Why I Stopped Trying to Go Viral — and Started Building Trust Instead

For a while, I obsessed over going viral.

• Studied hooks

• Posted at “optimal” times

• Tried the viral formulas

• Chased likes, retweets, karma

Once in a while, a post would blow up.

Thousands of views.
Hundreds of likes.
A little dopamine hit.

And then?

Nothing changed.

No real growth.
No deeper relationships.
No users.
No revenue.

That’s when I realized:

Reach is rented. Trust is owned.

📉 Virality Doesn’t Mean Loyalty

Going viral feels good.
But it doesn’t guarantee anything:

• Most people scroll past you the next day

• No one remembers who made that post

• You become just another fleeting moment in someone’s feed

Meanwhile, the people who truly support your work?

They show up when:

• You’re honest

• You’re consistent

• You’re useful

🤝 Trust is Built in Small Moments

Now, I focus on:

• Writing for 5 people who care, not 5,000 who scroll

• Showing up even when the post flops

• Responding to DMs and comments

• Sharing lessons, not hype

Because trust isn’t built through one big viral moment.
It’s built through repetition, relevance, and realness.

🔄 How I Changed My Content Strategy

I stopped asking:

“Will this go viral?”

Now I ask:

“Will this help someone who follows me already?”
“Does this reflect what I’m actually building?”
“Would I post this if no one saw it?”

Suddenly:

• I enjoy posting again

• The right people find me

• And those who stick around? They remember

⚡ Final Thought

Virality is a nice bonus.
Trust is a long-term asset.

One brings attention.
The other brings action.

So no, I don’t chase viral anymore.
I show up, give value, build in public — and let trust do the heavy lifting.