Social media optimisation (or SMO) is all about making content easier for algorithms and audiences to organically find.
An SMO strategy will ensure everything from your bios, links, keywords, captions and content formats will tell the algorithm who you are and who your target audience is.
But to break through crowded feeds, one SMO lever has become essential: trend‑jacking.
What is trend-jacking?
Most social content scrolls by in a relatively predictable way. But every now and then, something cuts through the noise of Euro Summer photo dumps and trending audios to become a full-blown viral moment. You know the ones: the mannequin challenge, Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, or even Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year (or should we say number): 67.
Trending content hits the algorithm just right, bouncing from platform to platform and sparking a global discussion, as brands race to insert themselves into these moments. It’s a powerful way to reach new audiences and expand influence at scale.
But not every viral trend is worth chasing. Done poorly, it can dilute your message or even damage your brand.
How to use trend-jacking in your SMO strategy
Trend-jacking assumes many forms, including topic hijacking, keyword hijacking, contextual hijacking, and trend or meme hijacking.
It involves identifying the topics already dominating conversations and thoughtfully incorporating them into your social posts. The goal isn’t to jump on everything, but to engage in a way that feels authentic, relevant and true to your brand, thinking about social media optimisation rather than chasing short-term engagement.
What are the benefits of trend-jacking on social media?
- It can increase visibility and industry credibility.
- It exposes you to a much broader audience.
- You’re also likely to drive higher engagement, as people are more inclined to like, comment and share trending content.
- It reduces the time, cost and effort needed to come up with ideas from scratch.
- It generates valuable content through the use of timely and relevant keywords.
- Social media-jacking is a powerful way to showcase your brand personality and industry knowledge, helping you appear more authentic, relatable and culturally aware.
Social media optimisation dos and don’ts
Do target trends and newsjacking opportunities relevant to your industry.
When a trend catches your eye, the first question to ask is: does this actually align with our brand and expertise?
For example, it makes sense for an animal conservation company to jump on the “Moo Deng” trend, but it seems out of place for a law firm or a mining company to be talking about a baby hippo.
Don’t waste time, post now.
Viral trends and news cycles move at lightning speed. Many lose relevance within 48 hours.
For example, content around major events like the Oscars or the NRL Grand Final needs to hit the same day, because by the time people wake up the next morning, the buzz has faded. In contrast, trending topics like the Wicked movie franchise can stay culturally relevant for months, even ramping back up again after the release of the second movie.
It’s vital to have a system of efficient approvals in place, and to trust the members of your team generating this content. By the time you spend two days debating with the leadership team whether the unicorn and rainbows trend is brand-aligned, you’ve lost the opportunity.
Do your own thing.
Viral trends burn out fast because they are repetitive and being used by everyone. There are only so many versions of the “MM, flip it around, Wicked Witch” trend someone can scroll past before it starts to get dry and blend into the background.
That’s why creativity matters when brands attempt social media-jacking. What fresh angle can you bring that makes your content stand out from the flood of near-identical posts?
A strong example of this is when sea shanties were trending across social media. Instead of simply reposting the format, fast food chain Arby’s created their own original sea shanty TikTok, rewriting the lyrics to promote their fish burger. By leaning into the structure of the trend and making it unmistakably on-brand, the content felt fresh and engaging rather than forced.
These moments are also a chance to showcase your business’ expertise and unique selling proposition (USP). Lean into the trend’s framework, but don’t be afraid to take a creative risk that fits within your social media optimisation strategy.
@arbys Fish sandwiches just got their sea shanty moment. #arbys #crispyfish #fishsandwich #seashanty #seashantytiktok ♬ original sound – Arbys
Don’t jump on a trend you don’t understand.
Audiences are quick to spot a brand that doesn’t fully understand the culture it’s trying to participate in. When that happens, the content rarely lands in the intended way.
Social platforms have their own shared references, humour and unwritten rules. If you’re not across them, your attempt to join a trend can feel forced, awkward or out of touch.
A simple rule of thumb: if you don’t know what something means, you probably shouldn’t be using it. For example, if you have to ask who or what a “Tung Tung Tung Sahur” is, it’s best not to casually drop it into a caption.
Final thoughts
There are countless examples of businesses successfully riding viral trends and discussions, but there are just as many that missed the mark or caused reputation damage.
To avoid falling into the latter group, approach social media-jacking strategically: know the trends, act with purpose and treat it as a serious social media optimisation opportunity, even if the content is unconventional.
If you’re looking for guidance on how to effectively tap into topical social media discussions or viral moments, Bespoken can help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media.
