⚫️🟡 Why Do Trends Come And Go So Quickly?

I'm 36 with two kids. So if you're like me you might have a hard time keeping up social media trends.

That's not because the trends are inherently difficult to follow, but more so because trends are mostly (i) industry/interest-specific and (ii) they come and go in a ~72-hour window.

As a marketer, these aren't Trends in the traditional sense, but more so Micro Trends that are a piece of larger internet culture. Today, I'm going to break these down, why people participate and what your business should do when it comes to micro trends.

What Are Micro-Trends, Really?

Andy Warhol promised "15 minutes of fame," and micro-trends might be the vehicle to get you there. Anyone can participate in a trend and 'go viral' opening up the doors to internet fame for anyone with a decent wifi-connection.

The New Speed of Viral

Traditional media used to control trends, but those gatekeepers are gone and media fragmentation continues to expand. So now viral sensations are born in bedrooms and coffee shops, but they explode across social with unprecedented speed.

Your feed might be overflowing with a trend, so you think everyone's seeing it, but 99% of users might be in a completely different algorithmic bubble.

The Hidden Psychology That Makes Us Click

We know these trends are fleeting, but we jump on them anyway. So what's driving this behavior?

• FOMO: Everyone seems to be in on the trend, but you're not there yet, so you feel compelled to join

• Social Currency: By participating you increase your perceived social currency and become part of the 'in crowd'.

• The Dopamine Loop: Each like gives you a rush, but it fades quickly, so you post again.

The Life Cycle: From Zero to Hero (to Yesterday's News)

Every micro-trend follows a path:

• Ground Zero: Someone posts something ordinary, but it strikes a nerve, so it takes off

• The Rise: Early adopters grab hold, but they want to make it their own, so remixes flood the feed

• Peak Saturation: Everyone's doing it now, but that means it's about to crash, so insiders are already moving on

• The Cringe Phase: Late arrivals are just discovering it, but chronically online folks are cringing. The end is near for the trend.

• The Graveyard: The trend is dead, but it might resurface as ironic content, so never say never

The Million-Dollar Question: Should Your Brand Jump In?

Most brands want to join every viral moment, but they're too slow to react. So by the time their legal team approves that meme, the internet has moved three trends ahead. The real winners aren't chasing trends, but creating them.

Plot Twist: Be the Trend, Don't Chase It

You could play catch-up forever, but there's a better way. So instead of asking "How can we use this trend?" ask "How can we create something worth trending?" The hundredth business might join a dying trend, but the first business creates the wave, so choose your path wisely.

The Real Secret

Marketers are obsessed with catching every trend, but here's the truth: sometimes the best strategy is to ignore them completely. Your story might not be trending today, but if it's authentic, so it will resonate longer than any viral moment.

Because everything in social media is fleeting, but authenticity endures, so focus on being real rather than being viral.

For more on this, watch the video below on the Commodity Content Trap.

Hope that helps!

Until next week,
Jordan

P.S. If you want to connect on social media, where I share tips throughout the week, follow me on Linkedin.

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