Spindustry Blog

Use Trending Topics in Your Digital Marketing

Posted by Jessica Plunkett on December 23, 2015
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Google released its 2015 year in search – a recap of the most frequently searched topics on their search engine. It’s no surprise that entertainment, sports, politics and world news topped the list. If your business doesn’t fall directly into one of these categories, then why would these searches matter to you? There are ways to leverage the buzz to engage with your target audience. It’s about being smart and relevant. Next time there’s a trending topic you think might be relevant to your brand and customers, ask yourself these questions.

  1. Would my product or service play a relevant role at a popular event?eventtiein_spindustrydigital.png

Popular events are defined by what’s relevant and important to your audience, but rest assured there is no shortage of them. When you consider the Super Bowl, Grammys, major movie releases, major product releases, presidential elections and so on, you likely have a few opportunities to jump into these conversations.

Beats by Dre used an event very relevant their target audience – the Video Music Awards – to promote their product. The tie-in between their headphones and music fans is obvious. Further relevancy comes from the specific performer they used in the tweet, along with the specific product and messaging used.

  1. Do we have something of value to offer after the event?offeringafterevent_spindustrydigital.png

A much anticipated film was recently released. Many brands jumped on the Star Wars marketing bandwagon months ago. The market has been oversaturated leading up to the premier. However, now that the release has occurred, there’s actually more opportunity to start conversations based on memorable moments.

One of those opportunities – that as of now has been missed – is Princess Leia’s hair. The iconic double bun, and its many variations, has been the trendy hair style on recent red carpets. So far, we have not seen a major brand offer tips or products to use to achieve this look. From hair spray to bobby pins, surely someone wants to help their target audience recreate the look with their products. The best we could spot were individuals offering YouTube tutorials. Come on brands – here’s a great trending topic opportunity.

  1. If the topic is controversial, can my company really afford to get into the middle of it?controversialtopics_spindustrydigital.png

Don’t join a controversial topic for controversy’s sake. If a disaster has occurred and you’re the Red Cross letting people know how they can help, that’s a relevant reason to join the conversation. Urban Outfitters caused controversy in 2014 when it released a red-stained Kent State University sweatshirt. It was immediately recognized as a reference to killings at the school in the 1970s. While some may have been entertained by the idea, most people were not. Urban Outfitters eventually apologized for the offensive shirt.

Urban Outfitters may have been able to withstand any backlash from their audience. But could your company survive such an offense? When in doubt, don’t do it. There will be more relevant opportunities to come.

Need help crafting the right message?

Spotting relevant opportunities isn’t usually the challenging part. Crafting a relevant message that will resonate with your target audience and get them to respond is the challenge. If you’d like help using trending topics in your 2016 digital marketing, talk with our experts.

 

 

 

 

Topics: content marketing, social media, marketing tips