Social media moves fast … lightning fast. Blink, and you’ll miss the hottest new trend because, within a few weeks or even a few days it's a thing of the past. If your brand isn’t jumping on a trend while it’s fresh, it might be better not to participate, or you risk posting content that is considered irrelevant to your audience. That said, your brand doesn’t need to chase every trend to succeed on social media. To build a solid social strategy, it’s important to know the pros and cons of both planned and trending (otherwise known as ad-hoc) content.
Planned content is where your brand can build its identity. A trend might bring new people to your page, but what do they see when they get there? Is it enough to make them want to hit that follow button or visit your website for more information? Planned content is where your brand has the chance to distinguish itself on social media. One of the best things that can happen for a brand on social media is to start its own trend or aesthetic that others begin to participate in or emulate. A prime example of a brand paving its own path on social media is Duolingo. In 2021, Duolingo harnessed TikTok to create unhinged content using their brand mascot costume. It saw extreme success, and not too long after, other brands started taking a similar approach. It’s important to know what your desired audience is looking for on social media and make the content they want to see that delivers your brand’s message.
Planned content also allows for posts to be strategically and creatively well-thought-out given that you have more time to concept and create. By taking time to strategically plan out content, you can ensure that your audience’s needs and pain points are being addressed through a balanced content mix that aligns with your brand’s pillars. You can also take the time to strategically think through the bigger picture of the overall goals of your page.
One of the biggest challenges of social media is making your desired audience aware of your brand’s presence on social media. Paid social media is one way to extend your reach, but ad-hoc posts are one of the best ways to increase visibility organically. Your audience is already inundated with various interpretations of trends, and the algorithm tends to favor trending content and audio. By leveraging ad-hoc posts, your brand can shift public perception and demonstrate your brand is in tune with what’s “cool” and relevant in the social world.
Ad-hoc content also doesn’t always have to be spontaneous. It’s important to build out space in your content calendar for ad-hoc opportunities that may arise. There are certain trends and conversations that are recurring on social media. For instance, Spotify Wrapped occurs every year in late November or early December, and people often share their Wraps or discuss the audio streaming platform’s format for the year. You can plan to insert your brand into relevant conversations ahead of time and start brainstorming what your brand's post could say or look like, then make adjustments once it comes out. Other moments to look out for are award shows, sporting events, or movie and music releases (remember “Brat Summer”?).
While it may be tempting to make as many ad-hoc posts as possible to increase your reach and engagements, it's important to be strategic about ad-hoc content. Your brand may not be suited for making a "Brat Summer" post or commenting on the Super Bowl. You also wouldn’t want the majority of your content to be ad-hoc posts at the expense of losing important messaging. Instead, focus on finding your audience’s niche and sticking to those trends and conversations. Also, think about what you want your audience to do with the post. Is the post being used purely to drive reach and engagement through entertainment, or do you want to take the opportunity to inform the audience about your brand and its capabilities? Just be careful not to overthink ad-hoc content and end up posting past a trend’s prime or becoming lost in the noise. The sooner you can participate in a conversation or trend, the better your brand’s chances are of being seen and appreciated.
If your brand wants to take its social strategy to the next level by harnessing both planned and ad-hoc content, reach out to newbiz@mythic.us.
