Why You (Probably) Don't Want To Go Viral
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- What I learned making a video that got 75+ million views in 2 days, and why it (probably) shouldn't be your goal with content.
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This is so true! Virality is nice for the ego but does not necessarily translate into you achieving your real goals. Your Short was really good though! 🙌😊
Agree and thank you Marie!
Well said and, if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, something that's going to come up more often as RUclips does a better job funneling low-intent traffic from their news feeds and other peripheral products. Just basing that on my own small channel and the recent Daisy Creek Farms video though.
The broader point is something we ran into lots in the tech startup space. Virality is a poor indicator of demand and interest. It's easy to find examples of startups with massive exposure that go bust because that exposure didn't match their target audience while their contemporaries feast on quieter but more meaningful connections.
Completely agree
I am really enjoying your personal channel here. It’s super helpful for content creators. Thanks! I saw that video and automatically wanted that device haha. I didn’t realize how viral the video went though!
Glad to hear this!
Thank you for sharing this. And thank you as well for the detailed analysis... both of the video and of the content serving the business function. We've built out business channels, but my main channel is really struggling to figure out what it wants to be maybe because I'm still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up. (I'm 44 - frustrated by the lack of growth on the channel, but also never really started it with clear goals...) In any case, thank you. This was interesting and assistive to actually thinking through things.
Glad it helped!
🐝Thanks for the great video🌻
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Interesting topic. I had not seen the video.
Idk, I feel like for the most part the people who followed you after that know you're a gardener.
I about fell over whenever I saw Jordan The Stallion stitch you! 😂 I just thought omg, Kevin's really done it now!
I was super happy for you! I do believe good things will continue to come from it.(More than just selling the company out) Manifest Kev!
Thank you my friend!
Fun fact, Khaby is Italian........at least he is now. I once read his story, don't remember if he was born in Italy or migrated there very young
No way!
“You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song”
Based
The man himself
I’ve noticed an unfortunate side-effect of my favorite RUclipsrs going viral. The community environment changes and more unkind comments are posted.
Yeah you escape your own audience algorithmically and you get random people who don't know who you are commenting - it can get toxic!
I can see my two golden retrievers getting tangled in that kneeler if I walked with it on, it actually caused a negative visceral reaction to that instant visual when I saw it because of that, but them my two young dogs are still pretty hyper.
Fair!
@@kevinmespiritu I can see most people who would buy one wouldn't have that issue. I don't think.
Empire?? LOL
?
@@kevinmespiritu that is how you referred to your company, just thought it was funny. Empire: A supreme authority
@@lauriemann6542
That's pretty much how it is for him now!
FR.
Thanks for this video! I’m a gardener with a chronic illness (psoriatic arthritis), so even though I’m in my 30s, I’m always keeping an eye out for ways to make gardening more accessible for people with disabilities. You’ve touched on that topic in a couple of other videos (including the one with the gardener who uses tall beds because he’s a wheelchair user) and I’ve really appreciated that. I’m also considering starting a gardening channel in the near future, so the reminder to not get too swept up in the desire to go “viral” is especially welcome right now 😊
Best of luck if you do start!
@@kevinmespiritu thanks!
My boyfriend sent me that clip (even though I had already seen it because I follow all your stuff) so it was definitely viral because he doesn't have any garden stuff in his feeds
Yeah it went true viral, I got sent it by people I haven't talked to in 20 years LOL
I think a best case scenario would be you partnering with the manufacturer and making a multi-sized or adjustable height range of kneelers in collaboration with the Epic Gardening store. Original product looks great but I thought the comments about it not working for people below ~5’5” (if I remember the anecdotes correctly) were very helpful!
Working on it!
@@kevinmespiritu AWESOME!
I saw the original video and was questioning it. But then…. I saw your video and was immediately thinking that’s a great product to have regardless of your health. Thanks again Kevin!❤
Definitely agree. I had a realization last year that viral content wasn't (usually) giving me the audience I actually wanted and switched focus to just putting out content for the people I WANTED to follow me. Sometimes it goes viral, usually it doesn't. But the community I'm building is now the one I really want on my page, which has the added benefit of making SM more enjoyable instead of stressful.
Yep. Best approach right there.
Gardening is my lifelong hobby & I need to use this kneeler kick board. Where can I pick it up in Bay Area??😊
I’ve noticed how much more traction my last video got just by using more humor and appealing to lowest common denominator more and I can’t say that energized me. It just confirmed my suspicions about us humans.
You just gotta do you! You seem to struggle quite a bit with that dichotomy, from my POV you seem more on the true artistry side of things. If so, you then also can't be mad if results are lower if you 'know what to do' but opt not to do it. Always tradeoffs! I personally love your stuff.
