Pique the Curiosity or Stir the Heart

Journal #4: Describe the key takeaway for you today. Should your brand or company be focused on going viral? Give a pro and a con of viral content.

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

As an aspiring journalist, or freelance content creator, what stood out to me was "you are more likely to thrive telling powerful stories than by chasing cheap emotional responses." In my first blogpost, I talked about information overload in these current times. The same can be said emotionally. There are so many click baits aimed at ruffling your feathers, that it could be exhausting at times. What drew me to journalism was that "search for the truth" and how broadcasting it could change the masses' perspectives and ultimately, how they do things. News can go viral in and of itself but how it is written changes whether it even gets read by the viewers or not. Similarly, in the corporate world, the first thing we need is that "attention grab", then can we focus on the emotional hook which is the focus of "going viral".

THE EMOTIONAL HOOK

You don't want to get the shock value just for the sake of it. It has to have emotional attachment to what you are trying to sell as a company. It has to be relevant and would provoke the audience to action or awareness. A company should focus on their goal and how they want to impact the audience. If they just want something quick like getting them to buy a newly launched item or partake in a sale, by all means, go for going viral. If it is something more long-term related to your business strategy, then it takes careful consideration. One example is the Ice Bucket Challenge, which seems irrelevant at first, but as it peaks in viewership, more people are searching for information, and trying to be involved beyond the trend of pouring ice bucket over themselves. The pro is obviously reaching more people to at the very least have brand awareness that "hey, they exist". But the con is if the wrong message is received by the audience and you either gain a bad rep or "get cancelled".