The phenomenon of products going viral has transformed with the rise of social media, creating a surge in visibility but also attracting many uninterested users, referred to as 'Looky-Loos.' These users contribute to fake spikes in engagement without genuine interest. Traditionally, product promotion had fewer, higher-quality marketing avenues, while now, platforms introduce a deluge of transient users. The viral success can appear positive but may obscure issues regarding genuine user engagement and retention, leading to mixed outcomes for new applications and products in today's highly fragmented digital landscape.
When your product goes viral, yes, you do a big spike in users. But what you're really getting is an Invasion of Looky-Loos, low quality users who come in, check things out, but don't stick.
Going viral is a new phenomenon, borne of the era of social media. Fueled by memetic copycatting, people view, share, and click through on the same videos and content.
In prior eras, this type of behavior was less extreme - there were fewer marketing channels, and fewer large scale ecosystems the size of today's social media platforms.
Congratulatory moments of going viral may mask the underlying issue of attracting 'looky-loos' who have little intention of engaging meaningfully with the product.
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