One thing that I’ve noticed that supports the “you need followers” thesis is that each of my viral posts has been more viral than the last.

I’ve has fours posts which at the time I published them blew everything I had done previously out of the water.

The first “went viral” when I had less than 100 followers. It went way less viral than the one that I wrote when I had more than 1,000 followers.

Also, my viral posts seem to be my main source of followers. The pattern seems to be I trudge along, groaning in disappointment as the posts that I think will be hits are actually busts, then every now and again a hit really does come along and it lifts the whole ship.