How to Go Viral: Adley Kinsman’s 1.3 Billion View Formula | Three Minute Takeaways

Ever wondered how some people seem to crack the code of the internet while the rest of us are just shouting into the void? In a recent episode of the School of Hard Knocks Podcast, titled "Meet The Consultant That Makes Anyone Go Viral," we got the inside scoop from Adley Kinsman, the woman behind a staggering 1.3 billion monthly views.

Adley isn’t just a creator; she’s a strategist who treats virality like a science. But before she was the "queen of Facebook," she was a musician coming off The Voice who had signed a bad record deal and went bankrupt. Her journey from losing everything to engineering billions of views is a masterclass in resilience and the power of being yourself.

The Secret Formula (It’s Not Luck!)

The most refreshing part of Adley’s message is that virality isn't luck, it's a formula. She explains that creators often blame the "algorithm" or claim they are "shadow banned" when, in reality, it's the content that needs a pivot. One of her biggest secrets is designing the comment section in reverse. She never makes a video without knowing exactly what she wants people to say. By planting "anchors" or intentional "pattern interrupts" in the first few seconds, you can grab attention and keep people watching until the very end.

The 5-6-30 Method: How to Actually Start

If you’re sitting there with a camera and no idea what to post, Adley has a playbook for you called the 5-6-30 method. Here’s how it works:

1. Pick five things you’re genuinely interested in.

2. Make six videos for each of those five buckets.

3. Post for 30 days and stay 100% unattached to the outcome.

The goal here isn't to be perfect; it's to get your "100 bad videos" out of the way. We all have them! By the end of the month, you look at the data. Which bucket felt easiest? Which one did the audience actually engage with? Let the data, not your ego, decide your path.

Don't Sleep on Facebook

While everyone is chasing trends on TikTok, Adley points out that many creators are completely ignoring a goldmine: Facebook. She shared an eye-opening story about making $250,000 from a single Facebook video that took less than an hour to create. Because Facebook has such a massive reach and a robust monetization system, it remains her "bread and butter" for driving serious revenue.

Moving Beyond "The Yelling Coach"

A key lesson for anyone building a personal brand is to be multi-dimensional. Adley shared a case study of a client who was stuck making $6 million a year by just "yelling aggressively at the camera" about business. By simply showing his humor, his relationship with his wife, and his finances, they doubled his following and jumped his revenue to $10 million in less than six months. Why? Because people connect with humans, not one-dimensional characters.

The Final Takeaway

At the end of the day, Adley’s success comes down to one thing: belief in herself. Even on the days it felt "bleak" and she was getting "kicked in the face," she chose to be her own biggest cheerleader. Whether you're putting chickens in a bathtub (her first viral hit!) or interviewing billionaires, the goal is to create a world that people want to be a part of.

If you want to win the "attention arms race," you have to stop making what you want to watch and start making what they want to watch. It takes work to make a complex emotion feel simple, but that’s the craft of entertainment.

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Easy Takeaway: Start the "5-6-30 method" today—pick 5 interests, make 6 videos for each, and post for 30 days without looking at the views until the end to find your "blue ocean".

Favorite Quote: "If you can plant those things intentionally... you can literally engineer virality."

Relevant Question: "What's the playbook so we tell them to start with a method... and you will never have an issue getting views?"

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Source: School of Hard Knocks Podcast, "Meet The Consultant That Makes Anyone Go Viral," feat. Adley Kinsman.