Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / How Brands Use Social Media to Spot Emerging Trends
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, you remember that beauty brand that launched a 'skin cycling' line last year and it sold out in like three weeks? Luna: Oh, totally. I remember seeing it all over my feed. But how did they even know that was going to be a thing? Lucas: That's the question. And the answer is they spotted it on social media months before it hit the mainstream. They had a team monitoring niche Reddit communities and TikTok comments, looking for repeated phrases and questions. And 'skin cycling' kept coming up. Luna: So they weren't just scrolling casually. They had a system. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what we're digging into today — how brands can spot emerging trends on social media before they explode. Because the brands that do this well aren't just lucky. They're listening with intent. Luna: So what's the first step? Where do you even start listening? Lucas: Well, the first thing is to get out of your own echo chamber. Most brands track their own mentions and hashtags, but that's like looking in a mirror. The real signals are in the conversations happening in niche communities — subreddits, Discord servers, private Facebook groups, even the comment sections of bigger influencers. Luna: But there's so much noise. How do you filter out the random chatter from something that's actually a trend? Lucas: Right, and that's where it gets interesting. One approach is to look for what we call 'frequency spikes' — when a specific term or phrase starts appearing more often across different platforms. But you also want to look at the sentiment. Are people asking questions about it? Are they sharing tips? That's a signal that it's moving from a fad to a genuine interest. Luna: So it's not just about volume, it's about the kind of engagement. Lucas: Precisely. And another thing to watch is the 'early adopter' communities. Think about beauty subreddits, or for tech, it's like the self-hosted or privacy-focused forums. Those folks are usually a year ahead of the curve. And if you see a conversation gaining traction there, it's a good bet it'll trickle out to TikTok and Instagram eventually. Luna: I've heard some brands talk about using social listening tools. Are those actually worth it? Lucas: They can be, but they're not magic. Tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social can help you track keywords and sentiment at scale. But the real value comes from how you interpret the data. You still need a human to look at the comments and understand the nuance. A spike in a keyword could mean anything. Luna: So it's like a combination of tech and human intuition. Lucas: Yeah, that's exactly it. And the best trend-spotters I've talked to say the key is to have a hypothesis. You're not just fishing for anything. You're asking specific questions like, 'What problems are people mentioning around this product category?' or 'What new routines are they adopting?' Then you go looking for answers. Luna: That makes sense. So it's more like detective work than just scrolling. Lucas: Right. And once you've spotted a potential trend, the next step is to validate it. That means looking for signals across multiple platforms and time. If it's only on one obscure forum, it might be a blip. But if it starts showing up in TikTok comments and someone's Instagram story poll, then you're onto something. Luna: And how long should a brand wait before jumping in? I feel like there's a fine line between being early and being too late. Lucas: That's the tricky part. You don't want to be so early that you're educating everyone and no one's ready to buy. But you also don't want to be the hundredth brand to do a TikTok dance. I think the sweet spot is to start experimenting when you see the trend moving from niche to early mainstream — when it's getting traction with a few influencers you trust, but before it's saturated. Luna: So it's about timing your entry to match the trend's lifecycle. Lucas: Exactly. And that's where having a flexible content strategy helps. If you're agile, you can pivot quickly. One of the brands I've seen do this well is a small coffee company. They noticed people on TikTok making 'whipped coffee' at home during the early lockdowns. And they quickly put out a video on how to do it with their instant coffee. That brought them a ton of attention. Luna: Oh, that was such a moment. I remember everyone trying that. Lucas: And they didn't just ride the wave — they added their own twist by tying it to their product. That's the difference between being a trend-follower and a trend-spotter. You're not just copying what's viral; you're integrating it into your brand story in a way that makes sense. Luna: So it's not just about being early, it's about being relevant. Lucas: Right. And that's something that applies across platforms. What works on TikTok might not work on LinkedIn. But the underlying trend might be the same. For example, the rise of 'quiet quitting' was a big topic on LinkedIn and TikTok. Brands that could talk about it authentically in their own space got engagement. Luna: That's a great example. So how does a brand actually set up a trend-spotting workflow? Like, if I'm a marketing manager, what do I do on a Monday morning? Lucas: Good question. First, identify the top five communities where your audience hangs out. It could be a subreddit, a Facebook group, a Discord server, or even a Slack community. Spend fifteen minutes a day just reading the conversations there. Then set up alerts for key terms using a tool like Google Alerts or a social listening platform. And finally, have a weekly meeting where you share what you've seen and decide if any of it warrants a quick experiment. Luna: That sounds doable. But what about the risk of following a fad that dies out quickly? Lucas: That's the thing — you have to distinguish between a fad and a real shift. A fad is something like the 'Tide Pod challenge' — it's viral, but it's not sustainable. A real trend is something that solves a problem or taps into a lasting change in behavior. So you have to ask: does this trend have legs? Is it backed by a broader cultural shift or a new technology? Luna: So it's about looking for the underlying driver. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what separates the smart brands from the ones that just chase shiny objects. I've seen brands waste a lot of money on a TikTok trend that fizzled out in two weeks. But the ones that succeed are the ones that tie the trend back to their core value proposition. Luna: Before we go further, I have to say, these conversations have been so useful. I've actually applied some of these ideas to my own side projects. And I know a lot of our listeners feel the same way. If you've gotten something out of these episodes, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to say thanks and keep this podcast ad-free. Lucas: Yeah, it really does make a difference. Even a few dollars from a handful of listeners can cover our hosting costs and the tools we use to research these topics. We appreciate every bit of support. Luna: And it helps us keep doing what we love — bringing you these deep dives. So, back to trend-spotting, what's a common mistake brands make when they jump on a trend? Lucas: The biggest one is being too transactional. They see a trend and immediately try to sell something. That turns people off. Instead, you should focus on adding value to the conversation first. Share a tip, a behind the scenes look, or a thoughtful take. Then you can subtly tie in your product or service. Luna: So it's like building trust first. Lucas: Exactly. And another mistake is ignoring the platform's nuances. A trend might be huge on Instagram, but flopping on LinkedIn because the audience is different. You need to tailor your approach to each platform's culture and format. Luna: That makes sense. So, what's a practical tip for a small brand with limited resources? Lucas: Well, you don't need a huge budget. You can start by just being an active listener in the communities where your customers already talk. And you can use free tools like Google Trends to see what's gaining interest. The key is to be consistent and curious. Luna: I love that. It's about mindset more than money. Lucas: Right. And one more thing — don't be afraid to be wrong sometimes. Not every bet you make on a trend will pay off. But the more you practice, the better your instincts get. Luna: That's a great note to end on. So, for anyone listening, start small, listen actively, and be ready to pivot. Lucas: And if you want to share your own trend-spotting stories, we'd love to hear them. You can reach us on social — just use the hashtag FexingoBusiness. Luna: Alright, that's it for today. Thanks for joining us, and we'll catch you in the next episode. Lucas: Take care, everyone.