The Surprisingly Quiet Dangers of Going Viral Overnight

Now, sure, going viral sounds amazing in theory, especially if you’re someone who had major hopes of starting a travel social media channel (since you can travel the world for free once you make it big). Just think about it; one day you’re posting like usual, maybe half-expecting ten likes and your mom in the comments, and then boom! Just out of the blue, you’re suddenly in everyone’s feed. Yeah, those notifications are popping off, strangers are tagging their friends, your follower count’s climbing so fast it feels like your screen’s glitching.

Yeah, no doubt, it’s exciting. But right in the middle of all that fun, people begin to notice you. Well, not just the kind who want to hype you up or buy what you’re selling, but the ones who’ve been lurking for moments like this. Basically, the people who look for creators on the rise, the ones who’ve got attention but not quite the experience to spot the red flags yet. Okay, and what about those people? 

Well, they show up in your DMs with smiles, compliments, and some really convincing offers.

Not All Help is Really Helpful

Alright, now we need to start off with this one. So, it always starts the same way: there’s the compliments, and the next thing you know, they’re talking about opportunities, wanting to “work together,” offering to grow your audience, or “take things to the next level.” And because you’re still riding the high of all that sudden attention, it’s easy to let your guard down a bit and think, “Okay, maybe this could be something.”

Well, yeah, if you go viral, you want to try and make the most out of that viral moment, because once that 15 minutes of fame is over, well, it’s next to impossible to get it back. But here’s the thing: some of those people aren’t there to help you grow; they’re trying to get a foot in the door before you realize how valuable your platform is.

 And no, it doesn’t always look shady. In fact, some of the sketchiest ones come wrapped in professionalism. Actually, that’s the scariest part of them all, people like Alec Celestin, who work for large creator-based platforms, will reach out to you dressed up as a professional but with shady tactics. But in all seriousness, it’s not always the superstars getting targeted. Usually, it’s the ones just starting to take off.

You Don’t Need to be “Big” to be at Risk

There’s this weird assumption that people only go after influencers and creators once they’ve hit six figures or have management. But honestly? The sweet spot for shady people is when you’re almost there. You’ve got momentum, visibility, and maybe a few viral hits under your belt, but you haven’t quite locked in your systems yet. You’re so close, yet so far, and they know that!

A Little Suspicion Goes a Long Way

The truth is, most of the people worth working with aren’t sliding into your inbox with cryptic messages and big promises. Yep, you read that right, instead, they’re not vague. They’re not rushing you. Just go ahead and enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, just celebrate it, and trust your gut.