Deconstructing things that go Viral.
We have all witnessed the incredible power of something that goes viral.
From silly cat videos to memes, to the Arab Spring that led to a complete political shake-up in Middle Eastern society.
When clients want to get in on the internet action they begin by underestimating what it takes to get a thing to go viral. After trying everything, they realize that there is a kind of magic, that makes one video or idea go viral, where some another, possibly even better video, died a natural death.
What is clear is that nobody knows for sure how, or even why, things grow the way they do on the internet.
We just don't know, and as a result, there is no formula for success.
Nothing one can do that guarantees success.
We are however able to study the stuff on the internet that has broken through and look at what they have in common, but one would quickly realize, just how big the internet really is.
Imagine for a second that we are able to deconstruct a successful concept. Trace every post back to its founding father. If such a thing was possible, we would be able to begin to explain how and why things that go viral, or do what they do.
I have little doubt that the technology exists to visually represent the various nodes that help spread concepts on the social media.
From silly cat videos to memes, to the Arab Spring that led to a complete political shake-up in Middle Eastern society.
When clients want to get in on the internet action they begin by underestimating what it takes to get a thing to go viral. After trying everything, they realize that there is a kind of magic, that makes one video or idea go viral, where some another, possibly even better video, died a natural death.
What is clear is that nobody knows for sure how, or even why, things grow the way they do on the internet.
We just don't know, and as a result, there is no formula for success.
Nothing one can do that guarantees success.
We are however able to study the stuff on the internet that has broken through and look at what they have in common, but one would quickly realize, just how big the internet really is.
Imagine for a second that we are able to deconstruct a successful concept. Trace every post back to its founding father. If such a thing was possible, we would be able to begin to explain how and why things that go viral, or do what they do.
I have little doubt that the technology exists to visually represent the various nodes that help spread concepts on the social media.
If one could visualise the nodes of interaction one could control the spread of fake news and incendiary posts.
Nip the spread in the bud so to speak.
In the modern world there is much speculation over the 6 degrees of separation. Some augue there are seven. Either way every person on the planet is able to reach out to every other person and it would only take six or seven jumps.
Lets give that a moment to settle in. If the person you shared that post with shared it with their friends, the message would only be forwarded a maximim of seven times before it potentially reached every person on the planet.
This piece was written precovid and before the US elections that were disputed by Trump. Both saw the malicious and deadly spread of misinformation, and in both instances the gate keepers at Google, Facebook, twitter and the like failed to contain the deadly posts. They failed to identify them in time and failed to respond before they had done their damage.
Clearly the social media of the world have been engineered for engagement and shock and awe. This is the specific goal and then the content is damaging or libelous they are at odds with the design.
M Parak
9th Jan 2019
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