Have you ever dreamed of going viral on social media? That sudden rush of notifications, thousands of views, and hundreds of comments seems like the ultimate marketing win. But what if I told you that going viral can turn into a logistical nightmare if you’re not prepared? Many photographers experience that exciting surge of attention only to realize they weren’t set up to capitalize on it. I’ve been there myself, and in this episode, I’m sharing exactly what you need to have in place BEFORE your content takes off. Listen to the episode below, or keep reading for a summary of what’s covered.
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What Does “Going Viral” Really Mean?
Welcome back to the show, friend! Let’s talk about virality today. It’s that moment when your content suddenly reaches thousands more people than usual.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Claire, I’m nowhere near going viral.” Here’s the thing – viral is relative. For some photographers, a post getting a thousand more views might be viral compared to their normal 100. For others, it could be 30,000, 300,000, or even millions. I’ve seen simple reception dance videos get millions of views when you’d never expect them to.
I recently experienced this when a couple of my reels hit around 30-40,000 views each. While that’s not my biggest viral moment, what made these reels significant was the engagement – over 150 comments on each with photographers specifically asking for more information about Book It. That’s the dream, right? Content that not only reaches far but reaches the right people who want what you’re offering.
Even if you’re not an educator, imagine having 150 couples comment on each reel wanting your photography services. You’d be thinking, “I’ve got all the demand in the world! There’s no way I could possibly serve all these couples.”
I’ll be completely transparent with you – I was not fully prepared for this influx of interest. It taught me a valuable lesson that inspired this episode. Let me share with you the three critical systems you need to have optimized before going viral.
System #1: Optimize Your Profile
The number one thing you need before going viral is optimized systems. Let me break that down because “systems” can sound vague. I want to give you specific action steps to take today, because let’s be real – we never know when a post is going to pop off.
First, make sure your profile is optimized. When content takes off, people will click through to your profile and make a split-second decision about whether to follow you, learn more, click your bio link, scroll through your highlights, or just head back to continue scrolling their feed. This is your moment to capture their attention and turn that cold lead into a connection.
I always tell my students to consider their profile as their digital storefront. The very first thing someone will see is your bio. Be crystal clear about who you serve and speak directly to your ideal client. Make it clear where you’re based, what bragging rights you have (if any), and exactly what you do and who you serve.
Remember that new visitors to your profile don’t know you yet. They need clarity, not clever little sayings that don’t actually land or create confusion. It should be immediately obvious that they’re in the right place when they land on your profile.
Next, look at your highlights. Are they organized in a way that makes sense to a first-time visitor? Do they showcase your best work and most important information? Do they guide people off the app and to your website? That’s the goal of any marketing channel – to point visitors toward your website so they ultimately inquire with you.
Just like a website funnel guides someone through your entire website experience to the point of inquiry, we want our marketing to point everything to our website. Someone should be able to tap through your highlights and get a solid understanding of your style, process, personality, and unique selling point in just a minute or two. We have very short attention spans, which is why the organization needs to make sense to someone discovering you for the first time.
Make sure your highlights are updated with a consistent process for refreshing them. If you’re showing content from a year ago, it might not be relevant now. For example, last year I was pregnant and preparing for maternity leave – maybe I don’t want that to be a whole thing people are clicking through anymore. Ensure what you’re sharing still aligns with your current work, as we’re always growing and evolving as photographers and business owners.
Finally, consider your recent posts. Do they align with the content that’s gone viral? If someone comes to your page because of your viral content, but your recent feed doesn’t connect with that content, there will be a disconnect. Make sure there’s a cohesive thread between all of your content – what new visitors will see when they land on your profile and how you’re nurturing people who already follow you. You should have a marketing strategy that nurtures, warms, and converts.
System #2: Optimize Your Link in Bio and Website
The second system that needs optimization is your link in bio and website. These absolutely need to convert. Once someone is impressed enough with your profile to click that link, we want to think about where they’re going. Are we making this an experience for them? Does it feel like a dead end? Is it just a link to your contact form with no other experience?
Start with a link in bio that’s a hidden custom page on your website with three to five key links that guide people toward your most important offers or content. Don’t overwhelm with 15 different options. You could include a freebie to get them on your email list, depending on your strategy. This is where you can customize according to your business model and goals.
I recommend having an actual links page, not just linking to your main website or contact form, which are common approaches I see. Also, don’t use Link Tree or similar services – create a custom page on your website that’s consistent with your branding. You can do so much more from a brand and marketing perspective with a custom page than with third-party link services.
