Yes, we’re using subtle foreshadowing to tell you a new trends blog just dropped
Contributed blog by Ariana Donley, Social Media Manager at Government Social Media
Making mistakes is part of being human, but finding the humor in those fails can help you cope with the embarrassment (or the pain!). That’s the theme of one of the hottest short-form video trends, subtle foreshadowing, which typically reveals a painful mishap with little to no context (hence, the title of this blog!) before showing you the moments that led up to it.
Now, some not-so-subtle foreshadowing. Staying on top of current trends can help you build more meaningful relationships with your community. Even if you don’t plan on producing trending content for your agency, being aware of trending videos and phrases will help improve your situational awareness on social. It could even help you provide better customer service! For example, not all trends are video-based. Words and phrases can also trend and may make their way into your comment sections. It’s helpful to know what they mean so you’ll know how to gauge their sentiment and respond accordingly.
Now, let’s explore some of the popular trends on TikTok, Reels, X and Shorts!
Note: This blog is part of a series. For previous supplemental guidance on how to discover trending content on various social media platforms, visit our first blog in this series and don’t forget to check out more content by visiting our GSM blog and subscribing to our newsletter. This is just a snapshot of recent trends, and we encourage you to explore our other online communities for more trend inspiration! Join the GSM Community Facebook Group or free GSM network.
TikTok
TikTok’s Creative Center is interactive and allows you to browse trending hashtags, songs, creators and videos and filter results based on country, industry and time period (last 7 days, last 30 days, last 120 days).
Note: Previously, “yesterday” was the most recent available results you could pull; however, that’s been replaced with “last 7 days.”
Below are the top five trending songs from the last 30 days (currently listed at the time of publication of this blog):
- Akon’s Beautiful Day by Akon (approved for business use!)
- QKThr by Aphex Twin
- Being loved isn’t the same as being understood by Vines
- Hecha Pa' Mí by Grupo Frontera
- PHAT by DaBaby
I may sound like a broken record, but I can’t say this enough: Always research any trending audio's full words or lyrics before producing content for it. Doing that could help you avoid a major headache! BTW, if you would like to know how other socialgovs would try to recover from a crisis, take a look back at this #GSMChat recap on crisis recovery strategies in the free GSM Network.
GenZ is often known for driving new trends. One trend in particular is allowing GenZ to write your marketing script or edit a promotional video. Remember the City of Goodyear, Arizona’s digital communication team which took home a Golden Post Award for Best Social Media Customer Service at the Government Social Media Conference earlier this year? The team recently hopped on this trend for a fun and unique tour of City Hall that was well received.
@cityofgoodyear There’s a lot of chairs in City Hall! 😄 #cityofgoodyear #goodyear #az #arizona #arizonacheck #fyp #foryou #fypシ゚viral #video #tour #cityhall #chairs #genz ♬ original sound - City of Goodyear
In-app video filters can also trend, which can help take the burden off of you with creative editing. For example, the Scream Chicken Filter. This filter is a sound-activated minigame that records you in selfie mode as you use your voice to move a chicken through an obstacle course. Pro tip: Make chicken noises to do it! Louder and longer sounds will allow your chicken to jump higher or farther, while quieter sounds will allow your chicken to take smaller steps. Celebrities like Joe Jonas and Marshmellow have joined in, but here’s my personal favorite take on this trend.
@cr_af_ty_ This is how we’re adulting in 2024. #screamchickenfiltergame #fyp #jumpingchicken #screamingchicken #genx ♬ original sound - cr_AF_ty_
This trend was built for those outstanding personalities! Do you think that strays too far from your agency’s approved voice and tone? It could also be a unique PSA too. For example, if your agency deals with animals or health and safety concerning poultry. You could put the informational PSA in the caption, or go completely off the barnyard script and trade chicken noises for useful tips since the filter picks up on any sound, not just chicken noises.
Looking for more inspiring ideas for TikTok or elsewhere on social? Download our free guide with 12+ Quick & Creative Content Ideas when you’re in a pinch!
Reels
Instagram periodically drops a trends report on its @creators account. Here are the details from the latest report, posted on October 16:
- Weather Report: Hoa Hoa Hoa Hoa - If you’re a member of the Twilight fandom, past or present, then this trend doesn’t require any explanation. Luckily, it’s a pretty easy trend to join whether you’re a fan or not! This trend typically features video of fall landscapes or activities paired with on-screen text along the lines of “when the weather starts to feel like hoa hoa hoa hoa.” @creators suggests pairing your visual with “Eyes on Fire” by Blue Foundation for the audio.
