These days, social media is more mainstream than ever. With platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch, becoming an influencer or streamer is more achievable than ever before.

Influencers and streamers can make massive amounts of money when they’re able to go viral and have their content shared by millions online. They generate revenue through the use of their likeness, merchandise sales, donations from supporters and brand partnerships via sponsorships. 

With all that being said, is it bad to go viral? Yes, I believe it is. Of course, there are perks with becoming viral, such as fame, building your own community and becoming financially stable, but I think there are more downsides to fame or going viral that are often overlooked.

When something or someone gains rapid popularity, they are often described as “going viral.” This surge in attention can be driven by either positive or negative factors. It’s up to that person to keep the momentum of the popularity, or the downside can be “increased scrutiny and criticism, such as negative comments, trolls, online harassers and spam bots,” according to a Linkedin post from IWisers.  

When people go viral and end up being famous, they have lots of pressure to keep themselves relevant, while also making sure the content they put out is liked by the audience. Influencers and streamers can’t make everyone happy and that’s a part of the job. Even if the content creator likes what is put out, and the audience does too, there will always be people saying that it’s bad or boring.

If people have a niche that they’re passionate about, most likely that’s what their content revolves around. The niche can be anything from anime, gaming, reactions, streaming, music or piano tutorials. 

A content creator needs to have a very strong mindset. There is lots of noise constantly trying to bring them down – that’s the life of a content creator. If they aren’t able to mentally cope with that negativity or pressure, then it can be hard for them to produce content if they’re wrapped up in worrying about their audience’s opinion.

Some influencers that have seen the top of the mountain and remain relevant today are Kai Cenat, MrBeast and the Paul brothers. They’re each different influencers who appeal to diverse audiences, and all of their fan bases are enormous. 

Cenat is a Twitch streamer and is a part of the Youtube group Any Means Possible. He’s very comedic, and when he’s with his group, his style blends seamlessly. Cenat has become so big that he’s able to attract mainstream celebrities on his stream, such as Chris Brown, Kevin Hart, Druski and many more. When people bring up Cenat they usually admire his great reputation, but that doesn’t apply to all influencers.

The Paul brothers are just as big as Cenat, but they have remained controversial throughout most of their fame. I’m not a part of either fan base, but I prefer the older brother, Logan Paul. If someone isn’t part of their fanbase, the general reaction is likely to be one of intolerance, as they are often seen as annoying or disliked figures in the social media world.

MrBeast has been a very popular influencer in recent years, and has reached 333 million subscribers on YouTube. His content is more philanthropic, as he frequently gives millions of dollars to strangers who compete on his channel. He has also participated in trends like the Squid Game, which is a popular Kdrama show. There’s always a cash prize in his videos, and he receives a good amount of positive feedback from his audience and other content creators. 

All of these influencers started from the bottom and had to grind their way to the top. They had viral moments that helped propel their careers, but it was ultimately their hard work that let them keep this level of success and being able to branch out to other avenues that kept them popular and relevant.

Social media is steadily increasing in popularity, and it’s very hard for people to become as famous as the people mentioned above. Engaging on all of these platforms is a step in the right direction, but not everyone can become viral. 

Being able to easily access platforms such as Youtube, Twitch, Instagram and Tiktok is instrumental in becoming popular on social media. Anyone has a chance of becoming popular because most people have a phone, tablet or a laptop. Yet having access to all of these platforms is only the start of a journey.  The technical stuff is usually the more difficult aspect because expensive devices are a big part of content creation. Additionally, another difficult part of content creation is coming up with great ideas consistently. It’s not impossible to become popular or to go viral, but people have to be aware of what’s popular and what’s not.

If anyone thinks that simply posting one video or stream on a platform can make someone popular, they are in for a rude awakening. Becoming a popular influencer or streamer isn’t easy, and success won’t happen right away. 

Whenever a person decides to do content creation, they have to be hungry and grind a lot. Don’t over exert yourself by trying to push content out everyday because that can lead to stress, which is the main reason why influencers stop creating content. Organizing a schedule can help so that you don’t feel forced to produce videos on a platform. 

Another strategy of content creators who are starting out is number watching. They’re frequently checking how many views a video receives or how many subscribers they have. It is important to be aware of how the channel is going, but a creator shouldn’t be too focused on the numbers because it can negatively affect their happiness if they aren’t where they want them to be. 

As long as the content creator is passionate about creating content, then that stress doesn’t happen much. They’re focused on their goals and the little steps towards getting big. The content will eventually begin to get noticed, because of the consistent videos being published. 

If the content creator likes what they put out and they see that the videos are picking up traction, it’s a good sign. People can like and comment on their videos, which leads to growing an audience. 

Social media is huge, and that benefits content creators because they can promote themselves on different platforms and even share with their friends. This is a very reliable way to continue building an audience.  

There are positive and negative benefits for those who become viral. I don’t recommend doing it if a person doesn’t have a specific plan or motivation. If a person has a passion for the subject of their content, they have a higher chance than someone who just wants money and clout. Viewers can see through that. So, if you want to become an influencer just have fun and work hard, and you’ll find good things will soon come to you. 

Even if you don’t want to become a famous influencer, you have the opportunity to at least showcase your skills and personality on multiple platforms.