Lecture Notes on Going Viral by Brendan Kane

Introduction

• Presentation by Brendan Kane, an expert in making content go viral.
• Author of "1 Million Followers," "Hookpoint," and "The Guide to Going Viral."
• Presentation focuses on breaking the five biggest lies of social media.

Background

• Brendan Kane has over 20 years of experience in understanding why certain content gains attention and goes viral.
• Founded a company called Hookpoint, spending over 10,000 hours researching viral content.
• Has worked with numerous high-profile clients across different industries.

The Social Media Landscape

• Social media is a revolution in communication, democratizing access to audiences.
• Unlike traditional media, anyone can now reach millions with a compelling story.

Concept of Going Viral

• Going viral is about capturing attention.
• Viral success is measured by the impact on business goals and objectives, not merely by the number of views.

Role of Algorithms

• Algorithms prioritize content that holds viewer attention; they are not designed to suppress reach.
• They determine the visibility of content based on engagement.
• Success involves partnering with algorithms through storytelling.

Key Insight

• Storytelling plus retention equals success.

The Five Biggest Lies in Social Media

Lie #1: Virality is Pure Luck

• Success in social media is rooted in storytelling, similar to filmmaking.
• There are storytelling formats with repeatable success.
• Example: Tanner Leatherstein - "Is it worth it?" format led to viral success and increased business.

Lie #2: You Need Big Budgets and Large Teams

• Overproduction can work against authentic and relatable content.
• Example: Dr. Jordan Davis - used simple setups to achieve millions of views.

Lie #3: Your Business Must be Sexy to Succeed

• Any business can go viral with the right storytelling approach.
• Generalist Principle: Make content accessible to a wider audience, not just niche markets.
• Example: Terrariums, car insurance, and warranties achieving viral success.

Lie #4: More Posts Lead to More Success

• Quality beats quantity. Algorithms prioritize content that retains attention.
• Example: Mark Rober posts strategically, achieving millions of views with less frequent content.

Lie #5: You Need Experience

• Success is about having a proven system or guide, not just experience.
• Example: Dr. Aaron Nance used a systematic format to achieve significant social media success.

Conclusion

• The key to social media success is effective storytelling.
• Use proven blueprints and take action to improve content reach and engagement.
• Opportunity to access Brendan Kane's book, "The Guide to Going Viral" for additional insights.