The small business guide to handling viral success


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Authored by Hiscox Experts.
6 min read
Woman behind bakery counter handing customer bag in exchange for money

In the new era of social media, going viral has become a powerful way for small businesses to reach new audiences and customers instantly. Platforms like TikTok and influencer endorsements can catapult a business into the spotlight overnight. For instance, The Hollie’s farm shop in Cheshire saw the “Molly-Mae” effect in 2022 when the influencer shared her visits online, leading to long queues and extended opening hours. Similarly, Binley Mega Chippy, a fish and chip shop in Coventry, gained unexpected fame after a catchy song by a local creator boosted its popularity.

While going viral can bring incredible opportunities, it also presents unique challenges. A sudden surge in customers can strain resources, overwhelm staff, and risk long-term stability if not managed properly.
Three small business owners, Samantha Hornsby, co-founder of creative career-focused app ERIC (external link), Sian Evans, co-owner of Chatsworth Bakehouse, (external link) and Nana Crawford, founder of dance business JiggleFiiT (external link), share their experiences of going viral, how they handled it and what they learned.

With the help of business experts James Dooley and David Horne and psychotherapist Eloise Skinner, we explore key strategies to navigate and leverage viral success, helping your small business handle increased demand whilst staying covered.

When virality strikes


Samantha Hornsby, co-founder of ERIC


Samantha Hornsby, co-founder of ERIC, a careers-focused app aimed at young people entering the creative industries, experienced a significant viral moment on TikTok. ERIC's marketing strategy includes posting daily TikTok videos that highlight a career opportunity from their app. One video about a BBC career initiative went viral, generating over a billion views and tens of thousands of likes. Samantha says, “The immediate impact on the business was that app downloads quadrupled that month. We normally get between five to 10,000 downloads a month organically, but we had nearly 40,000 downloads that month. That was kind of wild.

Nana Crawford, founder of JiggleFiiT


Nana Crawford, the founder of JiggleFiiT, a dance company offering samba and dance fitness classes, witnessed a surge of interest when a couple of her reels demonstrating popular moves unexpectedly went viral. Nana says, “JiggleFiit went viral after I made a couple of reels demonstrating moves people have been asking me to teach. I never expected the videos to go viral. But it led to a 118% increase in website visits and a 30% rise in class sign-ups.

Sian Evans and Tom Matthews, co-founders or Chatsworth Bakehouse


Sian Evans, co-founder of Chatsworth Bakehouse in South London, launched the bakery with her partner, Tom Mathews, from their flat in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their story unexpectedly gained traction on Instagram. Sian shares: “We didn’t plan to go viral. With the nature of what we do, using Instagram as a sort of shop window, people shared our story, and it grew organically. We actually started from our flat in 2020 when Tom pivoted from being a chef to a baker due to COVID. We began as an honesty bakery and opened our little shop 18 months later.” Since then, the bakery has grown significantly, adding a second site just a few doors down to increase production and meet rising demand. According to Sian, 45% of their customers are repeat visitors, and 55% are new, which reflects a balance between attracting new customers through viral reach and retaining loyal ones. “We wanted to be a neighbourhood spot that was for everyone,” she adds.

The drawbacks of going viral as a small business


Although the increased attention brought exciting growth for her careers app, Samantha noticed a drawback - many downloads were short-lived, with users often accessing the app for a single opportunity before leaving. She reflects, “It lulled us into a false sense of security in the way we had lots of downloads very quickly, which is our main metric for success. Not all of those people stayed because they were downloading the app to access that one opportunity with the BBC and then deleted it after. We learned quickly that going viral doesn’t necessarily mean stability for a business, and that high download numbers alone aren’t enough to count on.

For Nana’s dance company, the virality of her videos provided unexpected benefits that came with drawbacks, she explains "The comments under the viral videos were helpful for getting new ideas for further content creation. However, the rapid rise in attention also presented challenges. The pressure to keep posting to maintain the attention took a toll on my mental health.

Despite the advantages, managing the influx of customers presented challenges for Sian, particularly with queueing. “We get lots of queues so we have to manage those and the communication around that. Queuing is never fun, but we feed people while they wait and try to make it part of the experience.” To enhance the process, Sian has hired someone specifically to manage the line and satisfy pastry lovers' appetites.

Practical strategies for managing unexpected virality


Streamlining operations and automation

James Dooley (external link), entrepreneur and SEO expert, advises businesses to start by automating as much of the customer journey as possible. He says: “Streamlining tasks such as online ordering, order processing, and handling common inquiries through FAQs or chatbots can free up significant staff time during a viral surge. This approach allows employees to focus on core operations, without getting bogged down by repetitive tasks.” 

Business growth expert David Horne also advises not to lose your human touch: “A daily email from the founder that goes out to everyone who has newly registered/ordered/been captured in your system will go a long way to keeping people interested and staying around while you clear the backlog.

Nick Thornhill, Direct and Partnerships Director at Hiscox says: “When a business gains a lot of attention, it's a good idea to keep service quality at the top of mind. Automating customer service can help cut down on mistakes or poor service. If a claim does arise, business insurance can help manage potential legal or financial implications."

