What are the most effective strategies for keeping up with social media trends?

Collaboration is key. I find that I gain the most insight when I communicate with my team. We all have our own unique feeds, ideas, and perspectives on social media trends -you never know what trends you might be missing out on until you reach out. While it's important to follow leaders in your niche, it's also important to remain creative and not fall into the trap of only copying mainstream trends. Reach out and open your horizons to people who might not have been in your "sphere". You might be surprised by the fresh perspectives you gain!

The most effective strategies for keeping up with social media trends include regular monitoring of social media platforms, staying updated on industry news and insights, engaging with relevant communities and influencers, and conducting ongoing analysis of audience behavior and preferences. Additionally, leveraging social media management tools and attending industry events can help stay informed about emerging trends and changes in the social media landscape.

Follow people in your niche to see how they're leveraging trends. One of the best ways to learn what's going on on social media and what's working is to spend your time there. If you populate your feeds with the kind of people who are successful in your sector/are achieving what you want to achieve with your socials, you can emulate their success (in your own way!)

There are the leaders in your space which you can find by starting simply searching main search term for your category in the channel you're looking to grow. And, then there are the overall leaders in the space such as Social Media Examiner, Social Media Today, and MarketingProfs are great resources.

To stay ahead of social media trends, consider following influential figures in your industry or niche. These leaders often set the tone for discussions and content creation, offering valuable insights into emerging topics and audience preferences. By observing their strategies and engagement tactics, you can learn valuable lessons and adapt your approach to align with evolving trends. Additionally, engaging with their content can provide opportunities for networking and collaboration, further expanding your reach and influence in the digital landscape.

On top of the big names in the space like HootStuite, SproutSocial, and Buffer, there are plenty of specialized tools like AdEspresso to help you learn more about your audience behaviors, tends, and preferences. However, there's really no substitute for the native platforms.

Analyzing metrics is like being a private eye, scouring the scene for clues on what content is a hit and what's a flop with your audience. Those insights are the smoking gun! Assign each team member a "stake out" platform to monitor using tools like Facebook/Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics etc. Create an "Evidence Board" with top-performing posts pinned up and connections drawn between themes Hold weekly "Interrogations" to grill each other on what the data is revealing about emerging trends

Join groups and forums, or sign up for blogs, newsletters and podcasts of peers from your industry to keep up to date with the latest social media trends. Several 'influencers' focus on speaking about the latest trends, explaining how they emerge and how they work, and providing tips and tricks how you can use them. By following them closely and being part of communities, you can stay ahead of the latest trends, ask additional questions and become part of the communities. Make sure to properly engage, not only to learn, but to grow your network at the same time!

In the fast and usually crazy landscape of social media, staying ahead of the curve is key. One very effective strategy is joining online communities, from industry-specific forums and blogs to niche podcasts and newsletters, where you can find the best insights and opportunities to refine and improve your social media strategy. It isn't just about soaking up wisdom; it's about engaging—asking questions, sharing experiences, offering advice, and even sharing your own epic fails and wins. These communities are a real-time pulse on what's trending, what's fading, and what's on the horizon. They provide a platform for testing ideas, gathering feedback, and learning from the successes and challenges of peers.

Test new features and fully be part of the trend! It's super important to experiment with features, as you are most interested in seeing, if they actually work for you. Not every new tool, function or feature will be the right fit for your brand and communication. The best way to find out their effectiveness and how they could impact or improve your social media strategy, is to see them in action. Set some goals before getting started to measure your success and to be able to take a decision if you should follow a specific trend or not.

One way to be ahead of the curve is to become a beta-tester for various social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, Messenger, TikTok, YouTube. Its a little bit complicated on iOS, but on Android you can access the beta programs straight from the app's profile on Play Store.

New features maybe be glitchy at first but they are the best way to see what platforms are pushing. TikTok is experimenting with landscape videos. However it doesn't mean they you're video will be pushed more than a regular vertical one. Experiment with them but take the results with a pinch of salt because sometimes it is just the platforms testing and trying out new things.

Regularly attending webinars and industry events is arguably one of the most effective strategies to keep up with social media trends. These opportunities provide valuable insights from experts, knowledge about the best practices, and updates on emerging trends. Such platforms are very useful to learn about new features across social media platforms. Join various discussions, ask questions, and get in touch with professionals. This will help you remain informed about the latest techniques, tools, and strategies. Furthermore, it would be a good idea to follow industry influencers, subscribe to related newsletters, and join online forums to keep yourself ahead in the ever evolving social media landscape.

I wouldnt recommend webinars, but offline workshops and industry events should offer you more insights about the latest trends in social media and digital marketing.

Webinars and events are are a great way to see what is happening, and to learn what has worked for your peers. It is also an opportunity to find out what best practice looks like

Try to focus on one channel. the one where you already have a presence, and master it as far as you can- and then move on to other ones. There are free courses offered by most of the vendors.

Keeping up with future trends is like being a student at Hogwarts School of Data Wizardry. You've got to study up on all the latest spells and enchantments to become a true trendsetting sorcerer. My favourite picks for EFFECTIVE social media courses include: Superpath Pro - comprehensive content marketing course with mentorship and projects, costs $49-499 HubSpot Academy Content Marketing Certification Course - free, covers content creation, promotion, measurement Content Creation for Social Media (COMM 326) - UND online college course on writing and curating professional social media content

The online courses listed provides relevant information on social media and the respective platforms, but it doesn't exactly help you keep up with social media trends.

It can be difficult to stay ahead of all the new social media trends going on. You might sometimes discover a new trend when it's already over. Don't be frustrated about that! It's important to understand that not every trend is right for you. Try to focus on the social media platforms that are the most pertinent for your brand and communication and follow brand accounts from your industry and powerful influencers to learn from them and see, which trends they are implicating and how those perform.

While trends are worth monitoring and also trying out... you have to remember they are trends aka a moment in time... they may go before you have ever tested them out. Trends won't define your success in social media - understanding your audience and also your brand or business will!

Track your brand mentions and industry keywords to see what conversations are trending. Monitor hashtags to join discussions and identify rising ones. Analyze your content's performance with different trends to see what resonates with your audience. Even check how competitors leverage trends to inspire your own strategy. By using these tools, you can make data-driven decisions to stay ahead of the curve and craft content that capitalizes on trending topics.

Understand that trends constantly shift and iterate - and not every trend is for every brand (in fact, most trends aren't for brands). Be open and active with continuous learning and lean into the ambiguity and change with excitement.