Keeping Up With The TikTok Trends

Written by: Alyssa Rein, Copywriter

Yep, They’re More Important than the Kardashians

We all have that person in our life who refuses to join TikTok. They usually will say, "I don't need to waste my time on that app," or "I just watch TikToks on Instagram reels," where the TikToks that are circulating there are trends from 3 months ago. This is extremely painful for people who work in the social media industry to hear. They may think to themselves, "How?! How do you function in a world where social media trends are EVERYWHERE?" Whether you're at the store, listening to the radio, or watching TV, you cannot escape the trends. TikTok trends even inspire other social media apps. The video-sharing app is now widely known for creating most of the popular trends these days.

The TikTok Timeline

TikTok's rise to fame happened fast. It all started at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the world completely shut down in March 2020. Everyone was looking for something to do to pass the time in quarantine. Although TikTok was already a popular app (especially after merging with musical.ly in August 2018), the COVID-19 lockdown was when the app seemed to skyrocket with millions of downloads. According to the Tug Agency Blog, the platform saw the highest number of app downloads in Q1 2020, driving over 315 million downloads worldwide. The most popular trends during this time included:

Making bread (This was a great way to pass the time while trapped in your house, right?!)
Doja Cat's "Say So" Dance
Whipped Coffee (If you say you didn't try this trend during quarantine, you're lying.)
"Blinding Lights" Dance

And many, many more.

TikTok's epic rise during lockdown was JUST the beginning of how influential this social media app would become.

Why is TikTok SO Influential?

Besides quarantine boredom, there are many other reasons why TikTok is so popular and continues to grow daily.

TikTok videos started off as short and sweet. Whether the TikTok inspired you, made you laugh, or even cry, it immediately got to the point. Throughout TikTok’s rise to extreme popularity, recent updates have now made it possible to make videos as long as 3 minutes. However, the short-length videos have many believing that this is why people can spend hours scrolling and, for them, it only feels like minutes.

TikTok is also very strategic with its algorithms. TikTok's algorithm determines what videos will be shown on each user's ‘For You Page,’ creating a personalized lineup of videos catering to each user's interests. This specialized lineup of videos can also lead to a scroll of doom for many, many hours.

The Impact of Trends

What makes TikTok the most powerful app at the moment are the trends that are created on the app. New weekly trends keep users active and wanting to participate in the next. Whether it's a new dance, challenge, or trending audio, these trends make TikTok users loyal to the app.

TikTok trends have influenced what seems to be every part of the world. All of the industries below have been and continue to be affected due to TikTok:

The music industry (this topic could be a whole other blog in itself)
The fashion industry, because who doesn't love a good OOTD check?!
The book industry (anyone else on BookTok?)

But ESPECIALLY in the marketing/social media industry.

“Did You Watch The TikTok I Sent You Yet?”

As many know, these trends may start on TikTok, but they do not only stay on that app. Many TikTok trends travel to other social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Whether it's Lizzo's viral "It's About Damn Time" choreo, or watching Charli D'Amelio on Takis' Superbowl commercial, it's hard to escape the powerful influence of TikTok even when you're not on the app.

TikTok trends reaching all forms of advertising and marketing are the reason why social media and marketing agencies must utilize these trends in their work. You can't escape them, so you may as well dive right in. The great thing about TikTok trends is that there are so many ways to use them in marketing tactics. This can include:

Using trending audios for videos on all platforms (They'll be recognizable to the audience)
Taking trending memes and associating them with something for your client
Utilizing trending TikTok audios within your social media copy

Not only will this make your business look hip and with the times, but it will also help create a better connection with audiences. TikTok attracts ALL ages. This means that using these trends will help you connect with your targeted audience and those of any age, creating a bigger and more interactive audience.

How To Keep Up With the Trends

It can be challenging to keep up with trends since they move so fast. One day you think you have a handle on what is popular, then the next moment, a new video goes viral. It's crucial to utilize trends ASAP so that your accounts don't look so "2 months ago."

It's easiest to keep up with what's popular through research. Your research can include scrolling through TikTok for hours saving popular audios that spark inspiration, or following creators that have you thinking, "How did they even think of that?" Yep, THIS can be trends research.

Below are some ways we incorporated trends into our Instagram grid.