Trendjacking: Grow Your Page by Joining the Conversation!

At first glance, the word kind of sounds illegal. What, are you talking about carjacking? What does that have to do with social media? No, it’s not a typo. “Trendjacking” may be a made-up word, but it’s simply the only acceptable way for an Instagram page to grow.

You may already be doing it unwittingly. If so, congrats to you! But you still could use some extra tips for your marketing strategy, we’re sure. If you’re serious about honing in on your target audience, you may need to follow some current trends.

You may not think anything is trending, but we dare you to Google trends right now. Social media trends are going on that you almost missed! They could have stemmed from a news story or other current events. People use social media platforms as news sources, so you can find them on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

We don’t want your brand to lose out because you can’t effectively trend jack. That’s why we’re here. This article will break it all down for you.

Understanding What Is Trendjacking

So, what is trendjacking? Truthfully, the explanation is not that complicated. It’s simply the act of joining in on a trend that is coursing through social media.

There are always trends in fashion, pop, culture and movies. People turn to social media to interpret these movements. Usually, it’s lighthearted, and sometimes it’s a political statement. The avenue you choose is entirely up to you and your brand culture.

4 Social Media Trendjacking Examples You Should Make a Note Of

Do we live in a time when people need constant stimulation? It seems that there is always something trending. It could be something serious, or it could be something harmless. It could be nonsensical. It just feels like there always needs to be something to talk about on the Internet. 

Know what they say. Where there is a viral moment, there is a social media trend. Let’s talk about four examples of social media trendjacking.

1. Trending TV Shows and Movies

Some shows and movies are etched in our minds forever. This could be because they were so iconic and so groundbreaking. It could also be because they were astonishingly awful. The good and bad alike can attract an Instagram trend. 

It could be the audio from a well-known scene. Or, it could be a song from the soundtrack for a TV show or film. The chances are that it will make the rounds on Instagram using reels. Let’s talk about some TV shows and movies that had Instagram in a chokehold.

• The “Hi, Barbie” audio haunted us in our dreams. The movie’s soundtrack featured Ice Spice, Nicki, Minaj, Dua Lipa, and Billie Eilish. We’re sure it fully infiltrated your subconscious.
• This generation may not know about “Sex and the City,” but they’ve used the audio as well. It was popular for documenting outfits for a vacation to New York City.
• Gossip Girl will go down in history as a generation-defining TV show. It makes sense that it has some impact on Instagram audio to this day.
• Certain times of the year and outfit color schemes simply demand content featuring Mean Girls audio. We know you know what we’re referring to.

2. Fashion Trends

These kinds of trends don’t just apply to fashion influencers. It can apply to people who just like to wear clothes because they have to. 

It also works for people who want to troll the Internet. Do you remember those big red boots that you saw everywhere? You may have convinced yourself that people were joking. But no, people thought this was fashion.

There are so many possibilities when it comes to fashion on Instagram. It’s a generally inclusive platform when it comes to different tastes. You don’t need to buy an expensive item to hop on a trend. Your brand could adapt to other trends that pass through the fashion realm of Instagram.

Here are some classic IG fashion trends:

• Clothing hacks.
• “What I would wear if I studied [insert major here].”
• Outfit of the day.
• “What I wore on vacation in [insert location here].”
• Clothing hauls (whether “thrifted,” luxury, or anything in between).
• What an item of clothing looks like on bodies of different sizes.

3. Seasonal Sounds

Naturally, certain audio sounds will be more popular at different times of the year. Mariah Carey knows that it is her time to shine around December. You are bound to hear her iconic Christmas song everywhere you go. You won’t even be able to escape it on your phone because it trends on the reels tab.

It could be your time to shine as well. You could start preparing in advance to hop on the Christmas trends. Start racking up the clothes that you want to wear in your reels if you’re a fashion influencer. If you are a food influencer, brainstorm those winter recipes well in advance. We are sure they’ll trend during Christmas time. 

Of course, Instagram loves other holidays as well. Halloween is a great time for creators to flourish. There are makeup trends and costume trends galore. You just need to find the right ones that align with your brand.

