It’s no secret that marketing trends come and go in waves. With the ever-growing presence of social media trends, what’s popular can constantly change — fast enough to make your head spin. 

Many people try to jump on all the latest trends to stay current with what’s going on. However, this doesn’t typically produce the desired results. Instead, businesses end up looking desperate.

Even if you gain popularity or garner likes by jumping on the latest trend, that notoriety typically fades after only a few weeks, as soon as the fad dies out.

If you really want to make an impact, show how your business stands out from the rest. What makes you unique? What makes you different, better than the competition? You want to be authentic to yourself and your business.

Here are some things to consider when looking at the latest trends:

Do you "get it?"

While it doesn’t require super social media savvy to jump on the latest trend, you should at least understand what you’re doing. But if you don’t have a grasp of what the trend is about, or if you don’t understand the platform you’re looking to join, you may just be shooting yourself in the foot with your efforts.

For example, you may be wasting your time if you’re getting on TikTok to jump on the hottest “dances” and memes but don’t really understand “the point” of them. It’s tough to go viral on social media platforms nowadays, mainly because the market is flooded with other businesses trying to do the latest trendy thing.

If you don’t “get” whatever it is you’re trying to do, it’s probably best to leave it to the experts.

Do you have to drop everything else to make it work?

If you have to give up time working on your other marketing strategies to jump on the latest trend, it’s probably not a good idea. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If you have to risk all your resources to spend time and money on one singular marketing strategy, it’s probably not a good idea.

Focus on what you do best: your business and providing top-notch services and products to your consumers.

Can I do this consistently?

Sure, you may hear of social media stars and influencers making big bucks by doing the greatest and latest trends on Instagram. But gaining that kind of traction takes a lot of work — consistent work. It takes a truly sustainable effort to post regularly, and like mentioned above, it could suck up all your time.

Most of these stars and influencers have built up an audience over years of hard work; most of them didn’t just pop up out of oblivion with millions of followers in just a few weeks. It is extremely rare to gain sudden social media fame or for a post to go viral, and even if it does happen, you’re likely to fade back into nothingness within a few weeks. People will forget. The internet will move on to the next viral post.

Can you be genuine?

Always stay authentic to your brand or yourself as a business owner, even if something seems really trendy on social media. If it’s not true to you, don’t jump on the bandwagon.

Being authentic on social media doesn’t mean you have to be this super cool person. Just be yourself and be willing to share parts of yourself that you feel comfortable sharing with a crowd. Whether it’s the reason you built your company or something about yourself that people can relate to, the important thing is just that — relating to people.

Even if you’re not funny or hip in any way, it’s okay just to be yourself. Your audience will see when you’re not being genuine.

Can you be active and attentive?

For posts to earn likes and comments, it’s important to pay attention to who is viewing your posts, who is interacting with your posts, and if you’re actively interacting with those people. It’s not all about the number of subscribers you have; people who have more success on social media are the ones who pay attention to their audiences.

By responding to comments and replying to direct messages, you show potential followers (and potential customers and consumers) that you are a real person behind the screen. Follow other users and engage with their content to show that you’re active in your community and not just “in it” for yourself.

Being a person who someone interacts with can turn them into someone who trusts your brand and your messaging! However, if you can’t consistently be active and attentive on social media, it’s probably best to focus your marketing efforts elsewhere.

Is there an alternative?

Of course! You can always work with a digital marketing agency like Ghost Brands to help you with your social media strategy. We can craft posts that align with your image and brand, all while remaining actively engaged in your circles and community. We also offer a variety of marketing services, including branding, SEO, website building, and content creation. There’s a reason they call us the “secret marketing agency” — we stay behind the scenes! Contact us today, and we can help you build a better marketing strategy!