Trendjacking is a marketing strategy where a brand or individual capitalizes on current events, trends, or popular topics to gain attention and engage with their audience. This approach involves identifying new trends that are circulating on the internet and integrating them with the content of the brand to maximize visibility and engagement. This can enhance a brand’s presence, build a connection with the audience, and generate buzz, but it requires careful execution to avoid potential pitfalls such as negative backlash or appearing inauthentic.
How does trendjacking work?
Monitoring is an essential step in integrating any trends with content. Brands and marketers keep an eye on trending topics on social media, news outlets, and other platforms to use in their content. An important thing to note is that the topic or trend should be relevant to the brand’s industry, values, or audience. The speed with which you react to the trend is crucial. Joining the conversation while the topic is still trending maximizes the impact. Furthermore, the content created should be engaging, and creative, and add value to the conversation. Lastly, the brand’s participation should feel genuine and not forced. Authenticity helps build trust with the audience.
Benefits of Trendjacking –
- By tapping into popular trends, brands can reach a larger audience that is already engaged with the trending topic.
- Trend-based content often garners more likes, shares, comments, and interactions, boosting overall engagement with the brand.
- Participating in current conversations can increase awareness and recognition of the brand among a wider audience.
- Trendjacking leverages existing trends, making it a cost-effective way to gain exposure compared to traditional advertising.
- It allows brands to demonstrate their personality, creativity, and sense of humour, helping to humanize the brand and build a deeper connection with the audience.
- Engaging with current events and trends shows that the brand is up-to-date and relevant, which can improve its image and appeal.
- Well-executed trendjacking content has the potential to go viral, significantly amplifying the brand’s reach and impact.
- Quickly and effectively capitalizing on trends can set a brand apart from its competitors who may be slower to react.
- Increased visibility and engagement can lead to more website traffic and potentially boost sales if the trendjacking content effectively drives conversions.
- Regularly participating in trending conversations can help grow a brand’s social media following and strengthen its presence on various platforms.
Risks of Trendjacking –
- If a brand’s attempt at trendjacking is perceived as insensitive, inappropriate, or exploitative, it can lead to negative publicity and backlash from the audience.
- Jumping on trends that don’t align with the brand’s identity, values, or target audience can confuse or alienate existing followers.
- The effects of trendjacking are often fleeting, as trends can be short-lived. The content may quickly become outdated, reducing its long-term value.
- Misjudging a trend or handling it poorly can harm the brand’s reputation, leading to a loss of trust and credibility.
- Constantly chasing trends can dilute the brand’s core message and identity, making it harder for the audience to understand what the brand stands for.
- Using copyrighted material or infringing on intellectual property rights while trendjacking can lead to legal issues.
- Misinterpreting or misusing culturally significant trends can result in offending particular groups, leading to significant backlash.
Overall, trendjacking can be used as a useful tool to attract new audiences based on new trends. This can not only catch the attention of new customers but also convert leads into conversion rates. This is why monitoring current trends and incorporating them in your social media content can give you better results in terms of social media marketing.