Viral challenges can be a goldmine for brands looking to boost visibility and engagement. When done correctly, participating in these trends can connect your business with a wider audience and show your personality. However, it’s essential to strike the right balance between jumping on the trend and staying true to your brand identity.
Why Participate in Viral Challenges?
- Increase Engagement
- Challenges often involve interactive or shareable content, which encourages audience participation.
- Enhance Visibility
- Riding a trending wave gets your brand noticed on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Show Relatability
- Challenges allow your brand to appear approachable and connected to what’s happening in the digital space.
Steps to Leverage Viral Challenges Effectively
1. Choose Relevant Challenges
- Select trends that align with your brand’s mission, audience, and tone.
- Ask yourself: Does this challenge resonate with my target customers?
Example: A fitness brand joining a push-up challenge makes sense, while a legal consultancy might look out of place doing a dance trend.
2. Stay Authentic
- Incorporate your brand’s unique voice or product into the challenge.
- Avoid mimicking others; add a creative twist to stand out.
Example: Chipotle participated in TikTok’s “Lid Flip Challenge” by highlighting their own food containers, tying the trend back to their product.
3. Time It Right
- Viral trends have short lifespans. Join while the challenge is still fresh to maximize impact.
- Use tools like Google Trends or social media insights to monitor the peak of a trend.
4. Create Shareable Content
- Ensure your participation is visually appealing and easy for others to replicate or share.
- High-quality visuals and clear instructions encourage engagement.
5. Use Appropriate Hashtags
- Use trending hashtags to increase discoverability.
- Combine popular challenge tags with your brand’s custom hashtags for better tracking and visibility.
Best Practices to Avoid Overshadowing Your Brand
- Integrate Your Product Naturally
- Don’t force your product into the trend; weave it into the challenge in a way that feels seamless.
- Example: A skincare brand could use a glow-up challenge to show before-and-after results with their product.
- Maintain Brand Values
- Avoid challenges that conflict with your brand’s message or values. Stay aligned with your mission.
- Focus on Participation, Not Perfection
- Viral content often succeeds because it feels authentic, not overly polished.
- Engage With Your Audience
- Respond to comments and encourage followers to participate in the challenge with your brand.
- Feature user-generated content to amplify engagement.
Examples of Brands Successfully Riding Viral Challenges
- ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
- While the challenge wasn’t brand-specific, many companies participated by donating and sharing videos, gaining positive recognition.
- Gucci’s #GucciModelChallenge
- A TikTok trend showcasing quirky outfits organically promoted the brand’s avant-garde style without them starting the trend.
- Ocean Spray and the “Dreams” Challenge
- Ocean Spray capitalized on a TikTok user’s viral video featuring their cranberry juice, creating their own branded response and gifting the creator a new truck.
Challenges to Watch Out For
- Avoid Over-Commercialization
- Challenges should feel fun and engaging, not like a sales pitch.
- Be Cautious of Sensitivity
- Research the origins and context of a trend to avoid controversies.
- Measure Impact
- Track engagement and brand mentions to ensure your effort is generating value.
Conclusion
Riding the wave of viral challenges can elevate your brand’s visibility, but success depends on authenticity, timing, and alignment with your values. By participating thoughtfully and creatively, you can harness the power of trends while keeping your brand front and center.
Further Resources:
- TikTok Business – Tips for leveraging trends on TikTok.
- Hashtagify – Discover trending hashtags to optimize your reach.