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Stop Chasing Virality: Build a Brand That Outlives the Algorithm

Why Most Marketing Funnels Are Leaking Revenue

Let’s get one thing straight: if your marketing strategy is “go viral,” you might as well be playing darts blindfolded in a hurricane. Sure, you might hit the bullseye once, but odds are you’re just going to break a lamp and embarrass yourself in front of the boardroom.

Virality is not a strategy. It’s a side effect. Like sneezing when you look at the sun. Or crying during a Pixar movie. You can’t plan for it, and you definitely can’t build a business on it.

The Cult of Virality: A Modern Marketing Mirage

We’ve all seen it. The CEO walks into the Monday meeting, eyes gleaming, and says, “Did you see that TikTok with the dancing plumber? We need something like that!”

And just like that, your team is off chasing the digital equivalent of Bigfoot—hoping to capture lightning in a bottle, bottle it, and sell it on Shopify.

But here’s the truth bomb:

“Virality is a sugar high. Brand is the protein that builds muscle.”

One gets you a spike. The other gets you sustained growth. Guess which one your CFO prefers?

Why Chasing Virality is a Losing Game

Let’s break down why the virality hamster wheel is a terrible long-term strategy:

Algorithms change faster than your intern’s job title. What worked last week is already outdated.
It’s unpredictable. You can’t forecast virality. Try putting “hope” in a quarterly report and see how that goes.
It rarely converts. A million views and zero sales? Congrats, you’re famous and broke.
It’s not repeatable. You can’t build a marketing engine on flukes.

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t create content that’s entertaining, shareable, or even a little weird. I’m saying you need to build a brand that makes people care—whether or not the algorithm is in a good mood today.

The Anti-Viral Framework: Build a Brand That Lasts

Here’s a radical idea: instead of chasing virality, build a brand so good people would wear it on a t-shirt. Here’s how:

1. Nail Your Positioning (No, Really)

If your brand positioning sounds like it was written by ChatGPT on Ambien, start over. You need a clear, sharp, differentiated position in the market. Ask yourself:

What do we stand for?
Who are we for (and not for)?
Why should anyone give a damn?

Example: Liquid Death didn’t go viral by accident. They positioned themselves as the punk rock of water. That’s not a campaign—it’s a worldview.

2. Create Consistent, Compelling Content

Instead of trying to make one video blow up, make 100 pieces of content that build trust, authority, and brand affinity. Think:

Educational content that solves real problems
Entertaining content that reflects your brand voice
Emotional content that connects with your audience’s values

Remember: consistency beats virality. Every. Damn. Time.

3. Build a Community, Not Just an Audience

Audiences watch. Communities engage. If you’re not building a two-way relationship with your customers, you’re just yelling into the void and hoping someone claps.

Start a newsletter. Launch a private Slack group. Host events. Create inside jokes. Make your customers feel like insiders, not just buyers.

4. Measure What Matters

Vanity metrics are like cotton candy—sweet, fluffy, and ultimately empty. Focus on:

Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
Customer lifetime value (LTV)
Engagement rate (not just impressions)
Brand recall and sentiment

If your “viral” post didn’t move any of those needles, it was just noise. Fun noise, maybe. But noise.

Case Study: Duolingo’s Owl Didn’t Just Dance—It Had Strategy

Everyone loves Duolingo’s unhinged TikTok owl. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t random. It was built on a clear brand voice (quirky, irreverent, slightly threatening) and a deep understanding of their Gen Z audience.

They didn’t just go viral—they built a character. A mascot. A meme machine with a mission. That’s brand, baby.

Final Thought: Be the Brand, Not the Trend

Look, I get it. Virality is sexy. It’s the marketing equivalent of a Vegas jackpot. But if you want to build something that lasts longer than a TikTok trend, you need to think bigger.

Build a brand that people trust, love, and want to be part of. One that doesn’t need to go viral—because it already lives rent-free in your customer’s brain.

So next time someone says, “Let’s make this go viral,” smile politely and say:

“Let’s make it valuable instead.”

Now Go Build Something That Matters

If you’re tired of chasing trends and ready to build a brand with backbone, start by asking better questions. Who are we? Why do we exist? What do we want to