@@kevinmespiritu you certainly understand me Kevin. I’m more on the artistry side. I’ve certainly learned to compromise to an extent just enough to make it financially feasible but I guarantee you that going too viral would be a nightmare for me and my personality and would attract all types of negative attention. I’ve been lucky so far to mainly attract positive precisely by holding back. What bothers me is how surface level you gotta stay to speak to a larger audience, which is limiting for me. I know this is going to sound pedantic but I say this in the most honest way possible, but it feels like when I was in school and felt held back by the rest of the class. The only time I felt challenged was with AP classes.
@@suburbanhomestead I feel similarly, I had an insanely high GPA and was frequently bored in classes, to the point of not even attenting about half in college.
Been a fan of the EG channel since 2020.Your EG videos cultivated (😉) my passion for gardening and have been upping my growing ever since! As a newer content creator, Im also loving the creative/business insight you offer on this channel. Gracias amigo!
Love to hear this.
All i could think when i saw that short you made is how you often talk about your bad knee(s). So when I saw it i was just so happy for you for finding something you can genuinely find some use for it! Love yer videos, Eric.. i mean Kevin!
;)
Alex Hormozi has spoken a lot about this recently. Views aren't really worth much. You want your viewers to be your customers, because they will be the ones who purchase from you. A small number of highly engaged followers is worth way more than millions of followers who have no intention of ever buying anything.
He's pretty spot-on with his recent stuff
When I watched it, I definitely thought it was a new product launch.
I wish
I wish too!
Make it so, #1.
I usually watch all your stuff but some how I missed the viral video 😂
You might be the only one!
Nope. I’m the 2nd
I had a short go viral last week - nearly 10k views in 24 hours which for my little channel is a big deal. Lots of engagement, it was a 2 part video and there were several comments expressing excitement to see the rest, as well as 50 new subscribers! The next day, part 2 went live. I was stoked to see how it would do! After 8 hours, it had 15 views 😅 not 15,000, not even 1,500. Two digits. 15.
So yeah, vitality means pretty much nothing for long term.
It did finally take off later, I think it's sitting at around 500 views now, which is my high average.
Sometimes shorts take a while to kick off!
Yeah, I'm gunna need one of those dealies too!
My knees have never been quite right since the Rheumatoid moved thru them.
Kneeling is no longer an option.
UNTIL NOW!!!
That is so random that THAT is the video that went viral lol.
Fantastic advice. I have a question that I'd love your opinion. If someone who wanted to start a social media video channel, would you recommend sticking with 1 platform, more, all? If just 1, which one? Thank you!
Master 1 platform then expand
That device looks genius...i will be keeping my eyes out for it. I have bas knees that wont be improving no matter how much i exercise!❤
Ironic timing. I was just thinking about this.
I enjoy this channel of yours, even though I know it isn’t the core of your business. I found it from your other channels, though. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, of both gardening and content creation.
Yep this is just for fun!
I value my privacy WAY too much to ever ever want to be famous. I prefer working in the background in almost everything in my life. I don't do well with attention at all.
It's good to know yourself!
It is great to see you upload again on this channel. I can relate to you with this one as my biggest channel has a decent amount of subs, but it was built off of two videos with over a million views. Most of my videos on that channel aren’t aligned closely enough with those one off products, so that combined with RUclips’s barriers added between me and my subs have called the channel to roll over with views so to speak. I started this channel purely for fun because I got into gardening again last year now that I have a very small child 👊🏻🌻👊🏻
Yeah it's tough to 'suffer' from a viral success for sure!
This is an incredible video and I am loving this channel! I also have a blog on regenerative agriculture and content creation! That’s amazing! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed!
Hey Kevin, I really appreciate this channel. I have a startup in a similar industry to yours and these videos and your example are making a difference
Fantastic!
i need that kneeler
But
But
But
What's it actually CALLED???
I heard you-
It's sold out.
I need to get in line for one of these dealy-bops!
KneeSeat
@@kevinmespiritu
Thank You!
It’s on Amazon. One actually uses a photo of you in their listing 😮
Just saw this...crazy
TIL that Kevin gets feet pic requests. I did not need that information 😂
LOL
Good morning 🌞 I saw that video and thought “this would be great as I have arthritis!” Consider this: that short video, although viewed and shared with others who possibly aren’t gardeners, may have been inspired to look into gardening!!! ❤🌻
Yep!
