TEDx: The Viral Allure, Harsh Reality, and Why It Might Be Worth It

"If I could just give a TEDx talk, my speaking career would take off!"

I hear you. The allure of the fuzzy red circular carpet, the professional video production, and the potential for millions of views is downright intoxicating. 

You’re probably drooling a little bit just thinking about it.

But is a TEDx talk really the golden ticket to speaking success?

Let's dive into the reality of TEDx talks, and why – despite some sobering statistics – they might still be worth pursuing.

The TEDx Phenomenon

Back in 1984, the very first TED Conference was held to celebrate great thinkers in the worlds of Technology, Entertainment, and Design.  (And here you thought they were celebrating some guy named Ted.)

Despite the awesome name, the first event – highlighting the e-Book, compact discs, and 3D graphics from Lucasfilm – was a bit of a flop.

Fast forward to 1990 and the annual invitation-only event held in California became “one of the intellectual and emotional highlights of the year.”  But it was in 2006, whe TED made their talks publicly available on YouTube, that they set a new standard for public speaking.

And in 2009, they launched TEDx, bringing TED-style talks to local communities worldwide. Suddenly, the dream of delivering a viral TED-like talk seemed within reach for aspiring speakers everywhere.

But here's the kicker…

The vast majority of TEDx talks DO NOT go viral. 

In fact, they barely get noticed.

The Harsh Reality of TEDx Statistics

Ouch. Let that sink in for a moment. 

You have a higher chance of being struck by lightning in your lifetime than having a viral TEDx talk. You're more likely to win an Olympic medal as an American athlete than to see your TEDx talk explode in popularity.

So why do we still dream of giving a TEDx talk?

It’s because of one desire…. Going viral!

A piece of content goes viral when it spreads quickly across social media platforms, being shared thousands or even millions of times in a very short period.  Some marketers consider something to be “viral” if it’s received at least 5 million views within one week of its initial posting.

When we think about successful TEDx talks, we tend to think first of those viral videos…

You know, like Simon Sinek, Mel Robbins, Maureen McGrath, Josh Kaufman, Lara Boyd, and Tim Urban.  Geesh, Tim’s TEDx talk has amassed a staggering 56 MILLION views. 

Can you imagine?

These viral sensations cloud our judgment, making us forget about the hundreds of thousands of TEDx talks languishing in obscurity.

To gain a bit more perspective on the matter, I recently spoke with Drew Tarvin, who boasts one of the 50 most-viewed TEDx talks in history. With 14 million views, he's living the TEDx dream. But even Drew's success didn't happen overnight.

The Long Road to Virality

Drew's talk didn't immediately set the world on fire. It took over a year to gain real traction, and months to accumulate significant views. This is a common pattern even among successful talks.

Viral success often depends on factors beyond the talk itself:

• Is it promoted effectively?
• Does it get elevated to the main TED platform?
• Is it emailed to millions of TED subscribers as a standout speech?
• Does the topic resonate with the current zeitgeist of the human experience?

In short, going viral requires a perfect storm of content, timing, and promotion.  And the truth is, TEDx talk virality is very, very rare.  It’s extremely unlikely for your TEDx talk to reach over a million views.

For a TEDx talk to go viral like Drew Tarvin’s (with 14 million views), it’s a flash in the pan kind of reality. 

(Sorry for bursting your bubble.)

Why You Should Still Consider Giving a TEDx Talk

Despite these sobering realities, there are three compelling reasons to pursue a TEDx talk: