One of the most effective things a small business can do on social media is also one of the most underused: creating content that taps into something people are already talking about. Trending topics, viral formats, cultural moments, and seasonal events all represent an existing wave of attention that a smart piece of content can ride.
The key word is smart. Done well, trend-led content can dramatically increase your reach and introduce your brand to people who would never have found you otherwise. Done badly, it can feel forced, embarrassing, or tone-deaf. Here is how to get it right.
Understand the difference between trends you can join and trends you cannot
Not every trend is open to every business. Some work universally because they are about human experiences, humour, or cultural moments that anyone can relate to. Others are specific to a community, a political context, or a type of humour that does not translate to a business context without looking opportunistic.
Before jumping on a trend, ask yourself honestly: does this make sense for my brand? Is there a natural, genuine connection between this trend and what my business does? And crucially, could joining this trend be seen as trivialising something serious? If the answer to the last question is yes, give it a wide berth.
Move quickly
Social media trends have a short shelf life. A format or topic that feels fresh and relevant today can feel outdated within days. Businesses that successfully ride trends usually have a process for creating content quickly, without having to go through lengthy approval chains or waiting for the perfect execution.
You do not need the content to be perfect. Timely and genuine almost always beats polished and late when it comes to trend-based content.
Add your own angle
The businesses that get the most out of trend-led content are those that bring something specific to it rather than simply copying the format. Taking a trending audio clip, meme format, or challenge and applying it specifically to your business, your customers, or your industry gives people a reason to engage that pure imitation does not.
The question to ask is: what is our version of this? What twist, observation, or application makes this relevant to what we do and interesting to our specific audience?
Seasonal and calendar trends are reliable and predictable
Not all trends are spontaneous. Many of the most effective opportunities for small businesses are predictable calendar moments: seasonal events, national awareness days, industry-specific dates, and recurring cultural moments that you can plan for in advance. A bakery posting around National Cake Day, a gym ramping up content in January, an accountancy firm producing helpful content around the tax return deadline; these are trend-led content opportunities that do not require quick reflexes, just a bit of forward planning.
Keeping a content calendar that maps out the relevant dates for your business across the year is one of the simplest ways to ensure you are always ready to create timely content without it feeling rushed.
Watch what is working in your industry
You do not have to monitor the entire internet to stay on top of trends relevant to your business. Following a handful of accounts in your industry, keeping an eye on the Explore or For You pages on Instagram and TikTok, and paying attention to what your competitors are posting when they have a viral moment will usually give you enough visibility of the trends that actually matter for your audience.
A word of caution on newsjacking
Newsjacking, using a current news story to create content for your brand, can be effective but needs careful handling. Positive news stories and human interest moments can be a natural fit for many businesses. Major tragedies, political controversies, and anything that has generated genuine public distress are best left alone. The potential upside rarely outweighs the reputational risk.
At 99social, our team keeps a close eye on what is trending across the platforms we manage and works proactively to identify opportunities for the brands we work with, without ever forcing a connection that does not feel natural.
Ready to hand it over? Find out more about our affordable social media management and get started today.
Remember that successful trend participation is ultimately about building real relationships with customers through social media, not just chasing viral moments. But if your current efforts aren’t helping you dramatically increase your reach and introduce your brand to new people, it might be time to assess what’s going wrong.
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