Struggling to stay on top of trends in the battle of social media relevance?

In today's fast-paced digital era, where social media is the heartbeat of online interactions, the ability of brands to stay on top of trends is not just a competitive edge but a strategic necessity. However, it can be extremely hard to track and jump on trends quick enough to obtain relevance. The social media landscape is dynamic and ever-changing, with new platforms, features, and trends emerging at a rapid pace. In this environment, maintaining relevance is a constant challenge, making it imperative for brands to proactively engage with the evolving social media landscape.

Why is it important?

1. Audience Relevance:

Social media trends are often reflective of what captures the attention and interest of the audience at any given moment. By aligning with these trends, brands can demonstrate that they are not only aware of current conversations but actively participating in them. Building a stronger bond with the audience, which not only promotes more engagement for the particular trending content but also increases growth and retention, gives users a reason to want to stick around.

2. Visibility and Discoverability:

Utilising trending topics and popular hashtags are not only powerful tools for increasing visibility on social media platforms specifically X, Instagram and TikTok but allows them to reach an array of sub-cultures and niches. When brands leverage these trends in their content strategy, it enables them to tap into broader conversations and reach audiences, subcultures and fans; an audience beyond their established followers. This expanded reach enhances discoverability and introduces the brand to new potential customers.

3. Competitive Edge:

Social media is a crowded space where brands, creators and the average user are constantly competing for attention on the feed. Staying on top of trends gives a brand a competitive edge by allowing it to stand out and differentiate itself from competitors and others fighting for the ‘scrollers’ attention. Brands that adapt quickly to emerging trends showcase a forward-thinking approach, positioning themselves as industry leaders. 

4. Authenticity and Connection:

Social media trends often provide an avenue for brands to showcase authenticity. By participating in conversations authentically and in real-time, brands can humanise their image and build a stronger emotional connection with their audience. This genuine interaction fosters trust and loyalty among consumers. Social is no longer a place for direct advertising, brands must think and act like the consumers they’re seeking to target.

5. Algorithmic Favour:

Social media algorithms favour content that is timely, relevant, and engaging. Staying on top of trends signals to algorithms that your content is current and resonates with the audience. This can lead to increased visibility, higher engagement rates, and further positive impact across metrics like reach and follow growth.

6. Creativity and Adaptability:

Embracing social media trends demonstrates a brand's ability to adapt to change and its willingness to experiment with new formats and ideas. This adaptability positions the brand as forward-looking and in tune with the ever-evolving preferences of its audience. 

In essence, staying on top of social media trends is not merely a trend itself; it's a strategic imperative. It's about being where your audience is, when they are there, and engaging with them in a way that is not just relevant but also meaningful. 

With all that said, the main struggle for brands today is the ability to capture and jump on trends in a timely manner without seeming too late to the party or out of touch.

Our clients, however, do not have this fear. At Wilderness, we have created a weekly trend tracker which we send out to client teams each week - it features the most viral trends, conversations and strategic post suggestions to be transferred directly into your content calendars.

Take a look at the example below to see what it includes:

Ready to be relevant? Pop me an email to discuss how we can tackle trend capture together at mollie.lyons@wilderness.agency.