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What makes something go viral?

You make have seen the recent viral article (linked below) that chatGPT passed an MBA exam when a Wharton professor tested it. That professor's son is a close friend of mine and we discussed what we could take away from that viral moment:

  1. It's all about the headline. Very few people actually read the article.
  2. Brand matters. "Wharton professor" adds instant credibility.
  3. You can't predict what will go viral. Christian Terwiesch is an accomplished professor and author that has poured countless hours into various works but the one that went viral was something he spent two hours on for fun.

To summarize - the narrative (made up of headline & brand) is what went viral, not the content itself.

I write a weekly newsletter and this Friday's edition is around product virality and how to set yourself up for success. You won't want to miss it, so subscribe here: https://benlkatz.substack.com/

article link: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/chatgpt-passes-mba-exam-wharton-professor-rcna67036

on January 26, 2023
  1. 2

    A poor headline can discourage people from reading an article, as it doesn't give them a clear idea of what the article is about or why they should read it.

  2. 1

    Agree, title/headline is the most important part. The headline must evoke emotion, people are more likely to share content that evokes an emotional response, such as happiness, awe, or anger.

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