Most marketers treat virality like lightning in a bottle—a rare, unrepeatable event that happens by chance. But for David Park, the founder of Jenni AI, virality is a systematic process that can be engineered, replicated, and scaled. By applying a specific viral content framework, Park grew his AI writing assistant from zero to $10 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just two years. The secret isn't just about making one good video; it’s about a concept he calls 'milking'—the art of turning a single winning hook into a multi-million dollar revenue stream through a disciplined video content series.
The Three Pillars of Startup Growth
Before diving into the tactical distribution hacks, it is essential to understand where content fits into the broader business machine. Park breaks growth down into three distinct pillars: distribution, conversion, and retention. While many founders obsess over the product (retention) or the landing page (conversion), the most successful modern startups are winning on distribution. According to research from Starter Story, focusing on distribution—specifically short-form video—is the fastest way to get users to know your product exists.
Step 1: Gathering the Ingredients for Virality
You cannot create a viral video without understanding what your audience already finds engaging. This is the 'ingredients' phase. Instead of guessing, Park suggests a research-heavy approach that involves identifying exactly what your target demographic is watching in their free time. The goal is to skip the iteration process by mimicking successful patterns.
To do this, you can look at the influencers your users already follow. Use the 'suggested accounts' feature on Instagram or TikTok’s algorithm to build a list of 'hot leads'—creators who are already appearing organically in your target audience’s feeds. When evaluating these creators, Park ignores the 'floor' (their average views) and focuses on the 'ceiling.' You want creators who have shown the potential to hit 1 million to 10 million views at least once or twice.
"True virality is something that infects the people you really wanted to see your content. A video with 10,000 views that hits the exact pocket of users who love your product is worth more than 1 million lukewarm views."
The 'Milking' Framework: Turning One Win into 100
The core of the Jenni AI strategy is the 'Milking' framework. Most creators find a winning idea, post it once, and then move on to the next brainstorm. This is a mistake. In the world of viral video marketing, once you find a hook that works, you should 'milk' that discovery for 10x or 100x its initial value.
The goal is to turn a single successful video into a video content series. This involves reposting the same core concept over and over with subtle variations. Park argues that humans are creatures of habit; we enjoy seeing familiar formats with slight tweaks. Think of it like a successful TV show—the characters and setting stay the same, but the plot changes slightly each week.
| Strategy Phase | Action Item | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Test 20-30 varied hooks | Find 1 'Banger' video |
| Milking | Create 5-10 variations of that hook | Build a consistent video content series |
| Scaling | Deploy across multi-accounts | Maximize platform reach |
| Prolonging | Distribute to meme/aggregate pages | Extract final views from the asset |
Case Study: The 'POV: Essay Due' Series
Jenni AI’s most successful application of this framework was the 'POV: Essay Due' series. The concept was simple: a student realizes they have a massive paper due in a few hours, panics, and then uses Jenni AI to finish it. The first 10 seconds might show the creator sleeping, walking their dog, or at a restaurant before the 'realization' hits. The second half of the video—the product demonstration—remained almost identical in every version.
Park’s team posted variations of this exact video two times a week for six months. This single series generated hundreds of millions of views and over half a million dollars in revenue. Because they had a winning formula, they didn't have to restart the creative cycle every day. They just needed to change the first few seconds (the hook) to keep the algorithm interested.
The Subtle Variation Technique
How do you repost the same video without fatiguing your audience? The key is the subtle variation technique. You don't just hit 'repost' on the same file. You change specific variables to make the video feel fresh while keeping the core psychology intact. In the viral content framework, you should test different:
- Visual Hooks: Change the text overlay or the very first frame of the video.
- Environments: Switch from a bedroom to a library or a coffee shop.
- Creators: Have 2-3 different User-Generated Content (UGC) creators perform the same script.
- Audio: Swap out the trending sound while keeping the visual pacing.
By making these minor adjustments, you can maintain a high posting frequency without being flagged as unoriginal content by platforms like YouTube Shorts. Consistency is better than perfection; the goal is to keep the 'winning' thread alive as long as possible.
Scaling with a Multi-Account Strategy
Once you have a proven series, it is time to scale. Park suggests a multi-account strategy to dominate the 'For You' pages of different niches. At its peak, Jenni AI had five different accounts across three platforms—meaning 15 videos were going out every single day. Tools like Stormy AI can help source and manage the volume of UGC creators needed to fuel this kind of multi-account output, ensuring you find influencers who can replicate your winning series authentically.
Different accounts allow you to hit different 'pockets' of the algorithm. One account might hit engineering students, while another hits literature majors, even if the content is nearly identical. Park even took this globally by creating accounts in different languages, such as Mandarin and German, translating the same viral scripts to see if the psychological hooks transcended culture (they did).
"An account with 48 followers can get more views than an account with 55k followers even when posting identical videos. This is why you must have multiple accounts."
Aggregate Distribution: Meme Pages and Beyond
When a viral series finally starts to fade on your branded accounts, you can prolong its life through social media distribution hacks involving aggregate accounts. These are meme pages or niche curation accounts that have large, existing followings. Because these pages aren't 'influencers' in the traditional sense, their sponsorship fees are often incredibly low—ranging from $50 to $100 per post.
Since you already know the video is viral-worthy, paying a meme page to post it is a low-risk way to squeeze the remaining value out of the asset. Even if the comment sections on these pages are 'mean' (as Park warns), the traffic and awareness still drive conversions. This is the final stage of the 'milking' process before returning to step one to find a new hook.
Negotiation and Structuring the Playbook
Winning in viral video marketing requires lean operations. Park advises against paying influencers huge sums upfront. Instead, aim for a hybrid model: a base fee (around $2,000/month for consistent UGC) plus performance incentives. Use a dedicated Creator CRM or a similar tool to track these relationships, but focus on aligning incentives. If a video hits a certain view threshold or generates a specific number of coupon code redemptions, the creator gets a bonus. This ensures they don't 'phone it in' and stay motivated to produce high-quality variations of your winning series.
Conclusion: The Extra Effort Advantage
The Jenni AI playbook proves that viral video marketing is not a lottery; it is a game of extra effort and systematic iteration. Most founders will send two emails to an influencer and give up. The winners are those who send the DMs, follow up three times, analyze the data in a spreadsheet, and 'milk' a winning idea until it has reached every possible corner of the internet. By identifying a winning video content series and scaling it through multi-accounts and aggregate distribution, you can turn a simple AI tool into a $10M powerhouse.
Ready to find the creators who will build your next viral series? Platforms like Stormy AI streamline creator sourcing and outreach, allowing you to discover the 'rising stars' in your niche and manage your 'milking' strategy at scale. Start by testing your first 20 hooks today—the data will tell you where the millions are hiding.