The most someone has earned on the Internet is a billion dollars and more. All the value that can be made in the offline world can be made in the online world. However, the Internet has an advantage. It can connect to millions of people, and when something is shareable, it creates a viral growth network, and sometimes it gets too big.
Gangnam Style song by Psy is one such example of viral growth. It has a billion views. But it’s not because it was made for billion people or so many people found them via search. The initial million people shared the video, and the same thing kept happening, and boom, there is a video with zillion views.
However, you need to figure out an initial audience. The trick is always making something that will be loved, searched and shared by a niche audience. And then work on another project of yours.
Hack to create a viral project
You can’t. You can try but reverse engineering mostly doesn’t work. You must work towards a small niche audience and give it your best shot. Maybe it’s shared; maybe it brings in viral growth. But that’s a secondary hope and not a goal. Your goal should be to serve your tribe, and maybe that tribe keeps increasing, but as long as your tribe helps you sustain and help create the next art – it’s a good place to be in.
Sure, go ahead and use the good inspiration from other successful projects. But the aim shouldn’t be to trick or chase the viral billion views. Instead, the goal should always be to give the best possible output.
Because if some art of yours happens to be shared, it will grow only when it’s amazing in the first place.
For example, in the context of YouTube, sure, make that thumbnail enticing and that title amazing, but focus on creating the best content too. Else, those clicks will close the window faster than they clicked.
Billion Views Isn’t for Everyone
Some people will get a billion views, but those will be few. And the law says that someone will become ultra-rich, successful and famous – but chances are that won’t happen to you.
As a creator, you should focus on finding the smallest audience with which you can survive and keep creating other art.
Rohan's blog 