This is what I have tried to explain many times in my articles about writing - it's luck. You right the right story on the right day, and for some reason, the algorithm picks it up.

Yup. Same story on G+. 37,000 followers, For the first few years, until they removed the favorites, up to 1.5 million views a day, etc. Nothing I did that was any different to anyone else. Just got lucky.