so forth. What if news anchors partake in the latest sensation live while on-air? Well, more viewers are attracted to choosing that station, because they look “cool” or “fun”.
However, for the viral sensations themselves, you also have to keep creating viral content. This includes either using original content or riding the “trend” rollercoaster to rack up views and stay in the public eye. So many viral trends die out as fast as they become trendy. Our generation is always looking for the new video to share.
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