tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post3398494485169196456..comments2024-01-16T01:42:41.699+11:00Comments on Tune into Radio Carly: What it feels like to go viral.Carly Findlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-22195441006780878802015-10-18T10:26:51.909+11:002015-10-18T10:26:51.909+11:00you write so well. I am like you said, one of thos...you write so well. I am like you said, one of those who secretly want to be viral (not secret now then) even with all the bad stuff. I really want it more for my Instagram feed, but the blog too. Is it awful I feel like this? Is it my need to be validated? Recognised? I do not know why... but going viral seems to be like some passing into maturity, a rite of passage for "serious" or worthy social media users(as well as the inane). Maybe this i9s my skewed perception. Whatever, you have given me much food for thought.... which is always a good thing. XXXShani Nottinghamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-33863758012885770922015-10-15T21:28:07.121+11:002015-10-15T21:28:07.121+11:00Having witnessed both you and Melissa's ordeal...Having witnessed both you and Melissa's ordeals with viral posts, I have no desire to go there myself. I really like how you've tried to help others with this post Carly - I'm sorry you had to experience this on multiple occasions but you are so generous to share what you've learned, regardless xKirsty @ My Home Truthshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07006519156491597528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-54577965580641357472015-10-12T19:56:17.736+11:002015-10-12T19:56:17.736+11:00Brilliant post Carly! So powerful and true. Every ...Brilliant post Carly! So powerful and true. Every blogger needs to read this. XxBechttp://theplumbette.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-33878152452250958462015-10-12T19:54:53.985+11:002015-10-12T19:54:53.985+11:00I remember that so clearly, great post Carly. You ...I remember that so clearly, great post Carly. You have achieved so much and helped so many people since that incident.Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-86053151553025983932015-10-12T19:54:00.891+11:002015-10-12T19:54:00.891+11:00Thank you so much. What an awful thing to happen -...Thank you so much. What an awful thing to happen - I'm glad your daughter is ok. Sorry the post was so emotionally exhausting though.Carly Findlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-10004691011718032812015-10-12T19:53:00.553+11:002015-10-12T19:53:00.553+11:00The story I wrote about my daughter's near-dro...The story I wrote about my daughter's near-drowning went viral and I'm still dealing with the consequences of that. A lot of good come from it and a good majority of the comments were supportive but there were also comments asking for my children to be taken away among other things so I definitely was not prepared for how emotionally exhausting the entire experience was. I feel your pain to some degree on this one. Reading your post brought back so many of those emotions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-89000211974011284972015-10-12T19:28:29.186+11:002015-10-12T19:28:29.186+11:00Well written! I haven't gone viral like that, ...Well written! I haven't gone viral like that, not blown up huge. More like softer, steady waves with certain posts that continue to be hits (- like the 10 Dumb Things Hearing Say to the Deaf Featuring Captain Picard). I think your advice is solid though; good questions to ask oneself about it allMeriahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-53251137341147498862015-10-12T15:41:08.489+11:002015-10-12T15:41:08.489+11:00Thanks for sharing your story... I have no desire ...Thanks for sharing your story... I have no desire for my blog to go viral, I"m quite happy with my little audience - stress free and only positive comments so far. Hopefully that won't change..!Julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-68351331455992935222015-10-12T12:38:07.840+11:002015-10-12T12:38:07.840+11:00Great article Carly. I don't have any desire t...Great article Carly. I don't have any desire to go viral, I'd just like to be successful and have a decent readership. It's scary how little control we have over these things sometimes.Samnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-72008725644478702902015-10-12T12:37:06.038+11:002015-10-12T12:37:06.038+11:00I had a viral post a while back (over a million hi...I had a viral post a while back (over a million hits in a month) and can completely relate to this post. I ended up turning off comments on my blog and stopped blogging for a while. It was an intensely stressful experience. It brought me some great opportunities, but you're right, it's not what it's cracked up to be.Kelleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-40361098205236694482015-10-12T11:58:46.327+11:002015-10-12T11:58:46.327+11:00Yep that's what I did too. I'm sorry that ...Yep that's what I did too. I'm sorry that happened to you Heather.Carly Findlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-62530964437757697672015-10-12T11:58:17.361+11:002015-10-12T11:58:17.361+11:00My post that went viral garnered so many negative ...My post that went viral garnered so many negative comments I delegated the job of dealing w them to my husband. It was just too hurtful.Heathernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-12529587321134302152015-10-12T11:53:48.376+11:002015-10-12T11:53:48.376+11:00Interesting. Thanks. And timely. I just put this...Interesting. Thanks. And timely. I just put this up on my blog .. I went viral on Facebook. Well viral for us .. page has c 2k fans and we reached c.230k reach. Sadly though not for my business but for a client I admin. But y'know .. I still blogged about what I learned from it.. The difference was though that what I put up wasn't controversial, didn't (as you say) rattle a community's self beliefs (actually it probably reinforced them) and I didn't get any negatives. I do remember Darren Prowse talking about when one of his posts made its way onto Reddit and how they just had to ride it out - lots of vile comments which disappeared after a couple of weeks as the Reddit trolls moved on. He was very pragmatic about it .. but it's much easier to be when it's not a personal