Everyone Wants Virality, But Who’s Building Value?

10K likes. 100K views. 1 million followers.
These numbers stand for much more than engagement. They have become shorthand for success, credibility and validation. But let’s address the uncomfortable question we’re not asking enough: What’s the point of all the attention if it doesn’t lead to trust, loyalty, or impact?

We’re posting more than ever. Consuming more than ever and yet, feeling more disconnected, replaceable and fatigued. 

We’re living in an age where creators are burning out keeping up with the algorithm. Businesses are obsessing over metrics that don’t translate to loyalty or even sales, for that matter. Everyone is participating in the performance, but there’s no purpose behind it. 

So, today, we’re not here to offer a hit piece on virality. We’re here to talk about building value.

The Virality Trap

Welcome to the content hamster wheel. 

Post. Perform. Hope. Repeat. 

If you scroll through Instagram, X, or Facebook long enough, you’ll notice a pattern. The same trends, the same formats, the same faces lip-syncing the same songs. Not because people lack originality, but because the system punishes it. 

We’ve internalised the logic of the algorithm so deeply, it’s hard to tell where our voice ends and the machine begins. It’s like living inside a twisted episode of Black Mirror. 

We’re no longer asking, “What do I want to say?” Rather, “What will get pushed?” And that difference flips everything into chaos. Because when the algorithm becomes your audience, authenticity becomes an act, not the truth. 

When Virality Goes Wrong 

The recent infamous Coldplay concert incident illustrated this perfectly. A brief moment on the kiss cam led to a viral storm online, and brands were quick to jump on the trend, capitalising on the momentum. 

Tesla, Netflix, StubHub, and several other brands published clever yet opportunistic responses. What followed was a flurry of engagement but no lasting impact. If anything, it raised concerns about how quickly brands are willing to insert themselves into private or ambiguous moments, simply to stay relevant. 

The Alternative: Amul’s Legacy of Timely, Trusted Relevance

In contrast, let’s consider the long-standing example of Amul. For decades, the brand has responded to current events with topical humour, with the Amul Girl standing at the centre of it all. What makes Amul’s approach different is that these moments aren’t just reactive; they’re carefully calibrated, witty, and timely, but never tone-deaf. 

Whether it’s political satire, sporting victories, or pop culture moments, Amul doesn’t capitalise on trends; it enhances them. And that’s what makes them different. This has led to building an audience that actually waits for Amul’s response with bated breath, trusting the brand’s voice. 

While most brands chase virality, Amul has stood tall as a recognisable and respected organisation whose content series is an Indian advertising icon, not just an algorithm-pleasing strategy. 

The Illusion of Growth

Virality feels like growth, but more often, it’s inflation. The metrics swell, but the meaning doesn’t. You can have a reel blow-up and still have no idea who your community is. You can gain 10,000 followers and still not sell a single product. You can go viral and still feel invisible. 

Because reach isn’t the same as resonance, not anymore. And attention isn’t the same as trust. 

Ask anyone who’s had their “big moment.” The dopamine rush crashes hard. And then what’s left? A crowd that claps but doesn’t care. And a creator wondering why they’re still feeling behind. 

Why Value is the New Flex

There’s a deeper crisis amidst all this, and it’s not just about content. It’s about how we define value in a digital world. Are you posting to connect, or are you posting for the numbers? 

We’ve mistaken visibility for virtue. Popularity for credibility. Speed for relevance. How many times have you judged a creator or a brand’s credibility by their follower count? 

There’s something quietly powerful about the creators and brands who are building slowly. Consistently. Authentically. They may not have viral moments every week, but they have something better: trust. And in an attention-seeking economy, trust is the most powerful currency.

Think about the pages you actually go back to. The ones you engage with. The newsletters you open. The voices you trust when you’re lost. They’re not always the loudest, but they’re clear. And you feel them.

Community Over Clout

Virality can fill a room. But value makes people stay. And staying is underrated.

The internet is tired. Tired of being sold to. Tired of clickbait. Tired of the same trending audio played over different faces saying the same thing. We don’t need more noise. We need resonance. We need depth. We need creators and brands who don’t just chase the algorithm but challenge it.

With content that’s intentional. Design that’s intuitive. Strategy that’s rooted in something more than just the week’s trending audio. 

And this is where production matters. Where storytelling is treated as a craft and not a sprint to viral relevance. When aesthetics support ideas, and formats are chosen not for what’s easiest to shoot, but for what will land, stay, and be felt.

Good production doesn’t just look good. It builds clarity, consistency, and connection. It’s how value shows up, visibly.

So, What’s Our Point?

This isn’t a call to quit. It’s a call to revisit your intentions for making content.

If you’re posting and not growing fast, maybe you’re not failing. Maybe you’re just building something real, and real things take time. Maybe your 500 loyal followers matter more than 5 million passive views. Because in a world chasing clicks, choosing value is the boldest move you can make.

Written By: Arya Chatterjee