The pursuit of virality in content creation is often likened to playing the lottery — its success is unpredictable, making it a risky foundation for building a career.
While chasing viral moments can seem tempting, it’s important to recognize that relying solely on these fleeting spikes of attention can be a counter-active strategy. Just as a darts player throws multiple darts, not all will land on the bullseye.
Content creation is a numbers game where each post, video, or piece of work is like a dart thrown at the potential of virality. Some will hit, some will miss, but the key is to keep throwing — constantly producing, learning, and iterating.
Yet, preparation is not an optional luxury. In fact, it’s a necessity. But don’t wait for the perfect conditions or ideal circumstances before you start creating.
Like building a house, laying a strong foundation and developing the necessary infrastructure is essential for long-term success, even though it may not be immediately visible or glamorous. You need the right tools, the right systems, and the right mindset in place.
For a musician, this might mean accessible recording facilities or a home studio.
When I was 17, the thought of spending hundreds to go to a music studio to work with someone who is not invested in the vision or music at all and only sees the session as an opportunity to make some quick cash seemed ridiculous to me. Since then, I have been building my own studio inside my home to streamline the process from ideation to creation and output.
In other words, I knew that building infrastructure was the only way to maintain long-term access.
MIDDLE MEN
The landscape has shifted, and creators are no longer insulated by the walls of traditional intermediaries like labels, agencies, and publishers. The internet and social media have democratized access to audiences, much like the printing press did for information centuries ago. Now, anyone with the right tools and skills can build a sustainable relationship with their audience, bypassing gatekeepers entirely.
This direct access to the market is a powerful advantage, but it comes with its own set of responsibilities and challenges — the primary one being the ability to not only create but to create consistently and meaningfully in a rapidly changing environment.
In this modern media landscape, virality is only part of the equation. The true value lies in building a resilient infrastructure — an ecosystem where your creativity and efforts can thrive sustainably, even when the viral winds are no longer blowing in your direction.
Like the lone traveler who chooses to take the road less traveled, carving out your own path in the digital age requires an understanding that success isn't always instant or predictable. It’s about resilience, preparation, and an unwavering commitment to the craft.
If you’re creating based on your own authentic experiences and not chasing fleeting trends, your work will find its audience, and when it does, it will have the infrastructure to support it long-term.
BIG MONEY
Being a part of the digital landscape today isn't just about making noise — it's about actively shaping the conversation. If you're going to be on the Internet, you need to engage with it, influence it, and build genuine connections, especially as corporations scramble to figure out how to connect authentically with their audiences.
With companies historically shrouded in corporate facades, they’re now relying on content creators who can speak to their communities from a place of honesty and real experience (Chik-fil-a for example). This shift in how companies engage with their customers isn't just a trend; it's becoming a necessity. As the world leans more into open-source information, fact-checking, and AI-driven transparency, trying to "fake it" will be your downfall. Anything less than authenticity will be exposed.
This is why infrastructure is so critical.
If you get caught in a viral moment without the proper systems and foundations in place, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Virality can be a double-edged sword, like we saw with the "Hawk Tuah Girl" — someone who capitalized on a viral moment, rode the wave, but ultimately crashed due to poor decisions (like the infamous rug-pulling of a meme coin).
Without a sustainable foundation to back up the hype, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being a flash-in-the-pan success. Virality can open doors, sure, but if you're not rooted in solid infrastructure, those doors will close just as quickly as they opened.
It's not just about capitalizing on the moment, but about being prepared for when the moment comes — having the skills, systems, and strategies in place to take advantage of that sudden surge without burning out.
The key to thriving in this unpredictable digital ecosystem is iteration. Don’t wait for perfection before you start; throw your darts, try things out, and gather as much data as you can. The more you do, the more precise you become in understanding your audience, your market, and where you stand in it all.
That data is your map, guiding you as you refine and adapt your approach. Virality might give you a quick win, but it’s the infrastructure and continuous growth that will ensure you’re still standing long after the viral moment fades away.
Without it, the noise will drown you out, but with it, you'll be able to turn those fleeting moments into lasting impact.
Success in the digital world isn't just about catching lightning in a bottle with viral moments. It’s about laying the groundwork for sustainable growth, so you're ready to leverage those moments when they come.
Virality might give you a quick boost, but without a solid infrastructure, it’s easy to lose momentum.
To build that foundation, start by mastering key skills in your field (ex. writing, creation, and audience building, etc.) while also developing systems for consistent output and iteration.
Collect data from everything you create to better understand your audience and refine your approach.
In essence, think of your business as a living, breathing, evolving entity. Focus on building a strong infrastructure that allows you to adapt and scale, so when viral moments arise, you’re not just riding the wave but turning it into sustained success.
cowabunga y’all,
Kassamoto