In the fast-paced world of social media, the pressure to “go viral” is real. Every week, there’s a new trend brands are tempted to jump on, whether it’s a meme format or a sound clip. And while trend engagement can be a powerful way to stay relevant and drive reach, chasing virality without intention can do more harm than good.
The smartest brands don’t follow every trend; they follow the right ones. When trend engagement is rooted in brand clarity and guided by strategy, it becomes more than just a fleeting moment. It becomes momentum.
Let’s break down how to do it right.
Start with Strategic Fit
Before you jump headfirst into the latest trend, take a pause. Not every trend deserves a spot on your content calendar, especially if it makes your brand look like it’s trying way too hard.
A simple way to decide if a trend is worth your time? Run it through this three-part gut check:
- Is it relevant to your audience?
- Does it align with your brand?
- Can you bring something meaningful to the table?
Take, for instance, a playful trend like a viral dance. If you’re a snack brand, you might lean into it by creating a remix featuring the sound of your crispy chips and some cleverly choreographed crunching. That’s fun, on-brand and not trying too hard. On the flip side, if you’re a B2B tech company, maybe skip the dance and weigh in on a more educational trend, like the ethics of AI. Now you’re not just participating; you’re leading the conversation.
In short, the best trends to follow are the ones where you show up like you belong there, not like you snuck in through the side door with a borrowed vibe.
Understand What Makes Content Go Viral
Let’s bust a myth real quick: going viral isn’t just dumb luck. There’s actually a method to the madness, and the best marketers know how to reverse-engineer it. Sure, you can’t guarantee a post will break the internet, but you can dramatically boost your chances by understanding the key ingredients that drive viral success.
Four ingredients for viral success:
- Emotion. People share content that makes them feel something, whether it’s joy, surprise, outrage or a sense of belonging.
- Relatability. The “that is so me” factor that makes your audience stop scrolling and tag three friends.
- Simplicity. Because nobody wants to work hard to get the joke or message.
- Timing. Drop your content when the conversation is hot, not after the trend’s been picked clean by everyone else.
Industry data backs this up. According to benchmarks from platforms like TikTok and Meta, content that evokes emotions like humor or inspiration, sees up to 3x more engagement. And posts that tap into personal identity outperform generic brand messaging by a long shot.
Viral moments aren’t just about being loud, they’re about being smart, timely and human.
Related Content: Combatting the Attention Crisis for Marketers
Show Up Authentically — or Consider Sitting This One Out
Here’s the hard truth: just because a trend exists doesn’t mean your brand should jump on it. In fact, how you show up is just as important as what you post. Tone, context and timing can make or break your trendy content. If you can’t show up in a way that feels true to your brand, it’s probably better to sit this one out and live to post another day.
Audiences are savvy. They can spot inauthenticity from a mile away, and nothing gets an eyeroll faster than a brand misusing a meme or forcing itself into a moment it clearly doesn’t understand. Take the infamous example from Pepsi and their Kendall Jenner protest ad. The intent may have been to tap into a cultural movement, but the execution missed the mark by miles. It trivialized serious issues in an attempt to seem socially aware, and the result was a wave of backlash that forced the brand to pull the ad and issue an apology.
The best way to avoid becoming a cautionary tale? Put your content through a few simple filters.
Ask yourself:
- Would we say this in a client meeting?
- Would our team group chat cringe reading this?
- Does this sound like us or like a brand cosplaying as Gen Z?
At the end of the day, authentic participation is better than forced relevance. If a trend doesn’t fit your voice or values, there’s no shame in skipping it. In fact, restraint can be a powerful brand move. Save your energy for the moments where you can show up with confidence, creativity and actual value.
Related Content: Influencer Marketing: Boost Your Brand in the Creator Economy
Be Selective. Be Strategic. Be Real.
In a world that moves faster than a scroll, it’s easy to feel the pressure to hop on every trend. But the brands that make the biggest impact aren’t the ones chasing every viral moment, they’re the ones choosing their moments wisely. By being selective, strategic and real.
At Simantel, we help brands do just that. With a sharp eye for alignment and a strategic content creation approach, we guide our clients through the ever-evolving social landscape. Whether it’s knowing when to jump in or when to sit one out, we help you show up with clarity, confidence and authenticity, every time.
Ready to make every trend work for your brand, not against it? Reach out to us and we’ll work with you to develop a smart, strategic social content strategy tailored to your goals. Or let us audit your recent trend engagements to uncover what’s driving results and where there’s room to grow.
Let’s craft content that’s selective, strategic and truly authentic together.
