Is viral content even good?

So as part of the new year strategy, this week, Eden and I have been refreshing our content plan (it’s been a long time coming). 

In the past, we would plan out our strategy and focus on what’s done well with a mix of personality style content and teaching on branding or business. 

Each week it was the same. 

“Oh this meme did well, let’s keep posting memes”
“This attention grabbing trend did well, let’s do it again.” 

Now, you might think this is actually a great strategy – and honestly it is for growth and “virality”. But for the long-term, it’s a bit… not so good on the brain or the brand.  

Going “viral” or choosing popular topics is like this 📈📉. You go up and then you go down. When something is trendy or trending, you get lots of views and then it's irrelevant. 
 
Many creators and businesses follow this system of following trends and I think it works for many influencers or content creators selling themselves. But for serious brands and businesses, trends are not the best option. 
 
Why?
Trends lack authority: It shows you don’t have much to say and lack a strong opinion. 
The views stop: There’s a cut off for viral or trending content. It’s not popular forever. 
It “cheapens” your brand: No one will take a business seriously if you’re doing dance trends (or something like this). 
So what to do instead of following trends or following the “likes” while making content for your business?
 
Make evergreen content on things you know about or want to talk about. You’ll avoid burning out, chasing trends and talking about things that don’t align with you. And you’ll build trust and authority with your audience. 
 
Videos like tutorials or explainers will continue getting views and engagement for years after posting. The same goes for blogs or any form of content really. 
 
Plus, it’s been proven that evergreen content often delivers 4x higher ROI than trend-based pieces. 

So today’s Issue is a lesson in making content sure. But it also has a deeper meaning than just that. 
 
In life, I want you to ask yourself if you’re doing something because you think it’s trendy, cool or will make you look popular. Or are you doing it because you like it? 
 
Is it going to get you 15 minutes of fame or help you grow long-term? Is it for vanity? Or is this actually for you?
 
An example: So the seasonal menu at McDonalds can sometimes have some fun treats on there. But the cheeseburger is the most popular burger for a reason. It’s good. It’s consistent. It’s got the authority. It's proven it knows what it’s talking about and I trust the cheeseburger.
 
The seasonal menu? Could be fun for a season but I’m already over it before the menu is taken down. 
 
So would you rather be a cheeseburger or a seasonal menu item? 

I'd choose the cheeseburger every time. 

Am I hungry? Maybe. 
 
Make sure you earn your place on the menu. Don’t be forgettable like the seasonal item. 

Stick to your values and your truth. Not what's trending. 

Choose things for your content and for your life that align and grow your long-term goals – things that mean you will be evergreen and on that menu forever. 
 
Long-term > 15 minutes of fame. 
 
I’m off to eat breakfast… It might be a cheeseburger. 
 
Penelope 
 
Co-Founder of Boring Studios, Writer, Cheeseburger-lover