Q: "How long does a viral format actually last before it's played out?"

Q: "How long does a viral format actually last before it's played out?"

Short answer: about 3 weeks of prime time, based on one page's tracking.

The case: a meme account logged a popular format from launch. Week 1: their videos averaged 80k as the format climbed. Week 2-3: peak, averaging 140k. Week 4: dropped to 35k as feeds flooded. Week 6: 6k and audiences visibly bored in comments.

Longer answer: formats follow a bell curve — early is risky, middle is gold, late is death. Verdict: you've got roughly a 3-week window. Jump in week 2, bail by week 4. Don't be the person posting it in week 6.