- Pro tip: Be prepared to pick between Team Jacob or Team Edward in the comments and defend your choice. If you haven’t shared a Reel in a while, your community may even ask “where the [heck] have you been, loca?”
- They Don’t Love You Like I Love You - This is a fun trend for any professional or amateur dancers at your agency. This trending choreography trend is set to the song Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
- Fit Check Bloopers - While people are focused on making their lives look picture-perfect on social, this trend allows you to let loose and make use of bloopers from attempts to show off your outfit of the day (OOTD). Use each blooper as a transition to the next outfit. In the example from @creators, strangers walking in front of the camera served as the transition.
- Pro tip: this trend could be tweaked slightly for government to include multiple other staff members and showcase the different attire required to perform each job.
If you don’t think the above trends are a good fit for your agency, try remixing the reels you do like to adapt them to your voice & tone! You could also explore trending templates and adapt to your liking.
View this post on Instagram
BTW – as discussed in the most recent SocialGov Roundup for GSM professional association members, Instagram now offers a devoted area for best practices in the app, including personalized tips for your account.
X
For detailed instructions on how to check trending topics regularly and filter by your location, take a look back at this previous trends blog.
At the time of publication, here are the top five trending topics in the United States:
If you’ve been regularly reading this blog series, then you’re likely noticing a pattern in X trends. Frequently, whatever day of the week this is published on is trending with the opportunity to easily jump in to share some good vibes for the day (as noted with #1 and #2 above).
Anytime you search trends on this platform, click on the item (even if you think you know what it is) to explore the context further and see why people are talking about it. This will help you gain appropriate situational awareness before joining in.
New Jersey (@NJGOV) has recently received quite a bit of attention for its fun approach to social on this platform, even rolling with some trends including “in da clurb, we all fam” (here’s an explainer).
in the clurb, we all fam pic.twitter.com/gI0W6YsmO8
— New Jersey (@NJGov) October 17, 2024
Want to know more about the team behind the viral account? Local news station 6abc Action News featured them in a recent interview. Check it out!
Shorts
This is a new addition to our trends blog!
YouTube recently updated its trending video section to add trending Shorts and help you find the hottest short-form videos more quickly (Pro tip: if you’re on desktop, scroll down to find the section specifically showing trending Shorts). Also ICYMI - in other Shorts news, the short-form videos can now be a bit longer on this platform – up to 3 minutes.
While the trending video section includes popular videos, it also may include trends from time to time. Short-form video trend formats are often popular across platforms. That’s why you may see the same trends across Shorts, Instagram reels and TikTok – like the interpretive dance trend. It all started when a woman’s roommate required her boyfriend to do an interpretive dance to crash girls’ night.
The trend has since been adapted to other humorous tradeoffs, including dancing in exchange for a game of golf, a backpacking trip or even new pajama pants. Some brand accounts have also joined in on the fun, acknowledging how trends can help boost brand awareness.
How could you adapt this trend to your agency? The possibilities are endless! It could be a fantastic way to show off some fun personalities or you could take it a step further and make it a PSA. For example, you could run with something like “making our firefighters do an interpretive dance to remind you to test your smoke alarm this month.”
Final thoughts
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, staying informed on the latest social media trends is more than just keeping up with the times — it’s about building connections and fostering engagement with your audience.
Whether it’s tapping into subtle foreshadowing or remixing viral trends for a professional tone, understanding these shifts allows your agency to stay relevant and responsive. Even if you don’t directly adopt every trend, simply knowing what's popular helps you engage more effectively and respond with confidence.
If you’re new to social media trends, take advantage of these resources to help research slang, memes and emojis before posting them on your agency account(s). Keep exploring and adapting!
Want your trending government content to get a shoutout in a future trends blog? Let’s connect! Send me an email at [email protected].
Meet the author
Ariana Donley
Social Media Manager–Government Social Media LLC
Ariana graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Human Rights. She spent several years in the TV news industry and also served the Birmingham Police Department initially as a Crime Prevention Officer and later as the first Public Relations Manager. She is passionate about GSM's mission and and enjoys the positive and supportive team work environment.
Government Social Media empowers government professionals to achieve mastery in social media through conferences, online training, and professional association membership.
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