Keeping up with social media trends is a massive chore and something that many businesses never master. Every five minutes, the conversation changes, making it hard to keep up.
The trick here is to develop the right strategy. Brands with the proper processes can keep pace with the times and understand how the public conversation evolves.
But how does that look in practice?
Follow Industry Experts
Following industry experts is a shortcut companies use to get a handle on the latest social media trends and developments. Because these professionals’ full-time occupation is to keep up with events, brands get insights without needing to research them themselves.
The best experts are those in the firm’s niche. These professionals can provide tailored insights into how companies should adapt their social media marketing and outreach.
A handful to follow…
- Neil Patel – A well-known figure in digital marketing, Neil Patel offers insights on SEO, content marketing, and social media trends.
- Gary Vaynerchuk – Gary Vee is a social media expert and entrepreneur who shares valuable advice on leveraging social media for business growth.
- Mari Smith – Often referred to as the “Queen of Facebook,” Mari Smith provides expert advice on Facebook marketing and social media strategies.
Subscribe To Newsletters
Subscribing to newsletters also helps some brands keep pace with the changing times. Social media influencers and commentators often provide helpful, concise information about evolving trends, offering actionable insights.
Newsletters are a chore to read, but analysts often cut and paste them into AI language tools for quick summaries, extracting the central arguments and concepts.
A handful to subscribe to…
- Social Media Examiner – This newsletter offers comprehensive insights into the latest social media trends, tools, and strategies.
- Hootsuite Blog – Hootsuite’s newsletter provides updates on social media trends, best practices, and platform changes.
- Buffer – Buffer’s newsletter covers social media marketing tips, case studies, and industry news.
Use Social Listening Tools
Using social listening tools is another strategy brands can use to learn about Facebook, Instagram, and X trends. These specialist services scan conversations, tweets, comments, and hashtags to learn more about what’s popular. Companies can then use this information to adjust their marketing campaigns.
Some social listening tools also show companies what users are saying about them. These insights are essential when finding out what they like or dealing with public relations disasters. Here are three popular tools for the job…
- Hootsuite Insights – This tool helps track social media conversations and trends across various platforms.
- Brandwatch – A powerful social listening tool that provides in-depth analysis of social media trends and brand mentions.
- Sprout Social – Offers social listening features to monitor brand mentions and industry trends.
Join Social Media Groups
Joining social media marketing groups can also help firms keep up with ever-evolving trends. These can provide marketing tips and insights to help companies improve their campaigns.
Finding groups with representatives from successful brands is particularly helpful. These individuals often have knowledge and insight to help others avoid mistakes.
Copy Others
Sometimes, copying other brands can help stay on top of social media trends. Companies with substantial budgets often have more insights than those relying on a skeleton team or minimal in-house resources.
This copying principle emerged from conventional SEO. Many up-and-coming firms found following in the industry leaders’ footsteps led to superior results.
For example, if a top firm jumps on a social media firm, a follower brand should too.
Ahem…
- Wendy’s Twitter – Known for its witty and engaging social media presence, Wendy’s is a great example to follow for brand voice and engagement.
- Nike’s Instagram – Nike’s Instagram account is a benchmark for visual storytelling and brand engagement.
- Glossier’s Social Media – Glossier excels in user-generated content and community engagement, making it a good model for beauty and lifestyle brands.
Focus On Quality
Of course, business leaders need to consider quality when staying on top of social media trends. Brands don’t need to track every development, just the ones relating to them.
Doing this successfully requires understanding audiences. Companies that know their customers are more likely to zoom in on the social media issues and chatter relevant to them.
Also, brands don’t need to jump on every trend. Some can help with corporate messaging, but others can create confusion.
Lastly, companies should avoid greenwashing or engaging in trend-following activities that make them look inauthentic. These tactics can backfire and wreck online reputation (which is challenging to recover once lost).
Be Consistent
Being consistent is another way to stay on top of ever-changing social media trends. Dipping into platforms daily helps companies stay abreast of the latest conversations and issues.
Firms that fail to do this are at risk of seeming anachronistic. Making outdated statements can appear jarring to some audiences, especially in fast-moving industries where the nature of the public conversation changes rapidly.
Respond To Comments
Often, simple initiatives, such as responding to the audience’s comments, can provide further insights into trends and what matters to customers. Commenters will often make statements or ask questions revealing their misgivings, paint points, or reasons for choosing specific brands.
Responding to comments is time-consuming, but brands can outsource it. Companies can also use bots for responses (though these are less accurate and conversational).
Leverage Data Analytics
A powerful way to stay on top of social media trends is by leveraging the power of data analytics. By analysing metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and audience demographics, brands can gain valuable insights into what content resonates most with their audience.
Tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and Twitter Analytics can help track performance and identify emerging trends. Regularly reviewing this data allows companies to make informed decisions and adjust their strategies to better align with audience preferences and behaviours.
Ultimately, staying on top of social media trends improves brands’ marketing campaigns and helps them reach their target audience. Leveraging new concepts and ideas can make companies appear more relevant, concerned, and engaged to their users.
Partner, Analyse & Adapt
Here are some additional tips for companies wanting to keep up with social media trends:
- Partner with micro-influencers to get the low-down on niche developments
- Analyse and adapt regularly instead of blindly following the latest trends
- Use more short-form videos to provide prospective customers with bite-sized content
- Add live demonstrations on YouTube Live or Instagram Live for user engagement
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, staying on top of social media trends improves brands’ marketing campaigns and helps them reach their target audience. Leveraging new concepts and ideas can make companies appear more relevant, concerned, and engaged to their users.
