Social media is a vital marketing tool for small businesses and entrepreneurs, with 84% of consumers checking a brand’s social media page before purchasing and approximately 20% of all sales coming directly from social media. To maximize visibility, businesses often aim to create viral content and leverage emerging trends. However, capitalizing on trends presents a challenge as they provide a brief window of opportunity and are often difficult to spot in their early stages.
Businesses that manage to catch a trend at its onset can significantly enhance their visibility, potentially going viral and attracting thousands or even millions of additional views to their social media profiles. A single viral post can markedly alter a business’s long-term success trajectory.
Predicting a new trend can be difficult as they often originate from subtle cues across social media platforms. Businesses can employ a social listening strategy to identify topics or terms gaining popularity across social media and online forums. Numerous social listening tools can help businesses analyze online discussions to identify potential trends effectively and promptly.
Attention should also be given to developments in pop culture or industry leaders, as influencers can often stimulate widespread discussions, especially on controversial topics. However, a significant issue in today’s social media landscape is that brands often prioritize speed over quality when participating in a trend, resulting in un