Hey Business Owner! Welcome or welcome back to my corner of YouTube. I’m Ashley Dearing, CEO of Dearing Media, a digital marketing agency. On this channel we break down everything you need to know to make your biz shine online.
In today’s video we’re going to break down everything you need to know about Trending Audio. How to spot a trend, how to tweak it & utilize the trend effectively for your brand.
Using trending audio in your Instagram Reels & TikTok’s isn’t ground breaking or new advice. However as I’m scrolling, I can’t help but notice the general approach to utilizing trending audio in your videos isn’t particularly serving your goals.
It’s seems as if it’s almost become a crutch for content creators. I mean if the concept is already laid out for you, & you’re just repeating it without contributing your own twist, what are you really gaining here?
So if you’re ready to learn how to use trending audio effectively you’re in the right place. Let’s go!
The Benefits Of Using Trending Audio
Utilizing Trends in your TikTok’s or Instagram Reels is a great way to increase the chances of having your video pushed to a wider audience. Because the “trend” is already hot & preforming well, your video is likely to also be picked up by the algorithm. Now this isn’t a guaranteed way to go viral, however I do strongly believe that incorporating trends properly into your social media strategy can pay off in the long run.
The Right Way To Use Trending Audio
I get it. Creating mass amounts of unique content for social media can be exhausting. So there’s a temptation around just taking a trending audio or idea & copying it directly from the creator you first saw it from.
Here’s the problem with that.
- Say you go viral with this video, because you haven’t put your own unique spin on it, or took the time to craft it to your niche, it’s not going to convert the target demographic or community you’re seeking. The eyes that land on your page won’t see the value in following you & will move on. The people that do follow you, aren’t particularly there to support you or your normal content.
- Trends grow quickly & become oversaturated. If your video is just a carbon copy of everyone else’s, it’s likely not going to get the reach & engagement you’re hoping for. You’re not going to stand out in the sea of similar videos.
Okay… So How Do I Use Them?
- Ensure that your SMM strategy incorporates trends but doesn’t lean on them as their main piece of content. Trends are fun & a great way to get in front of new eyes. However other content pieces like your Stories & Feed Posts are there to nurture the community that’s already there for you.
- Approach every trend with the mindset of “how can I make this applicable to my niche or target demographic?” You want to ensure you’re still serving your target audience, even if it’s a silly video.
TikTok Started It
When I’m researching trends, I find that most originate on TikTok. TikTok is such a fast pace environment that a trend can blow up and end before it even makes it’s way to Instagram Reels.
As a rule of thumb, when I’m scrolling through the For You Page of TikTok, if I notice a trending Audio or trending Effect 3 times, I’ll jump in to it to check how many videos are associated with it.
I’m looking for trends that have anywhere from 5k – 100K videos associated with them. I find after that point it becomes too saturated & it’s harder to stand out with your video.
I’ll save the audio or effect directly on the app. Then I go one step further & copy the link into my notes app, or my Notion board, with a little note to myself about how I want to utilize this trend. This makes it a lot easier for me when I go to batch shoot these videos.
Instagram Reels
Another great way to find trends is Instagram Reels. I find it super easy to find trends on Instagram, because all you truly need to do is head over to the Reels tab & search for the arrow pointing up next to the song.
This indicates that this audio is trending. Then I’ll run through my same process as TikTok. Checking how many videos are associated with the trend, saving the audio on the app, & then popping the link in my brainstorming board.
3rd Party Apps
Not sponsored. A tool I use called Trend Tok. It’s a mobile app that I pay for that that showcases trending audio around the world. This gives me a chance to catch on to up & coming trends before they start picking up on the app.
I’ll typically select a playlist and then scroll to the very bottom so I’m not seeing all the top trends at the moment & able to discover new ones & hop on them before the blow up.
Don't Forget To Be Unique
I’ve said this a few times now but please don’t forgot to put your own unique twist on each video. At the end of the day, you’re making these videos to promote your business & bring new eyes to it. You’ll kick yourself if you have a video go viral for something that has nothing to do with your goals. Or be frustrated for spending time making trendy videos that a replicas of other & get buried in the sea of them. Create with intention.
Leverage Trends For Your Brand
So there you have it. Trending Audio is a great way to get in front of new eyes. However leaning too heavily on them without your own unique twist can actually hurt your overall Social Media Marketing Strategy. I hope this video inspired you to go out there & find some trends that you can make your own.
I hope you found these tips helpful! If you have any questions or would like more information about Engagement Tactics please feel free to contact me here.
Happy Engaging!