blog. www.marketing4writers.net/home/going-viral-on-facebook-eeeek-it-really-happenedSaranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-46404699747061541242015-10-12T11:39:13.579+11:002015-10-12T11:39:13.579+11:00I love this piece. I've been blogging for over...I love this piece. I've been blogging for over 18 months now and I've only got a small reader base with very few who comment (those that do, do so manly on FB not my site). There's a small part of me that wants the validation of going viral, but there's a bigger part of me that is so fearful of the trolls. I don't think my skin would be thick enough! I'm ready to launch an online course and I have the same fears - wanting it to be successful and help as many people as possible, but scared of the possible negative comments from strangers. Double edged sword I guess.Susannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-58470754163885872162015-10-12T09:06:29.779+11:002015-10-12T09:06:29.779+11:00Thanks for putting this into words Carly. When my ...Thanks for putting this into words Carly. When my trader joe's post went nuts last year it was fun for a few days and then not... it was just so overwhelming. And while people were mostly so kind, I got really depressed for a little while about the hateful comments, threats against my children, and horrific racial slurs flung our way. I didn't know what to do with all that. The attention was unexpected and really stressful. Thankfully it passed and brought about really wonderful opportunities. But I agree - it's not what you think it will be, and you must have a strong support system + thick skin.<br /><br />I disabled comments on my blog entirely because I had a few other posts this year go viral (not quite at crazy as the trader joe's one though) and I just couldn't handle the hate. Even if it was the minority...Laurenhttp://www.laurencasper.com/2014/12/08/when-someone-saw-more-to-the-story/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-38573770733183415332015-10-12T09:00:56.128+11:002015-10-12T09:00:56.128+11:00I remember that Courtney Westlake - it was a huge ...I remember that Courtney Westlake - it was a huge amount of traffic for you. Feels strange. Going viral in 2015 is certainly different to going viral in late 2013. Thanks for sharing your story :)Carly Findlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-33592653832472207442015-10-12T08:58:33.685+11:002015-10-12T08:58:33.685+11:00Agree with so much of this. Another effect I had i...Agree with so much of this. Another effect I had is that I got so much more traffic that it knocked my server down and I had to upgrade. So it actually became more expensive. I thankfully received mostly positive feedback and comments, but you're right - it does feel like you don't have control over your own message and post. I went to bed several nights with a lot of anxiety.Courtney Westlakehttp://blessedbybrenna.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-60969377197025072152015-10-12T08:47:43.373+11:002015-10-12T08:47:43.373+11:00Great post! Thanks for sharing this side of the co...Great post! Thanks for sharing this side of the coin. I saw you at ProBlogger and desperately wanted to have a chat, but let nerves get the better of me. Thank you for being a beacon of light, support, encouragement and good humour on this platform that can so easily be used for spreading negativity. <3Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166502151832502779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-27235616101244075352015-10-12T08:41:47.233+11:002015-10-12T08:41:47.233+11:00"I want my work and writing to reach the righ...<br />"I want my work and writing to reach the right people. Going viral is not the right way to make this happen."<br /><br />Hiya Carly, thanks for this. As someone who is labouring to build an audience, going viral sounded like the proverbial manna from heaven. It's great to have your reflections on your experience xisla elizabethhttp://www.forgrownups.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-91545910569452857332015-10-12T08:24:16.637+11:002015-10-12T08:24:16.637+11:00Carly!!!!! I'm honored to meet you :) I saw yo...Carly!!!!! I'm honored to meet you :) I saw your story when it hit and thought "If I ever find myself in the same place, I want to be that corageous and give that much grace."Angelanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-10259784697947649802015-10-12T07:54:51.209+11:002015-10-12T07:54:51.209+11:00My friend, she goes viral lots! And she's alwa...My friend, she goes viral lots! And she's always dealing with hackers and such.Marilynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-73805803531046591902015-10-12T07:51:27.321+11:002015-10-12T07:51:27.321+11:00Carly, I really enjoy reading your blog. As my blo...Carly, I really enjoy reading your blog. As my blog keeps getting more and more attention, I appreciate the helpful advice you share.Amber Nicolenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-23554536161136324892015-10-12T07:45:52.617+11:002015-10-12T07:45:52.617+11:00That's huge Amy! It is a bit disconcerting not...That's huge Amy! It is a bit disconcerting not knowing where or why something is being shared. Each time I have a spike, I worry it's Reddit. Carly Findlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-55601796222870645882015-10-12T07:42:23.306+11:002015-10-12T07:42:23.306+11:00What a strange experience Lindsay. Isn't it od...What a strange experience Lindsay. Isn't it odd how those people suddenly reappear? I had people from school who never spoke to me get in touch. I'm glad there was a positiveCarly Findlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368145710452826385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1720872153813357167.post-31692559282129446452015-10-12T07:41:31.381+11:002015-10-12T07:41:31.381+11:00I get what you're saying. I haven't gone v...I get what you're saying. I haven't gone viral, but my blogs have received a lot of attention, and my sons birthday party made fox news last month. (I blog about his autism journey) reading some of the comments were painful, and some of the attention wasn't the best. Meaning people who walked out of our lives because of the diagnosis were suddenly reappearing, claiming to always have been so supportive. It's a strange thing. And it was hard to keep up with. But on the plus side it's done a lot of good for my personal mission too..Lindsaynoreply@blogger.com