A Year After My Small Business Went Viral (And Why I Now Prefer Steady Growth)

About a year ago, one of my personalised products suddenly went viral online.

At the time it felt surreal. Something I had created for my small business was suddenly being shared everywhere. People were discovering my shop, tagging friends, leaving comments and placing orders faster than I had ever experienced before.

Watching something I had designed myself suddenly reach so many people was an incredible moment.

But a year later, looking back on that time, I’ve realised it taught me a lot about what I really want for my business.

The Exciting Side of Going Viral

When the attention first started, it was genuinely exciting.

People were sharing my products, tagging my business and leaving lovely comments about something I had created. My social media following grew quickly and my shop started receiving a huge number of orders.

Seeing strangers excited about something you’ve made is an amazing feeling as a small business owner.

Products were selling out, orders were coming in quickly and people were leaving kind reviews and recommending my shop to others.

For a moment it felt like everything I had worked towards was happening all at once.

Running a Viral Moment as a Solo Business

Behind the scenes though, I run my business completely on my own.

I design my products, manage my website, pack orders, answer messages and handle everything that comes with running a small business.

So when orders suddenly increased, it was a lot to manage.

Looking back now though, one of the things I’m most proud of is that I handled it all myself.

It definitely wasn’t easy and there were some very long days, but I managed to keep everything under control. Every order went out on time, there were no mistakes and no late deliveries.

Even during such a busy time, everything ran smoothly and I was still able to take on custom orders.

At the time it was stressful, but a year later I can honestly say it’s something I’m really proud of.

The Less Visible Side of Going Viral

Of course, viral attention also brings challenges that people don’t always see.

When your work suddenly reaches a much bigger audience, you also become more visible to criticism as well as support.

Even though the majority of comments were kind and encouraging, the negative ones sometimes stood out more than I expected.

But the hardest part for me was seeing my product idea being copied.

Once my product gained attention, other businesses started creating similar versions. Some even used my photos to promote their own listings.

Seeing images I had taken and products I had designed being used elsewhere was incredibly frustrating.

I ended up having to submit copyright claims to have some of my photos taken down. Unfortunately this is something many small businesses experience when their work starts gaining attention online.

What I’ve Learned a Year Later

A year later, I’ve realised that while viral moments can be exciting, they’re not actually what I want most for my business.

What I really value is something much more sustainable.

I want a steady flow of orders rather than sudden spikes.

I want customers who return because they genuinely love my products, not just impulse purchases from a viral moment.

Orders that are chosen with meaning feel much more special than quick trend purchases.

Social Media Isn’t Everything

Another thing I’ve learned over the past year is that social media engagement doesn’t always reflect how a business is really doing.

There are times when a post doesn’t get many likes or comments, and in the past that might have made me feel like my business wasn’t growing.

But the reality is very different.

Even on days when social media feels quiet, orders are still coming in and customers are still discovering my products.

That’s when I realised that building a business doesn’t have to rely on chasing viral posts or engagement. A strong website, search traffic and returning customers can be far more valuable in the long run.

Focusing on Long-Term Growth

Over the past year I’ve focused on building my business in a more sustainable way.

I’ve spent time improving my website, working on SEO and building a supportive community around my brand.

One of my biggest goals was to make my website the main place people shop from, with Etsy simply becoming another place customers can order from rather than the centre of my business.

A year later I feel much more confident in my business. Orders are more consistent, customers are returning and the growth feels much more stable.

Why Steady Support Means More

Going viral will always be a memorable moment in my business journey.

But what I value far more now is steady support.

A regular flow of orders, returning customers and people choosing my products because they genuinely love them means far more than a viral moment ever could.

And honestly, that kind of support is what truly helps a small business grow.