Valentine’s Day sneaks up on so many people after the Christmas season. Don’t let that be you. Get ready for those trends well in advance. Maybe you want to share ideas for a Galentine’s Day brunch or standard date night ideas. You could even give tips on what is best to wear to what type of date. The trends don’t end at all! 

4. Pop Culture Moments

Celebrities are always saying and doing random things. It’s in their best interest to stay in the limelight. It’s in your best interest to keep up with their viral moments.

The rest of the world will find humor in their distress, drama, or misfortune. One way they do this is by creating reels for other’s entertainment. If your brand allows for this, you should trendjack as well. Some viral moments that the internet grabbed hold of:

• Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s trial.
• Kim, Kanye, and Pete’s ongoing drama.
• Blue Ivy dancing at Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour.
• Taylor Swift’s dating life.
• Donald Trump running for president.

Some of these moments are generally harmless to the population. Other more serious moments involve political movements. When it comes to those, you should tread lightly. You don’t want them to require some intensive brand reputation management in the future.

3 Reasons To Start Jacking Trends

Maybe you pride yourself on being a trailblazer in your field. That is great. Start the trends wherever you can. Nevertheless, a good trendjack occasionally is great for your brand. So long as you aren’t passing off something as your own, you should benefit positively. There are three practical reasons you should be keeping an eye out for trends. Let’s talk about them.

1. You Can Reach More People

Can you believe that there is a whole world of potential followers out there just waiting to find you? All you have to do is hop on the latest trends. That’s it. There is so much potential for growth in your niche field on Instagram. You just need to take part in the latest trend now and then.

When a particular trend is making its rounds on the internet, the internet works to show this trend to people. It could be because these creators put hashtags on their posts. It could be because it requires using trending audio. Whatever the reason, the Instagram algorithm conspires to boost this content.

People don’t even have to be looking for it deliberately. Somehow, these trends just find them. This could be you the next time a trend goes viral. A quick trendjack could give you a huge boost.

2. Your Followers Can See More of Your Personality

People love to have para-social relationships with Instagram creators. They get more invested in the content when they feel they know the person. They may turn the notifications on so they see the posts first. They may run to like the post immediately.

One way to keep people hooked on your content is by showing more of your personality. A lighthearted Instagram trend could do just that. Maybe it could be a trend where you poke fun at creators like yourself. Or, it could be a classic makeup challenge where you don’t aim for perfection.

A little vulnerability could go a long way. Your followers may like the idea that you don’t take yourself too seriously. They may feel more connected to you after you remove the filter and just exist. Even the most aloof Instagram influencer could benefit from this tactic.

3. You Can Boost Engagement

Increasing your engagement rate may always be a good reason to hop on a trend. Is it a trend that is popular? People may not even need to follow you to leave an opinion in the comments. If you leave a good call-to-action, you can inspire some interaction in your post.

When you see the comments rolling in, there’s something you need to do. You need to interact with these comments to keep your engagement rate high. This means you need to like these comments and reply to them where possible. If you see a conversation brewing in the comment section, keep it going. Don’t waste an opportunity like this for organic engagement.

Attain Growth That Outlives Trends With Plixi

Knowing when to join a trend is an excellent tool that will benefit your brand. It also is a potentially dangerous way to grow your brand. You don’t want to make light of something that is serious to a particular group of people. The Internet loves to cancel creators, and you don’t want all your effort going down the drain.

In addition to this, always being on the lookout for trends can be stressful. You may be on a very strict content schedule with obligations to brands. Joining a trend can throw everything off. You can’t wait too long to join a trend, or you won’t get to capitalize on it. If you join it too early, other creators have the opportunity to outdo you.

So, what’s the solution to this Trendjacking problem? Engaging the services of a growth tool like Plixi could save you a lot of headaches. We have an in-house platform of Instagram influencers who know all about these trends. To balance them out, we have a propriety AI targeting algorithm. You can start growing and gaining Instagram followers right now!