Viral ≠ Valuable

We live in a culture obsessed with going viral. Everyone’s chasing the algorithm. Everyone’s trying to “crack the code.” But along the way, we’ve started confusing visibility with traction, and noise with signal.

Just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s worth your attention (or your audience’s).

Chasing every viral wave might feel like growth. It might even spike your views or engagement for a day or two. But if you’re building something long-term: a brand, a business, or a point of view, you need a different compass.

You need your signal.

Signal is the stuff that sticks. It’s the through-line in your work: grounded in your values, your vision, and the people you’re actually here to serve. It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being clear.

Noise, on the other hand, is loud and fleeting. It’s disconnected from who you are. It doesn’t build anything. It burns fast and leaves no trace.

Think of a lighthouse versus fireworks. A lighthouse doesn’t move. It doesn’t chase storms. It serves a purpose, quietly and consistently. Fireworks are attention-grabbing but disappear the second they explode.

Both are visible. Only one actually guides people.

Not long ago, Coupons.com posted a TikTok that caught fire. It racked up more than 100,000 views and a ton of engagement. By all the usual metrics, it was a success.

But when you dig deeper, the win starts to fall apart.

Yes, the post rode a trending format and sound. Yes, it hit the right emotional notes to get people to share it. But it had nothing to do with the actual brand. It didn’t educate, inspire, or connect viewers to a larger story about what Coupons.com is or how it helps people save money.

There was no strategy. No funnel. No system behind the post.

It didn’t drive app downloads. It didn’t grow the email list. It didn’t build brand clarity. It just entertained. Then vanished.

This is what happens when you confuse viral reach with real traction.

Every time you post just to keep up with what’s hot, you dilute your message. You confuse your audience. You make your brand a little bit harder to understand.

You may not notice the damage right away. But over time, you stop being known for anything specific. You blend into the feed. You become forgettable — one more brand or creator chasing the same wave as everyone else.

It’s not that you failed to go viral. It’s that you failed to matter.

It starts by getting clear.

What are you actually trying to build? Who are you building it for? And what do you want to be known for — not just next week, but six months or six years from now?

Then it’s about creating with intention. Not to impress the algorithm. Not to keep up with everyone else. But to serve the people who are already listening (and the ones you want to find you).

Signal comes from repeating your core ideas often enough for them to land. It comes from tracking the metrics that matter — not just likes and reach, but replies, referrals, conversions, and conversations. It comes from asking better questions:

Did this resonate?
Would the right person care about this?
Did I show up as myself or as a trend chaser?

I’m not saying you should ignore trends completely. Remixing popular formats or jumping on a moment can work. If it helps you say something you already believe.

The trend should amplify your message, not replace it.

If it’s bringing the right people closer to your work, great. But if you’re just doing it because it’s “working” for everyone else, you’re not building a brand — you’re borrowing one.

And borrowed attention doesn’t compound.

Getting attention is easy now. It’s not even impressive. Algorithms hand it out by the handful.

But getting alignment? That’s rare. That’s what actually grows businesses, movements, and brands people care about.

So the next time a trend blows up and your instinct is to jump on it, pause. Ask yourself:

Is this building what I’m here to build? Or am I just borrowing someone else’s momentum?

Choose signal. Every time.