Virality, brand deals, burnout: The fragile reality of creators in 'scroll, like, forget' age

"Two years ago, the roka video from my marriage went viral. Overnight, my husband Hitesh and I became influencers by accident," said micro influencer Rashika Gupta, who manages two Instagram channels - rashikahitesh and irashikav. Gupta is a lifestyle creator, but she also makes witty couple videos with her spouse, drawing both views and brand deals.

Gupta stressed that success depends more on content quality and consistency than on followers. "I worked with brands like Faces Canada, Mamaearth, and Decathlon when I had only 3,000 followers," she said.

In India, millions dream of becoming social media influencers. Yet only a select few achieve lasting success. Many others return to traditional jobs or struggle with unhealthy coping mechanisms, often due to the high-pressure cycle of instant success followed by sudden setbacks.

What is content virality?

Experts say that every creator's success often hinges on that "ONE" viral video that gives them "celebrity" status, even if only temporarily. After that, it's up to them whether they can continue riding the wave of that success.

Marketing professor Ashish Kaul explained that once the individual reaches a certain critical mass of followers and their content goes viral, it automatically attracts more followers. " If you achieve a fair amount of virality, and it happens somewhat frequently, people follow you for who you are, not just for what you said," he said.

On the contrary, Viren Sean Noronha, co-founder & CEO of The New Thing, said 'virality' is temporary.

"It's like any good virus-- once you catch it, your chances of catching it again go up".

However, once it happens, everything afterward tends to be measured against it, he added.

As these viral moments unfold, thousands of posts on social media help creators rise from nano to micro influencers and sometimes approach macro status every week.

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A nano influencer on Instagram (with a follower count between 1,000 and 10,000) said that she desperately wants her content to go viral so she can quit her job and earn solely from content creation. "I have made hundreds of reels and have bagged brand deals from Meesho and Amazon, but my followers remain stagnant, at around 7200," said Shreya (name changed).

Riddhi, whose Instagram handle is ridhi.culous, boasts more than 1.5 lakh followers and is among the lucky few who shot to fame after going viral. "It felt surreal—my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing, and suddenly several new people were discovering me. Financially, brands did reach out more, but the emotional high of people resonating with me was the bigger impact".

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However, she added that virality comes with a cost. "The first viral moment is pure excitement-- it feels like a milestone. But the pressure that follows is heavier. I have started seeing virality as a way of keeping the stats high, not the benchmark! The real win is when people follow and stay for me, not just one post".

'The algorithmic challenge'

Platforms' rapidly changing algorithms are among the biggest challenges for creators to stay relevant. A lifestyle influencer, speaking anonymously, said, "We constantly have to adapt as Instagram changes its algorithm every week. Growing followers has become a daily struggle. Brands also exploit creators because the market is saturated--If I collaborate with one brand, there's no guarantee they will return when they gave thousands of other options".

Viraj Sheth, co-founder and CEO, Monk Entertainment, a new media company, told Storyboard18 that while algorithms reward spikes--a creator can go from zero to millions overnight--the crash afterwar can feel brutal.

"We have seen it with viral comedy reels where the first clip explodes but the follow-ups barely move, leaving the creator disillusioned," Sheth added.

'Brands and creators'

Brands' demand for creator-led content is exploding. According to data from Kofluence, a nano influencer on Instagram typically earns between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000 per brand deal. Earnings increase with audience size: Creators with 10,000-1 lakh followers can earn up to Rs 1 lakh, while those with 1 lakh-10 lakh followers may earn anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh per collaboration. Brand partnerships now account for 70% of creator income.

Anushka Sanghvi, Chief Marketing Officer at Nofiltr Group, said that brands focused on longevity look for consistency and content rather than the virality factor.

"Is the creator consistent? Are people actually engaging with them beyond likes? You can tell when a creator has built a community versus when they have just had a moment".

According to Noronha, brands can filter genuine creators from one-time viral sensations by focusing on consistency, format, experimentation, screen presence, and comment analysis.

However, for celebrity-level creators, virality still matters. "Brands have moved from asking 'who is the next big creator' to 'who is the creator of the week'. The one with the most buzz gets the most brand queries," Sheth noted.

'Flip side of going viral'

"The love and criticism come together when you get viral. While appreciation is incredible, trolling can take a huge toll on your mental health. One day, people are loving your content, the next day, they are tearing it down. I am learning not to take it personally, otherwise I will get trapped by my expectations," said a beauty creator who wished to stay anonymous.

Going viral or being a successful creator not only amplifies praise but also magnifies criticism, trolling, and bullying, leaving creators vulnerable to self-doubt and hypervigilance.

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Cyberpsychologist and therapist Nirali Bhatia explained that digital hostility often triggers stress, social withdrawal, or even long-term trauma, especially if the creator wasn't prepared for sudden public exposure.

"Chasing virality is like gambling: the win is thrilling, but it's not sustainable".

Bhatia suggested that young creators focus on consistency, authenticity, and community-building rather than chasing overnight fame and success. "Success that is steady and value-driven is kinder to mental health and far more sustainable. Viral moments may come and go, but resilience and balance will keep you in the game for the long run".