DIGITAL MEDIA GHOST
  • Publication
  • #GhostsWriteIt Spotlight
    • Writer Spotlight Submission
  • Services
    • Digital Strategy
      • Content Marketing
      • Law Firm Marketing
      • Social Media Management
    • Ghostwriting
    • Public Relations
      • Social Sabotage & Online Privacy
        • Social Media Policy Template
  • About
  • Publication
  • #GhostsWriteIt Spotlight
    • Writer Spotlight Submission
  • Services
    • Digital Strategy
      • Content Marketing
      • Law Firm Marketing
      • Social Media Management
    • Ghostwriting
    • Public Relations
      • Social Sabotage & Online Privacy
        • Social Media Policy Template
  • About
Search

Social Should Be Subtle: Ways You’re Misusing Trending Topics

6/13/2016

0 Comments

 
by Mary C. Long

​It’s hard not to jump on a trend exploding on Twitter and Facebook. Everyone wants their brand to be part of the conversation, but sometimes it pays off more to be selective with social trends.

It’s hard not to jump on a trend exploding on Twitter and Facebook. Everyone wants their brand to be part of the conversation, but sometimes it pays off more to be selective with social trends.

Savvy social managers know your brand should only hop onto what’s trendy if it makes sense. What does that look like? It can look like a lot of things.

It doesn’t mean you can only tweet about the Grammys if you’re a music app or luxury designer for the likes of Lady Gaga, for example. But you can’t just turn on the faucet and dribble out “#Grammys” all night long either – especially if the only reason you’re doing it is because everybody else is. That’s no way to stand out.

Some events — like the Grammys — you know will trend. You can easily prepare a plan of attack if it makes sense for your brand to participate in the social conversation happening for the duration.

Other trends just happen — and that’s when having well-honed reflexes on social helps. Something like the lights going out at the Super Bowl is pure luck — but capitalizing on it was pure skill by Oreo.

If you regularly participate in real-time social listening, you’ll have a sense of the “temperature of the room” – as well as the ability to think on your feet – when you want to chime in on those lucky moments.

To jump or not to jump, that is the question
​

The question to ask is always “What’s the potential gain for my brand?” There won’t always be any, and jumping on something that’s hot “just because” can actually backfire. In-your-face brand messaging is a big turnoff for consumers, so you have to carefully weigh the value of jumping into the fray.

If you decide it’s worth trend-hopping, watch your approach. Humor can be a great way to leverage a trend, but this can also backfire if your audience doesn’t appreciate the joke, or finds it at odds with how they see your brand.

The best approach is always one that comes from a place of authenticity. And sometimes it’s not even a major trend or event that gets the best results.

The Brand24 blog chronicles the domino effect that followed Volvo jumping on a single tweet — which brought attention to multiple brands in a way no ad campaign could have. Here’s how it began:
Picture
What happened next turned into an exceptional PR opportunity for not only Volvo and the paintball company, but Audi was able to win big here as well. And this unlikely series of events was all made possible through social listening. Each of the brands that participated was paying attention, and jumped on a relevant near-real-time trend in just the right way.

Embrace the opportunity, don’t exploit

And what is that right way?

Human to human, versus brand to prospect. Being a bit clever, or funny, or heartfelt — as the case may be — is what will grab consumers on social. Because basically, as Contently reminds us, “self-promotion kills consumer trust in branded content.” That includes social posts.

Some brands just can’t help themselves though – they want to jump on every hashtag and pop culture moment that crops up, no matter how tenuous the brand connection. If that’s your brand, maybe it’s time to seek professional help? Seriously though, trendjacking is apparently an addiction for some folks and there really should be a hotline to call, because even using one or two hashtags out of place can kill your cool factor – or worse. There’s a thin line between being active on social media and being overactive and alienating your followers.

Be sure to monitor your social feeds for emerging trends that make sense for your brand – and exercise restraint when the #FOMO (fear of missing out) creeps in. Or you’ll not only be missing out, you’ll be driving potential clients to your competitors with a quickness.
​

This post originated from SocialTimes.

Image credit: freestocks.org
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Become a Ghostwriter!
    Picture
    Contribute to DMG
    Picture
    BECOME A GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
    Picture
    PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS BY GUEST POSTING
    Picture
    ARE YOU A GHOSTWRITER? WE WANT TO KNOW!
    Picture
    DO YOU HAVE A GHOSTWRITING BUSINESS?

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Agency Spotlight
    Business
    Digital Marketing
    Ghost In A Flash
    Ghostwriting
    Media Relations
    Privacy Concerns
    Social Sabotage
    Technology
    Writer Spotlight
    Writing

    Advertising Disclaimer

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

Find your domain and create your site at Weebly.com!
Digital Media Strategy
Content Marketing
Law Firm Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Social Media Marketing
eBooks
Writing
Becoming a Ghostwriter
Blogging
Content Marketing
Ghostwriting Services
Guest Post Guidelines
Media Relations
Online Crisis Management
Personal Brand
Public Relations
Reputation Management
About
Our Team
Our Results
Testimonials
Contact Us
Locations:
New Orleans, LA
Nashville, TN

DMG University
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Policy
Digital Media Ghost  @2020
  • Publication
  • #GhostsWriteIt Spotlight
    • Writer Spotlight Submission
  • Services
    • Digital Strategy
      • Content Marketing
      • Law Firm Marketing
      • Social Media Management
    • Ghostwriting
    • Public Relations
      • Social Sabotage & Online Privacy
        • Social Media Policy Template
  • About