Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Currently, 84% of all customers View a brand's social media page before making a purchase, resulting in about 20% of all sales Comes directly through links from social media. For this reason, entrepreneurs often prioritize getting as much visibility as possible on social media. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by creating viral content and taking advantage of developing trends.

The challenge with trends is that they only create a very short option of opportunities, which only lasts a few days or weeks. These tendencies can be difficult to see when they are simply warmed. Most of the brands trying to take advantage of the trends do this when the tendency is leaving and they get no more benefits. Companies that can be thrown at the main edge of a trend can significantly improve their ability to prioritize the algorithm of the social media platform and gain a massive moment of going viral. This can result in thousands, if not millions, with extra views on your posting or social media profile. A single viral post can completely change the trajectory of long -term success of your business.

Connected: What are the next big trends in social media content?

1.

Catching starting a new trend can be challenging. While these tendencies seem to come out of nowhere, they often begin with delicate rumors on social media. Using a Social hearing strategy It can help your company identify topics or terms that are becoming increasingly popular on social media and online forums. By knowing these early indicators, you can predict more precisely which topics are ready to explode on social media. There are many social hearing tools that companies can use to analyze online discussions quickly and effectively to detect possible trends.

You also want to pay attention to what is happening in pop culture or with industry leaders. Influencers and industry leaders in space can often stimulate widespread discussions on a specific topic, especially when they are controversial. When they talk, people hear.

2. Copy the trend but be original

One of the biggest challenges with social media today is that brands prioritize participation in a trend over The quality of their contents. Because trends do not last long, many companies sacrifice creativity in exchange for speed. This often results in boring copies of posts made by other creators. While you can get extra traffic from the trend union, social media users are more likely to move beyond your post if it is just an arrangement of thousands of other similar posts. Instead, focus on bringing a fresh tendency to your brand and adjust it to your specific audience. This will improve the chances of your post going viral.

3 Understand the trend and line up with your brand

Many trends come with a fundamental cultural meaning for many specific demographic. For this reason, it is important to understand the context of a trend. Misinterpretation of a trend can lead to key issues of PR and damage your brand's reputation. It is better to try and avoid sensitive or controversial topics if you do not feel safe by navigating these waters. It is always better to make a mistake on the side of care than risk damaging your brand reputation by posting something that creates negative publicity.

Not every trend is a good fit for your brand. Best not to force it. If a trend does not match your generality brandIt may be better letting it pass and look for the next opportunity.

Connected: Capitalize trends but stay firm in your identity

4. Specific platform design

Each social media platform is different. Identifying a trend will only take you so far. You will need to make sure you create content that is attractive to the type of audience on that specific social media platform. For example, Instagram tends to favor videos and visual content, while success on Twitter can rely more on a strong hashtag strategy. You may need to fix your posts on social media each platform individually.

5. Use hashtags with thoughts

Hashtags They are a great way to link your posts on social media to trend topics. However, you want to be intended for how you use hashtags. Using hashtags that are not important for your post can cause your social media account to be punished by some social media algorithms. Moreover, adding a band of trivial hashtags can make your post look spammy to end users.

6. I know when we call it rest

Trends can disappear as fast as they appear. As you want to be aggressively jumping on the tendencies you want to follow, you also need to know when it's time to move on. Continuing posting on the trends that have passed can make your brand appear without touch or outdated. In many cases, it may be best to remove the old trend inspired posts after the traffic begins to reduce, as it can cause more harm than to keep them well.

Connected: Which small businesses can learn from the yelp trend tracker

Trendjacking has the potential to create online success for any small business if done properly. This can be a very challenging strategy to own. A study by Stanford University found that the probability of a social media post that goes viral is one in a millionSo don't feel discouraged if your first efforts do not start your brand in stratosphere. Do not be afraid to experiment with different approaches and find out what works best for your business.