Keeping Up
We love a trend, don’t we? When we’re not confused by where they came from or why they’re funny - amen? Ha! That’s the tricky part of ‘trends’: they’re fickle and honestly not for everyone. Finding your way amongst them may be difficult to navigate, and the execution of the trend itself is a whole other beast. So let’s start there for our first tip in ‘keeping up’:
E X E C U T I O N
I’m including a diagram to really drive this point home: You’ve got to totally nail it OR totally fail it to gain traction.
We all know what I mean, don’t we? You’re scrolling and see a perfectly synced voiceover that makes you giggle and maybe even click to learn more - it’s working! Crazily enough, we tend to have the same reaction for those HORRIBLE attempts, that even the person posting can laugh at. The ones that DON’T work though, are the middle grounders… they are kind of? in sync, you can tell the intentions are good, but your reaction is more of a cringe or second-hand embarrassment and your brain wonders if they’re that mediocre at everything. 🫣
My advice? Post that first attempt fail (ha ha) or post that well-rehearsed, perfectly-timed, well-lit final cut.
S E L E C T I O N
Selecting which ‘trends’ are for you should also involve strategy. The ones used WIDELY are ones that can be applied to multiple personalities and industries. The ‘When the boss says not everything is a 2-person job’ trend spans to really any workplace where work besties form. VERSUS The ‘Girl Dinner’ trend, which was obviously more niche - targeting female individuals, not a great fit for businesses (but doable), and was food-focused. Jumping on a trend that fits your niche makes selecting that trend a no-brainer. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box though! A doggy day care could get great attention during feeding time with the ‘girl dinner’ trend, and how funny would it be to see a police department do their own version of ‘demure, cutesy’?!
My advice? Be choosy. Not every trend will be for you, just enjoy viewing some of them (and liking, commenting, and engaging - also good for gaining traction. #freebie😉) Find trends that fit your niche or would be fun and creative to MAKE fit your niche.
T I M I N G
This is the most vital tip of all: HURRY. Trends are best visualized by waves, coming in as fast as they go away - so strike while the iron is hot! This is where in-house or local social media managers come in clutch. A good one will see the trend at 10 pm, have 2-3 ideas by 11 pm, an office memo sent by 11:01 pm, hopefully willing participants or graphics ready to roll at 8 am, and a final cut ready by 11 am (just in time for those lunch hour social media breaks). 😎 Think back to last summer with the Barbie Movie Posters, introducing cast members. Marketing BRILLIANCE and the fast-acting graphic designers out there rode that wave to well-timed success. It was as if we woke up to see Barbie cast members sprinkled with local business faces and celebrity memes.
My advice? Timing matters. The sooner, the better, and if you can’t make it happen soon - just sit it out and wait for the next wave. It’s better to put out QUALITY, well-executed, well-timed content than rushed, poor-quality, well-timed content.
Lights, camera, action on, friends! Jump on the trends and ride the ever-changing waves to success for your following, your business, and your happiness! Don’t forget to share if you found this helpful, and reach out today if you could use the assistance of a social media manager like us!