❤That’s so true!❤
Not fun, dude
Very interesting stuff. I just had my first 16K plus long-form and I am pretty stoked. I am also like...hmmm...what next. I will just keep doing what I am doing. Making great videos that help people get better at music. Long term organic growth I think will be the best route for the mental side of things. Great insight and thanks for sharing. :)
Congrats on that! Always awesome to hit a new milestone
@@kevinmespiritu Thanks so much brother. I'm only a year deep, but just hit 4.5K in subs and everything just keeps ramping up. I started a newsletter on Beehiiv and have 68 readers on there and growing. Sold a few pieces of merch. on my website and I'm developing courses in Teachable. YT works if you put in the work and build your community first.
You just have to grind and never give up. Thanks for the kind words of encouragement and great vibes. I am from San Diego, but now reside in Idaho. My ears perked up when you mentioned my hometown in the vid. haha. Have a great rest of the day.
very true, I have a DIY channel and I started gaining subscribers/followers with shorts, but decided to just keep my long form videos with more value, and hoping to create a more solid audience that can help grow my business, but I'm still figuring it all out. My dream is that empire you talk about, but in DIY and I'm lost, need that clarity and savviness 🙏
You'll get there! Smart to focus on long form
That is so very true - my goal was to always be authentic, even though this would likely translate into slower growth. Sometimes, though, the slow growth is a bit disheartening. Thank you, Kevin, for the reminder that long-term goals trump flash-in-the pan viral content.
You can do it!
I think on one of your past videos on this channel, I had stated something similar that if you can watch your video on mute, and it is still enjoyable, it will be massive. Frankie LaPenna had an interview where he basically reveals that is how he produces viral hit after hit.
Speaking for myself here, I don't care how well the video did, but I want content that doesn't push your business forward, so you make money off of me. I know you don't want it all Epic this and Epic that here, but for that business model of yours, I want to be educated and entertained. I like the products you offer and I even have some in my home, but if I felt I was only a sap that you are pushing products on to, I would likely stop purchasing. I feel even if it doesn't grow your garden audience, it could also still help with retention with your main audience and retain your authenticity with your brand. I believe in previous interviews you said too that you don't like the idea of this forever growth model. Some things you can do just because they are cool or feel good. The video felt fresh and fun again like you got a little break from work and you're back in love with it.
Yeah if you can watch on mute, you have a highly visually engaging story. And agree - not every piece needs to "monetize" :)
I totally saw that video on insta and shared it! Total banger. Thank you for posting this video with the background story. Great advice too!
You bet!
Awesome, thanks for sharing 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I love your point about building the audience you want!!!
Second. Great video. 🙂
We missed you! Thanks for the update! 😊
I have been doing my kneesovertoes exercises and I can now squat in the garden LOL. Great video Kevin and I am proud of your success brother. Love from the Inland Empire, CA.
Love it bro. Knees over toes is crucial work
Kevin, you are so genuine and straightforward. Love this channel so much and very grateful to have met you! Thanks for the insights. Viral content is no longer the goal for me… I’d rather “go bacterial,” like the soil that sustains us😅 -Logan
Hey! Good to see you on here Logan
So awesome to meet you today
💚💚💚Am I hitting the “grow” algorithm yet?
I need to build what you got and that's FOCUS. You're awesome man. Lot's of people enjoy the harvests of from my small garden and lots of it's success is thanks to your educational videos. And it helps alot that we're in the same climate zone.
Glad to hear it's helpful!
That is sad to hear that it didn't add more $ to your business or even from your platforms. The content creators are the only reason us audience come back to (insert platform here) and for THEM to get hundreds of millions of views they should compensate the creators more for their hard work to accomplish that... Thanks for sharing these details helps me focus on what is more important for my business rather than what the platforms are showing.
It is what it is!
No feet pics? MAAAaaaaaan... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sorry to disappoint :P
I am a wedding florist, and it was so funny to see you in my wedding video content. I agree, though. I would much rather have way few people see the content with intent and interest in my overall product than 75m people with no interest past the viral video
Yep, totally agree!
I agree. One might get a lot of exposure but from what type of audience and will one be able to retain them. I'm new to RUclips content creation, so I appreciate this video. Thank you!
Exactly!
We saw your video used with Jordan the stallion, he made his own video using yours.
Saw that!
OMG I fr shared that video with all my gardening friends! 😅
Thanks for sharing!!
Kevin, YOU RULE!🙏❤️
Quick question if you have a mn and this reaches you. Hopefully you can answer. Videos like this, do you write a script or is it something you thought about and just speaking off the top of your head? Im trying to get better at that. Thanks.
Just speaking. Check my video out on speaking to a camera, it's a few back on this channel
@@kevinmespiritu Cool thanks!
Oh no….is it still sold out? 😢
Yep