Then there’s your website itself. Are your landing pages designed to clearly guide visitors toward your end goal (inquiring with you)? Does your page actually funnel them through to that point? Is it mobile-friendly? Remember that people who find you through social media will likely be on their phones. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen photographers’ websites that aren’t optimized for mobile.
Consider adding a way to capture information, like a pop-up for your freebie or some benefit for joining your email list. This can be powerful for extending your marketing strategy beyond social media or your website. Once someone opts into your email list, they become part of your warmer audience. They’re tapping through all your pages, highlights, and content because they want to know more about you, your approach, your business, and your offers.
Your website is your biggest selling machine, so it’s crucial that you showcase your best work, most updated portfolio, and current copywriting. All of this should connect with your ideal client and complement what they saw in your social media content. Your website should further that connection and convert someone from a cold lead to an actual lead with contact information, whether through email marketing or a direct inquiry.
System #3: Create a Workflow for Manual Actions
The third essential system is a workflow for any kind of manual action. When I had those 300 photographers commenting “Book It” to get information on my mentorship program, I didn’t have an efficient or automated process to respond.
Imagine waking up to find your post has taken off overnight (which is usually how it happens), with 150 comments from potential dream clients asking for more information. They’re raising their hands saying, “Yes, I want to know more!” You’re excited because this is the goal, but you’re also overwhelmed.
You start responding manually one by one. It’s taking forever and feels overwhelming. If you’re anything like me, seeing the little red notification sign on any app stresses you out. By the time you get to comment number 40, it’s been over 24 hours since the post went viral. That initial excitement has cooled, and people have moved on to other things in their feed. By comment number 100, it’s been three days. Those potential clients have likely forgotten they even commented and are wondering, “What the heck is Book It?” That’s potential business lost simply because you didn’t have a system in place.
Hi, it’s me. This happened to me.
What does this workflow or system look like? It depends on your goal for the post. It could be as simple as having prewritten responses saved in Instagram so you can quickly customize and send them. It could be sending an automatic email once you get an inquiry, or having your inquiry responses loaded into your CRM for quick customization. You might have a virtual assistant respond to comments or DMs based on scripts you’ve created. It depends on your business model and the end goal of the post that’s generated all these leads.
The key is to have a system in place before you need it. When that viral moment comes (and you never know when it’s coming), you want to celebrate the influx of interest, not be scrambling and feeling like you can’t keep up.
Quality Over Quantity: Not All Viral Content Is Equal
Remember that virality isn’t just about luck. Yes, the algorithm plays a role, but consistently creating valuable, engaging content that resonates with your audience is what increases your chance of going viral in the first place.
That said, not all viral content is created equal. A post that gets 350,000 views but doesn’t align with who you’re trying to attract isn’t as valuable as a reel that gets 10,000 views from your ideal clients who are actually interested in your services and that leads to multiple inquiries.
This is why I always say your content strategy should focus on creating content that attracts your dream client, not just any audience. I experienced this myself with a reel that got around 350,000 views and gained me about 1,000 followers – but some of them were hair stylists, which didn’t help my photography business at all.
Make sure your content is optimized to call in exactly who you want to work with. It’s about more than vanity metrics – going viral means nothing if it doesn’t translate into bookings, clients, or growth for your business.
There’s a learning lesson in any kind of virality. You’ll probably feel this when your first post takes off, thinking, “I could have done this differently” or “I could have made it clearer that I serve photographers, not hair stylists.” See everything as a learning opportunity. Hopefully, by optimizing the three systems I’ve outlined, you’ll see your viral moment translate into inquiries, bookings, and business growth.
Key Takeaways
- Viral is relative – it could mean 1,000 views or 1 million, depending on your normal reach
- The three critical systems to optimize before going viral are: your profile, your link in bio/website, and your workflow for responding to engagement
- Make sure your profile clearly communicates who you are, who you serve, and what you offer
- Create a custom landing page for your link in bio instead of using Link Tree
- Have prewritten responses or automation set up to handle sudden influxes of comments
- Quality matters more than quantity – 10,000 views from ideal clients is better than 100,000 from the wrong audience
What We Covered In This Episode
- What going viral really means for photographers
- How to optimize your Instagram profile for potential viral moments
- Making your website and link in bio work harder for you
- Creating systems to handle sudden increases in engagement
- Why targeting the right audience matters more than raw view numbers
- Real lessons learned from my own viral experiences
Resources Mentioned
Thank you for being here today! I hope you found this episode valuable and helpful. Take a screenshot, share it to your stories, and tag me on Instagram at @itsclairehunt so I can reshare and connect with you. I can’t wait to see you in the next episode!
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