From Viral Memes to Mainstream: The Unlikely Rise of Internet Celebrities

In today’s internet-driven world, information spreads at a pace that far exceeds what traditional media channels can achieve. A single video, a brief comment, or even an unintentional act can go viral in an instant. Against this backdrop, an increasing number of internet celebrities—known as “influencers” or “online stars”—have emerged like mushrooms after the rain. Their paths to fame vary greatly: some rely on creativity, others on controversy, and a few achieve unexpected popularity by sheer accident.

It begs the question: is the emergence of internet celebrities a mere coincidence or an inevitable trend? The answer is not straightforward. Some rise to fame by deliberately drawing attention with provocative statements or actions, often driven by clear commercial motives. In contrast, others become famous by accident—perhaps due to a single phrase or gesture that is uploaded online. These cases often stand out due to their stark contrast with mainstream expectations, triggering widespread curiosity and viral interest.

Then there's a third category: those who are carefully crafted by professional marketing teams. These teams are adept at leveraging trending topics and events to generate buzz across forums and social media platforms, ultimately achieving explosive growth in visibility.

The design of media platform algorithms allows viral content to spread rapidly. In some cases, platforms even use AI to help create content solely to capture user attention and maximize traffic. The ultimate goal of these platforms is user engagement and traffic monetization—and underlying it all is the logic of capital: only by continuously generating traffic can capital grow in value.

Algorithm-driven recommendations have become a powerful tool for creating internet celebrities. With this mechanism, an ordinary user might suddenly gain massive exposure just because a certain video is "picked up" by the algorithm. However, this kind of fame is highly unpredictable and nearly impossible to replicate.

Whether an internet celebrity can maintain long-term attention depends largely on the consistency and uniqueness of their personal brand. Their unique character and principles attract a dedicated following. But if the influencer’s image shifts significantly—or is exposed as being entirely fake—followers may feel deceived, triggering a wave of unfollows.

The Fragile Economy of Online Fame

Commercially, the economic value of an internet celebrity is deeply rooted in the trust of their followers. This trust forms the foundation of “credibility marketing”: consumers only buy recommended products because they trust the person endorsing them. However, if this trust is broken—especially due to false advertising or low-quality products—the entire commercial ecosystem can collapse.

Many influencers, after achieving rapid fame, struggle due to a lack of professional team support. As a result, issues such as poor content management, declining quality, and careless product endorsements begin to surface. Once these weaknesses are exposed, they can quickly trigger a trust crisis. Worse still, some influencers, driven by the lure of traffic and profit, resort to exaggerated or vulgar content to maintain attention—often with counterproductive results.

For grassroots influencers who rise to fame via algorithmic boosts, long-term success depends heavily on their ability to consistently produce high-quality content. Yet in today’s hyper-competitive content environment, many of them burn out quickly due to a lack of strategic planning and long-term vision.

In the early days of short-video platforms, ordinary users enjoyed relatively low barriers to growth. However, as they transitioned into public figures with influence, they began to face increasing scrutiny and higher expectations from the public. Unfortunately, many influencers fail to recognize this shift in time and do not make the necessary improvements in content or self-reflection.

Neither investors nor platforms demonstrate genuine dedication to nurturing the sustained growth of internet personalities. Once an influencer's popularity fades, platforms swiftly shift focus to new sources of traffic. In this game of attention economics, each viral figure is just a disposable link in the chain—seldom granted lasting spotlight or resources.

The emergence of online influencers stands out as a defining feature of today’s digital era. From accidental fame to becoming mainstream influencers, they face repeated tests of trust and traffic. Under the combined forces of platforms, capital, and fans, their journey is fraught with uncertainty. Only by staying authentic, consistently providing valuable content, and building a reliable and relatable persona can they ride the wave of attention for the long haul—rather than burning out like a shooting star.