The Viral Gap: From TikTok to Instagram, and the Paradox of Internal Communications

We live in an era where information disseminates at an unprecedented speed. The minute something happens on one side of the world, it becomes breaking news on the other. Yet, some amusingly precise, almost predictable patterns have emerged from this instant gratification of information needs.

Consider the life cycle of a viral trend. If a catchy new dance move or a humorous challenge takes off on TikTok, the application is instantly awash with uploads of people joining the bandwagon. The trend permeates the platform's environment, seeping into every feed, making everyone laugh, engage, and participate. However, there's an interesting lag that occurs as this content migrates platforms.

The punchline among the younger generation is: "If it goes viral on TikTok, your mom will see it on Instagram six weeks later."

While said in jest, this reflects the pace at which social media trends move across platforms and audiences. The edgy, fast-paced environment of TikTok sparks off the trends, which then filter through to the slightly slower-paced, diverse demographics of Instagram.

The viral life-cycle draws a striking contrast with an entirely different communication sphere: internal communications within organizations. It's a paradox that in an age where information flow is faster than ever, internal memos and important updates often get lost in the void, never being seen or acknowledged. It's the phenomenon of unread emails, skipped meetings, and the not-so-funny jokes about memos disappearing into black holes.

Why does this happen? Several factors contribute to this communication gap. Employees often find themselves overwhelmed with the volume of information they receive daily. Additionally, traditional communication channels like emails might not be as engaging or eye-catching as a TikTok video or an Instagram post.

So, is there a way to bridge this gap? Maybe organizations could take a leaf out of the TikTok playbook. The key lies in the way information is presented and disseminated. Rather than long, complex emails that are easy to skip over, short, engaging, and visually appealing content might work better. A quick update video or a creative infographic can deliver the same information in a more digestible format.

Just as social media platforms are continually evolving to adapt to their users' behaviors and preferences, so too must internal communication strategies. As more digital natives enter the workforce, organizations will need to rethink and reinvent their methods of communication.

In a nutshell, if we want to make internal communications as 'seen' and impactful as a viral TikTok dance, we might have to learn a new rhythm. As the saying goes, "Dance like nobody's watching; email like it'll be read on Instagram six weeks later."