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For content creator Sabrina Brier, viral success in today’s creator economy isn’t defined by chasing numbers, but by staying authentic and cultivating a genuine connection with her audience.
In a Social Media Week panel moderated by Cosmopolitan and Seventeen editor-in-chief Willa Bennett, Brier shared her journey from self-doubt to viral fame, reflecting on how her understanding of virality has transformed over time.
Brier began posting on Instagram in 2020 before shifting to TikTok, admitting she struggled with self-doubt at first. “I was so afraid to put myself out there on the internet, like terrified,” she said. “I was doing that for a year. I was not posting on TikTok much because I didn’t understand it.”
Breaking through social media
Her style of comedy pokes fun at being an annoying friend who lives in New York. Brier’s breakthrough came with a TikTok video that she uploaded with no expectations. In the video, she portrayed “that friend who only wants one-on-one time,” and delivered a deadpan “oh.” It quickly gained massive attention, becoming a meme across TikTok and X, then Twitter.
“Of course, [that] was the one that went viral,” Brier recalled.
Reflecting on her growth as a creator, Brier noted, “I look back at old videos and cringe, which I think is good… because that means you’ve kind of gotten somewhere.”
Brier also said her early obsession with views and numbers has shifted. “In the beginning, I was just so obsessed with getting the highest number possible,” she said. “But, as you go on, I think virality can also mean… the recognition of not just my face and the numbers, but ‘we know this character now.’”
As her following grew, so did her ability to monetize her content. After going viral in August 2021, Brier secured her first brand deals with Sleepytime Tea and Neon Zebra Drinks by November. “It was a crazy feeling,” she said. “I was like, ‘What’s going on? This is crazy,’ but it was amazing.”
The key, Brier said, is staying true to herself in brand partnerships. “I like when a brand comes in with [a specific direction] because it gives it something to model things off of. But I also don’t care if it’s not the exact fit, as long as it’s hitting the goal.”
