You're aiming to dominate the social media marketing game. How do you keep up with the latest trends?

As a social media manager, I'm always on the lookout for fresh ideas. Sure, I keep an eye on competitors, but I've found real gold in following innovative accounts outside my industry. They often spark ideas I'd never have thought of otherwise. I've also learned to trust my gut. Sometimes, a trend feels right for my brand, even if it's not huge yet. Taking calculated risks with emerging trends has helped me stay ahead of the curve more than once. Ultimately, it's about finding that sweet spot between what's trending and what genuinely resonates with my audience. It's a constant balancing act, but that's what keeps this job exciting!

Staying ahead in social media marketing requires diligent trend analysis. Utilize tools like Google Trends and social media analytics platforms such as Hootsuite and BuzzSumo to monitor emerging topics and hashtags. Regularly analyzing competitor activities helps identify successful strategies and innovations. Additionally, engage in professional communities and follow industry leaders to gain insights into the latest developments. By continuously experimenting and adapting based on data-driven insights, you can ensure your strategies remain cutting-edge, helping you to maintain a competitive edge and dominate the social media marketing landscape.

Don't be afraid to spend some time on social media- it's your job!! I regularly save TikToks to my 'For Clients' folder via the app, so that when it's time to brainstorm, I can immediately be reminded of the current trends.

I actively monitor social media platforms for emerging trends, challenges, and popular topics. I use tools like Google Trends, BuzzSumo, and social listening platforms to track conversations and hashtags, identifying patterns and potential opportunities.

I call this "intuitive scrolling". Even when I'm "offline" and personally engaging on social media. outside of work efforts, I am aware of the content I'm taking in, the social conversations happening, and the trends I'm seeing take shape. For those of us in this field, we can't equate this to "work"—we have to be able to compartmentalize but also keep tabs on the fast social world around us! Having this awareness helps me bring in better ideas to work each day for my clients.

Social media is usually the smallest team in the company. That's why Marketers adore LinkedIn so much! You get to share and read case studies about the best campaigns (and the ones that went wrong) so we can learn and not make the same mistakes!

There are nowadays many amazing LinkedIn groups for social media trends. In fact many profiles in Instagram who provide updates on trends including Instagram official account itself.

Engaging with your professional network is crucial for staying ahead in social media marketing. Actively participate in online forums, LinkedIn groups, and industry-specific communities to exchange ideas and learn about emerging trends. Attend conferences, webinars, and workshops to network with peers and gain fresh insights. By collaborating with industry leaders and thought influencers, you can gather valuable knowledge and practical advice. This proactive engagement not only keeps you informed but also positions you as a well-connected and dynamic player in the social media marketing field, helping you stay ahead of the curve and dominate the landscape.

I follow industry experts and thought leaders on social media, engage in relevant discussions, and attend webinars or conferences to gain insights into the latest strategies and best practices.

Don't be afraid to take in and share ideas with other professionals! Even working with a collaborative team, we can often be molded into a similar philosophy around one topic. Hearing different perspectives is important (this feeds into section 3), and it also helps build a network to lean on and collaborate with.

Controversial opinion: You can't do a four-year degree about social media. Things move far too quickly. You need constant hands-on experience and the perfectly curated feed of other marketing professionals that are ready to share their tips and tricks.

Keeping up with the fast-paced world of social media can feel like a full-time job. My go-to to keep up with algorithm updates and other trending topics is webinars. You can find some of the best webinars through industry websites or software like Sprout Social and HeyOrca. I've even seen some through LinkedIn. To benefit from a webinar, take good notes and highlight the key points. I like to try out new strategies right away while it's fresh. I also share the key points and notes with my team. This helps reinforce the information and usually sparks a good brainstorm. Lastly, don’t stop learning once the webinar ends. Jump into the chat, ask questions, and connect with the speakers and other attendees on LinkedIn.

Continuous learning is essential for dominating the social media marketing game. Regularly enroll in online courses and certifications from platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning to stay updated with new skills and knowledge. Follow marketing podcasts and YouTube channels for insights and trend updates. Attending webinars and industry events also provides exposure to cutting-edge strategies and innovations. By committing to ongoing education, you ensure your skills remain relevant and your strategies are always ahead of the curve, positioning you as a forward-thinking leader in social media marketing.

Social media is changing daily, so to stay on top of it is to consistently educate yourself. This could be through books, podcasts, blogs, and even brand influencers. There are so many professionals in different niches that it can be overwhelming to find the right fit for you, but take time to do your research and speak with people in your network to see what they are using to enhance their learning.

I invest in ongoing education through online courses, certifications, and industry publications. This helps me stay ahead of the curve and understand the evolving algorithms, features, and best practices of each platform.

I regularly review analytics data to understand how our content is performing and identify areas for improvement. By tracking key metrics like engagement, reach, and conversions, I can make data-driven decisions to optimize our social media strategy and stay ahead of the competition.

Not all trends are for your brand. Check your analytics to see which trends you followed before that attracted audience. Use that knowledge and follow trends accordingly

Not every popular movement is a good fit for your brand's identity. Review your past performance data to identify which trends resonated with your target audience in the past. By leveraging this insight, you can strategically choose which trends to adopt and tailor your approach to maximize engagement.

Use polls , questions, and interact with your audience daily and you’ll soon get an idea on which type of posts, and videos work the best for your profile. Which ones bring more audience and which ones are not doing so great

Don't sleep on your comment section! Ensure this is not only part of your brand's strategy, but keep tabs on other pages' community. There are so many learnings from target demos regarding how they speak, interact, and what they are looking for, that can be a goldmine of information!