Sometimes, you just can’t predict what will go viral, and my latest video is proof of that! It all started on Oasis of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s stunning ships, where I took a fun slide ride. Little did I know that what happened next would leave people in stitches and have millions of viewers questioning what they’d just seen.
The Video That Started It All
The video I’m talking about? It’s me, happily sliding down the Royal Caribbean slide, sunglasses and all. Mid-slide, my sunglasses decided they didn’t want to come along for the ride and shot out of my pocket, following right behind me. Hilarious, right? Well, apparently, 99% of the comments were less about the sunglasses and more about a certain misunderstanding: people genuinely thought I had pooped myself! It was totally unexpected, but hey, at least they were laughing, right?
For those who want the full scoop on my experience onboard Oasis of the Seas, I’ve written a review you can check out here:
I knew I was going to post the video as both me and my partner thought it was a funny video, and the slide is a big part of the Oasis of the Seas experience. Plus, if you’re new to cruising, you’re unlikely going to expect a huge slide on a cruise ship, right?
TikTok Takes Off
As TikTok is less about curating the perfect feed or aesthetically pleasing shots, I originally posted the video on TikTok. Minimal edits, nothing. But within two hours, it had gained 30k views, and every time I refreshed, another 10k views had piled on. I didn’t use any catchy text overlays or gimmicky sounds. It was a raw, barely edited moment, and I wasn’t even that concerned about the timing since I’d heard Sundays aren’t the best day to post.
I honestly didn’t expect more than 500 views.
The Sudden Instagram Explosion
I decided to share it across to Instagram too. Same edit, same caption, no major change. I expected a little more attraction on Instagram as I have 500 followers, so I’d be hoping some of them would see.
Instagram barely cracked 2,000 views after five hours. Meanwhile, TikTok was thriving. I assumed Instagram wouldn’t pick up, but then, out of nowhere, it catapulted! I left the app for a few hours, and when I came back it was up to the 50’s. Then to the 100k mark, then 200k, and before I knew it, 500k.
And then, boom, I hit 1 million views. But it didn’t stop there—within just an hour of hitting 1 million, it doubled to 2 million. Talk about a rollercoaster! What’s even crazier is that 90% of the views and likes on Instagram came from Facebook. Unfortunately, Instagram’s analytics didn’t let me track down the exact post that brought in all the traffic.
Other Platforms: Not So Viral
Of course, I wasn’t about to let it live only on TikTok and Instagram. I reshared the video on my own Facebook page, but it didn’t even break 20,000 views there. YouTube Shorts was even less impressive with a little under 2,000 views. Each platform really does have its own quirks.
However, 48 hours later, the Facebook view has cracked the 1,000,000 mark. Slow burn, eh?
The Follower Frenzy (or Lack Thereof)
After all those millions of views, you’d think I’d have gained a ton of followers, right? Well… not exactly.
- Facebook: 200 followers
- Instagram: 6 followers
- TikTok: 60 followers
- YouTube: 0 followers
My Takeaway
So, what’s the lesson here? You really can’t plan a viral moment, and even if you do go viral, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll gain followers. Maybe if I’d included more of myself in the video, talking to the camera or giving a clear call to action, I could’ve converted more viewers into followers. But honestly? I’m not too bothered about it. The video brought laughs, which was all I could have asked for.
Sometimes, the most unexpected moments are the ones that stick with people. And in this case, I’m just glad I could share a funny memory with millions of people!
