What actually happens after you have a viral video
PEOPLE always ask Tanya Hennessy how much money she made after her videos went viral. The answer? Not as much as you’d think.
PEOPLE ask me this question almost every day: “How much money did you make after your videos went viral?”
So I thought I would clear it up.
Firstly, my videos didn’t go anywhere near as viral as Chewbacca Mom (161 million views) or the SketchShe girls (260 million). But collectively over a few videos in a series called “Things People Say To ...” I somehow managed to get in excess of 23 million views.
Here’s what actually happens when you have a viral video (on Facebook):
1. YOUR PHONE EXPLODES
My phone had so many notifications I had to turn it off. Oh, and then a lot of your high school mates remember how much they liked you and add you on Facebook.
“Oh hey high school bully. You didn’t want to be my friend when I was 14 with acne, but here you are.”
2. PEOPLE WANT TO BUY YOUR PAGE
Once your likes start to go up, people want to buy your page. They all seem super legitimate too. “I buy your page for $240 and one camel.”
3. FREE STUFF
US Teeth whitening companies and various businesses want to give you their stuff to post with a discount code. (“I love Skinny Tea, I definitely use it every day, and not cause I was paid to post this. Use TANYA20 for 10% off”)
4. SO MANY CHARITIES APPROACH YOU
“Can you please post my charity dog wash in Louisiana Tina?” It’s Tanya, and I Iive in Australia, but sure.
5. YOU GET RECOGNISED ON THE STREET AND PEOPLE WANT PHOTOS WITH YOU
It’s not often, but when it happens it’s super strange. Or people just yell at you from their cars:
“Are you that girl who does those videos?”
“Are you on the internet?”
“I don’t find you funny I just want a photo for my Snapchat.”
6. PEOPLE ASK YOUR ADVICE
I’m always being asked, “How did you do it? How did you make a viral video?”
My answer? It was a fluke. I think most super successful videos and memes online are.
I was inspired to make the video Things People Say to Makeup Artists after my friend and makeup artist Ellie did my makeup. During which I was like, “Girl, people must say the weirdest things to you … what kind of stuff do people say?”
When she started telling me I was like, “Oh I have to make a video!”
It was filmed in Toowoomba Queensland, with an iPhone that was gaffed to a light stand, and edited on iMovie (on my phone), on a plane in 50 minutes.
In fact, I learnt to edit on the plane. That was the first video I had ever edited.
See. Actual. FLUKE.
7. PEOPLE ASSUME YOU’RE FLUSH
People assume you have made a lot of money from the video. But because it’s on Facebook you don’t get any money. None. People are perplexed by this. The only real money you can make with video content online is for them to be sponsored or on YouTube.
8. IT’S AMAZING!
The best part of it is that people (who are so time poor) have given up their time to watch and share what you have created. It’s the coolest thing to realise that your stuff is being shared because people like what you have created. It’s very rewarding. That’s the best part.
But this is my experience, it’s different for everyone. For Bogan Gate video creator Mitchell Coombs, “it opened a lot of doors for me career-wise. It gave me heaps of exposure and gave me a lot of contacts. Despite having media experience and training, I wouldn’t have my current job at Amplify NOW if they hadn’t spotted me online after that video.”
(The Bogan Gate video has 65,000 views on YouTube, but it got more than three million between Facebook and his Sunrise interview).
Content creator, Christian Hull (five million views, 49,000 on Facebook) said, “You get lots of people asking you on a date, I have received lots of Snapchats of people’s d**ks. Oh yeah, I got signed to a manager!”
So, if you have always wanted to make a video for Facebook or YouTube, what are you waiting for?
Do it! Just make it.
You could get noticed and get your dream gig or you could at least get some Skinny Tea.
Tanya Hennessy is the host of Hit 104.7 Breakfast in Canberra. Follow her on Facebook.
