How Brands Can Utilise Trends on Social Media

If you're on social media, you know how impactful trends can be. If you work in social media, you've probably heard that trends can make your brand go viral. The thing is, if your strategy is simply to "go viral", it won’t work. Viral moments are often a byproduct of authenticity, timing, and strategy, not just chance.

Following trends can absolutely boost your visibility within the right communities. But it's about more than just hopping on the bandwagon. To use trends effectively, they need to be approached with intention, creativity, and alignment with your brand identity. So, how can you use trends correctly to grow your brand and online presence?

Not Every Trend Is Right for Your Brand

With the sheer speed and volume of trends circulating online, (memes, audio clips, challenges), it can be tempting to jump on every one of them. But more visibility isn't always good visibility.

Trends that don’t align with your brand can confuse your audience or water down your messaging. Worse, you might alienate potential customers or damage your reputation.

• Does this trend speak to our ideal audience?

• Does it reinforce our values, personality, or mission?

When done right, trends can humanise your brand, spark conversation, and increase reach. When done wrong, they can feel performative, off-brand, or out of touch.

Know Your Brand Inside and Out

Before engaging with trends, you need to have a crystal-clear understanding of who you are as a brand. This includes:

• Your brand values

• Your visual and verbal identity

• Your positioning in the market

• What your audience expects from you

When a trend aligns with your brand's core beliefs and voice, it becomes a tool, not a distraction. For example, if your brand champions sustainability, consider how you can use trends to talk about waste reduction or conscious consumption in a relatable way.

A strong brand foundation makes it easier to filter through the noise and identify which trends are worth your time.

What Is the Overall Objective?

Every piece of content you post should tie back to a bigger objective, whether that’s increasing brand awareness, driving engagement, generating leads, or building a community.

When considering a trend, ask yourself:

• Does this serve a purpose beyond just being popular?

• Will this help achieve a specific marketing goal?

Trends are tools, not strategies in themselves. Use them to support your wider content strategy, not distract from it.

Does This Trend Fit the Brand’s Tone of Voice?

Your tone of voice is how your audience connects with you, whether it's witty, professional, empowering, or playful. A mismatched tone can feel jarring and disingenuous.

For example, if your brand tone is calm and nurturing (say, a wellness brand), using a chaotic, high-energy meme might confuse your audience. Similarly, if you're a cruelty-free or plant-based brand, jumping on a trending audio about loving roast chicken would feel tone-deaf and contradictory.

Before hitting publish, always revisit your tone guidelines and ask:

• Would we say this if the camera wasn't rolling?

• Does this sound like us?

Sometimes, You Can Go Against the Grain

There’s a difference between staying on-brand and being predictable. Occasionally, stepping slightly outside of your typical content comfort zone can create powerful moments of surprise and delight.

Audiences respond well to unexpected content as long as it still feels authentic.

This might mean putting a humorous spin on a serious topic, joining a meme in a self-aware way, or acknowledging a trend but adding your own twist.

Just make sure you’re not sacrificing trust or clarity for temporary attention.

 

Think Strategy, Not Just Speed

Trends are fleeting, but your brand is here for the long haul. The key to leveraging trends is intention. Be quick, but don’t rush. Be relevant, but don’t force it.

When trends are filtered through your brand values, aligned with your goals, and delivered in your authentic voice, they can enhance your presence in powerful ways.

Be strategic. Be selective. And above all, be yourself.

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