The NBA Instagram account shattered engagement records last season, racking up more than 13 billion views and becoming the most viewed account on the platform.
“It takes a lot of teamwork to achieve those numbers,” Atwell said. “We’ve started to understand what our audience wants, how to reach them, and how to be timely. We’ve set up a framework to do so. It’s all about knowing what resonates and having the tools in place to be able to develop that content.”
Capitalizing on virality
The duo agrees that capitalizing on virality requires the right team in place and staying agile.
“These viral moments are the gift from the heavens—they just drop in your lap when you’re least expecting it,” Kang said. “The hard work that surrounds a viral campaign happens way before it goes viral. It’s about being able to create smart content that resonates, listening to your audience.
“And the other muscle you have to flex when a viral moment happens is to jump on it quickly and make sure you’re capitalizing on it with speed,” she added. “You can’t manufacture or engineer viral moments, but great marketers will figure out how to amplify the moment and keep it lasting.”