Temporary staffing and flexible supply chain

To manage increased demand, David Horne emphasises the importance of temporary staffing and a flexible supply chain. He says: “Expanding the team with temporary staff or freelancers provides immediate support, allowing the core team to stay focused without risking burnout.” David also recommends developing relationships with third-party logistics providers and adaptable suppliers in advance. This way, businesses can quickly ramp up order fulfilment and maintain high service standards, even during sudden surges in customer interest.

James Dooley also highlights that by implementing scalable tools, businesses can maintain a positive customer experience and keep operations running smoothly; he adds, “I’ve seen companies use partnerships to scale their logistics quickly, whether it’s by outsourcing fulfilment to third-party services or temporarily hiring additional staff to help manage orders. The trick is to ensure that your operations don’t buckle under the strain, which could lead to negative reviews or harm your brand. Building relationships with flexible suppliers ahead of time will help ramp up production fast.

Crowd management

When it comes to managing crowds during a viral moment, Eloise Skinner, (external link) a business strategist and psychotherapist, advises using clear, structured procedures to ensure a smooth and safe customer experience: “Designating specific areas for pickups, inquiries, and walk-ins can help prevent bottlenecks, while techniques like staggered shifts and timed entry keep customer flow organised.” Skinner also suggests incentivising off-peak visits to balance foot traffic and avoid overcrowding. By preparing thoughtful crowd management strategies, businesses can maintain safety and create a welcoming environment, even under intense demand.

Nick says: "Having the right insurance in place, like employers’ liability and public liability cover, can help protect your business. These policies are there to support you if issues like workplace accidents or third-party claims come up, so you can focus on running your business with confidence."

Psychological and personal resilience during viral moments


Navigating the pressures of a viral moment can be intense, and it’s easy for business owners to feel overwhelmed. As psychotherapist Eloise Skinner advises, “It’s essential to pace yourself and remember that viral moments often subside, giving way to quieter times. Seeking support, not only professionally but also personally, can provide crucial relief during these demanding periods.

In Samantha Hornsby’s experience with the ERIC app’s viral success on TikTok, she encountered the challenging side of virality when the BBC-related opportunity they shared drew a wave of critical comments. Samantha adds, “There’s definitely a dark side to TikTok and going viral meant that we unfortunately got an insight into this. Whilst 99% of those comments weren’t about me, it was absolutely terrifying to see how vicious people can be online and how vocal they are about something they hate.” Samantha’s advice for other small business owners is to maintain a balanced perspective by focusing on the positive impact and value their business provides rather than getting caught up in the fluctuating and often unpredictable nature of viral fame.

To stay grounded, Eloise suggests making notes of comments you want to follow up on later. In the whirlwind of a viral experience, it’s easy for important feedback to get overlooked. By setting aside specific points to address when things calm down, you can ensure meaningful feedback is integrated without feeling pressured to respond immediately.

Nana felt the pressure to keep posting to sustain the attention, which took a toll on her mental health. However, after shifting her focus to prioritise her well-being she found greater success, saying, "I’ve learned that my mental health is more important than chasing a viral video. Ironically, this shift has actually led to more viral content, as I now approach it with less stress."

Long-term strategic steps for sustained growth post-virality



Business expert and founder of Add Then Multiply, (external link) David Horne’s top tips for sustained growth:

  • Engage with the viral conversation – You’ve made it viral, and now that your infrastructure and people are in place to handle the surge in demand, it’s time to try and keep the conversation viral. Be sure to respond to every comment (positive or negative) and keep the conversation going. Remember to be human. Acknowledge your vulnerabilities and keep telling everyone what you are doing to manage the situation and fulfil everyone’s demands.
  • Build infrastructure - You need systems and processes that can scale quickly as your company takes off. You must capture every potential new customer in your CRM and keep in touch with them as they progress through your system until delivery of your product or service. Automate as much as you possibly can – billing, payments, logistics – so the next time this happens, you will be ready for it.
  • Train and reward the team - No matter how much you have automated, in the end, it comes down to the people who are executing your systems and processes. This is where it stands up or falls over. You must ensure your people know what is happening, what role each of them plays in the business process and how their part can impact the wider organisation – both positively and negatively. When your team is trained and engaged, they will step up and deliver for you. And don’t forget to reward them when things settle down again.
  • Build on the momentum – Once you have met everyone’s demand, what can you do to keep all your new customers engaged with your product or service? Give special offers. As things settle down, now is the time to start analysing what happened. Look at your metrics and see what they are telling you. You might find new customer segments you had previously ignored.

Disclaimer:
At Hiscox, we want to help your small business thrive. Our blog has many articles you may find relevant and useful as your business grows. But these articles aren’t professional advice. So, to find out more on a subject we cover here, please seek professional assistance.

Hiscox Experts

The Hiscox Experts are leaders valued for their experience within the insurance industry. Their specialisms include areas such as professional indemnity and public liability, across industries including media, technology, and broader professional services. All content authored by the Hiscox Experts is in line with our editorial guidelines.