Most businesses these days use social media for marketing and this pattern of behaviour is expected to continue to increase as time goes by. Brands are always looking for ways to stay relevant and even trend in a given social media space which often results in trendjacking.
Trendjacking happens when a brand or individual tries to benefit from a social media trend by injecting their own content into the conversation. If done correctly trendjacking can be quite effective in taking over the conversation and raising visibility for your brand but many brands seldom get it right.
If you’re planning on using the trendjacking approach as part of your social media strategy, there are a few dos and don’ts you should consider.
DO look for ways to add value without compromising your brand
When deciding to jump onto a social media trend be sure to assess the value of jumping into the conversation. To successfully trendjack you need to stay true to who you are and recognise an opportunity when it comes along. Your actions online need to align with your brand identity and voice, therefore you should pick your trends wisely. No one likes in-your-face brand messaging.
Social media marketing is the process of reaching prospects and customers, and acquiring traffic and visibility through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many others. By utilizing the social aspect of the web, social media marketing is able to connect and interact on a much more personalized and dynamic level than through traditional marketing.
DON’T exploit the opportunity
As we discussed in the first point no one likes in-your-face brand messaging. Consumers lose trust in brands that constantly shove their branding in your face at every turn which brings us to our first don’t. Don’t exploit the opportunity what this means is that it’s not necessary to get involved with every trending topic just for the heck of it. The trend needs to be relevant for you and your brand which means you will have to exercise some serious restraint.
DO research the backstory of the trending hashtag
Before you throw yourself into the fray do research on the trending hashtag. Try and find the original source of the tweet or post or follow the threads and conversations on the topic. The last thing you want is to make an inappropriate comment or post on something that’s actually quite serious. Once you know what you’re dealing with you can decide how to approach the topic if you decide to tackle it at all.
Look out for Part 2.
