Why things trend on social media, and how you can leverage that
Social media is a big part of today’s day and age. With so many new features and constantly changing algorithms, it is important to stay up-to-date in order to get your content to trend. There are various reasons why things might trend on social media. An interesting and entertaining story that you are the first to pick up, for example, could easily make the rounds if they reach the right target market.
Being relevant and quick are therefore two important factors to consider when creating content. However, it is also important to make a mark on people who view your content. If you can get them to feel any sort of emotion – like sadness, anger, or joy – chances are they will be more likely to share your content, creating a domino effect where more and more people will do the same. Trends are typically hit or miss; but once they start, they are hard to stop.
Of course, it is also possible to ride on trends that have already started. This means that you have to constantly be on alert and review your strategies to make sure that you create relevant content that will make people stop, look, and listen. You have to constantly keep an eye out in order to stay in and evolve within the world of social media.
Here are some of the most popular social media platforms that you need to be a part of in order to stay on top of the game, and how to leverage them:
Websites are great in that they will always be searchable and relevant for years to come. However, millennial culture has also made quick and easy-to-digest content more relevant. A lot of people in today’s generation are visual creatures and they like seeing pretty photos that help them find products that they might want to own, or places they might want to visit in the future. Instagram plays a big part in that. This is evident in how much Instagram has grown within the past few years along with its influencers.
What makes Instagram influencers so relevant is the fact that they seem exude an air of relatability. When people go shopping, they like to ask their friends for advice on which products to buy – and that’s what Instagram influencers do online. They give advice on which beauty products to use, which restaurants to try, and which websites to visit – and they do this through pictures and short captions that won’t take up too much of a person’s time to digest. With people being so busy nowadays, Instagram’s content makes it easy and quick to read, and thus it reigns supreme in the world of social media.
Facebook is another equally prominent platform you should leverage on. The website caters to practically every age and proves to be a great venue for online stores to sell products and for businesses and brands to place ads on. What is great about Facebook is that it caters not just to millennials, but also to older generation. If your target market spans a wider range of ages, then Facebook is the best place for you to be.
The content that you post on Facebook will be a little different compared to Instagram, though. People who use Facebook are more inclined to spend more time on the platform compared to Instagram where they go for a quick fix.
Here, you can be more wordy and it would be highly recommended to make use of their video features. In fact, video content on Facebook is said to drive more attention by 27%. It is also important to note that 85% of Facebook video viewers actually watch video without sound so you might want to create video content with subtitles or words built into the actual video. Making videos in a square format can also add up to 35% more video views and encourage 100% more engagement.
TikTok
Many brands are a bit hesitant to join the TikTok bandwagon because they are still unfamiliar with it, but is actually one of the biggest social media platforms today. What was once only a platform used for quick humorous content has quickly evolved into a platform that involves people of all walks of life and shares useful and helpful information on products, causes, and experiences.
If your target market lies under 24 years old, then this is a platform you definitely need to join as 69% of their current user base is aged 13 to 24 years old. When it comes to TikTok, creativity is key. It is also important to check out the trends on the app and hop onto similar trends in order to be seen and stay relevant on the platform.
Having said that, the social media platforms that you choose to focus on should greatly depend on your target market and your capabilities to create content that will suit the audience on each platform. Ideally, you should try out all three and see where they take you. Who knows? You might be able to hit a trending goldmine in time.
The article was written by Soon Koon.