What Happens When a Photo Goes Viral on Facebook

On Facebook this past week I stumbled across this wonderful photo of cupcakes with miniature books replicated on top and I immediately fell in love. After sharing on my wall, I went online to learn more about the magical creator of these little treasures: Victoria’s Kitchen, a specialty bakery in the U.K.

Well guess how many other people were impressed with these cupcakes? In less than a week the photo on Facebook generated over 18,000 shares, nearly 6,000 Likes, and 900 comments. Not too shabby for the little bakery with 7,700 fans!

Photos have become increasingly popular on Facebook, generating far more views than text-based posts. In response to this trend, Facebook gives photos a higher priority in your timeline so they are more often seen by your friends and fans.

The good folks at Victoria’s Kitchen never expected such a tremendous response to their photo, and they posted a note on their wall announcing that they are investigating shipping options to the U.S. (Would someone please send me some of these for my next birthday?!)

The lesson here is that photos can really take off on Facebook and have an impact on your business, especially if you post something unique that strikes a chord with people. These viral campaigns are difficult to manufacture and most happen like this one did, catching the poster by surprise. But consider how you can share photos or images that inspire your fans to share while building your brand. And don’t forget to post them to Pinterest and your other social networks too!

Stephanie Chandler is the author of LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business.
She is also CEO of http://AuthorityPublishing.com, a custom publisher of
nonfiction books, and http://BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of resources
for entrepreneurs. Also visit http://StephanieChandler.com