How to Use TikTok Trends to Boost Engagement

TikTok is a platform that thrives on trends. From viral dance challenges to lip-syncing to popular sounds, TikTok trends dominate the feed and fuel the platform’s success. For businesses looking to increase their engagement and reach a wider audience, tapping into TikTok trends is one of the best ways to get noticed and stay relevant. But how do you use TikTok trends effectively to boost engagement for your brand?

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to harness the power of TikTok trends, adapt them to your brand, and create content that resonates with your audience.

1. Stay On Top of TikTok Trends

To use TikTok trends effectively, you first need to stay up to date with the latest trends. Trends on TikTok can change quickly, so it’s important to keep an eye on what’s trending in real-time. Fortunately, TikTok makes it easy to spot trends through the “For You Page” (FYP) and the “Discover” tab.

How to stay on top of trends:

• Browse the “For You Page” (FYP): This is where trending content is highlighted. The more you engage with content, the better TikTok gets at suggesting relevant trends for your niche.
• Check out the “Discover” tab: The Discover tab features trending hashtags, challenges, and viral sounds that you can explore.
• Follow trendsetters: Identify influencers or content creators in your niche and keep track of the trends they’re participating in.
• Use TikTok’s Trend Discovery Tools: There are apps and third-party tools that can help you track trending sounds, challenges, and hashtags.

Why it matters: Staying ahead of the curve lets you create timely content that taps into the viral potential of trends and ensures your brand remains relevant.

2. Participate in Challenges

TikTok is known for its viral challenges that quickly sweep across the platform. Participating in these challenges is an effective way to engage with users, as they often come with pre-set hashtags and specific calls-to-action that encourage participation.

How to participate in challenges:

• Follow the trend guidelines: Each challenge typically has a set of instructions, a song or sound, and a unique hashtag. Make sure you follow these to stay in line with the trend.
• Put your brand’s spin on it: While it’s important to follow the challenge format, you should still incorporate your brand’s personality and values into the content. Find creative ways to adapt the challenge to showcase your products or services.
• Encourage user participation: Create a branded challenge or hashtag and invite your followers to participate. User-generated content (UGC) can dramatically increase engagement and brand awareness.

Why it matters: Challenges often go viral, so participating in them can expose your brand to a larger, more engaged audience. Plus, they provide a fun way for users to interact with your brand.

3. Use Trending Sounds and Music

Sounds and music play a huge role in TikTok trends. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes videos with popular sounds, and using trending music can increase your chances of appearing on the “For You Page” (FYP). The right sound can help your content feel fresh, fun, and aligned with the current trends.

How to use trending sounds effectively:

• Incorporate the sound into your content: You can either lip-sync, create original content using the sound, or put your own twist on the trend.
• Stay true to your brand: While it’s tempting to jump on every sound trend, make sure the sound you choose aligns with your brand’s identity and message.
• Use the sound early: The earlier you use a trending sound, the more likely it is to still be viral when your video is posted. TikTok’s trends often peak quickly, so timing matters.

Why it matters: Trending sounds can significantly boost the visibility of your content, increasing your chances of going viral and gaining followers.

4. Leverage Hashtags for Maximum Reach

Hashtags are essential for getting discovered on TikTok. By using trending hashtags, you can ensure your content gets in front of users who are following the trend and increase the likelihood of your video showing up in search results.

How to use hashtags for trends:

• Use trending and niche-specific hashtags: Combine popular hashtags with more niche-specific ones relevant to your brand or product. This will help you target the right audience while still participating in the broader trend.
• Create a branded hashtag: In addition to using trending hashtags, create a unique hashtag for your brand or campaign. This can help consolidate user-generated content and track your content’s performance.
• Use the right number of hashtags: TikTok allows you to use up to 100 characters in your caption, so use relevant hashtags that will maximize your reach. A good mix of 3-5 hashtags is usually effective.

Why it matters: Hashtags make your content discoverable. By using the right mix of trending and relevant hashtags, you improve your chances of appearing in front of a larger audience.

5. Create Relatable and Shareable Content

One of the key reasons TikTok trends go viral is because the content is relatable, funny, or shareable. To engage your audience and boost interactions, you should focus on creating content that resonates with your target demographic and encourages them to share it.

How to make your content relatable:

• Be authentic: TikTok users love authentic, unpolished content. Show your brand’s personality and make your content feel human.
• Use humor: Humor is one of the most powerful tools on TikTok. A funny take on a popular trend or a lighthearted video can increase the likelihood of your content being shared.
• Make it interactive: Encourage users to interact with your content by asking questions, using polls, or starting conversations in the comments.

Why it matters: Relatable and shareable content leads to higher engagement rates, more comments, and more shares, helping your brand reach a wider audience.

6. Adapt Trends to Fit Your Brand’s Voice

While it’s tempting to jump on every trending topic, it’s crucial to ensure that the trend aligns with your brand’s voice and values. TikTok trends work best when they feel authentic, so make sure the content you create is true to your brand.

How to adapt trends to fit your brand:

• Stay consistent with your brand message: Even when participating in trends, make sure your content aligns with your brand’s tone and values. This will keep your content from feeling out of place or forced.
• Be creative with your spin: Put a unique twist on trends that shows off your creativity. The goal is to stand out while still participating in the viral conversation.
• Be selective with trends: Not every trend will suit your brand. Choose those that reflect your identity and goals.

Why it matters: Adapting trends to your brand’s voice ensures your content remains authentic and relatable, which boosts engagement and builds trust with your audience.

7. Monitor Trend Performance

Finally, it’s important to track how your trend-driven content is performing. TikTok offers analytics that can show you how your videos are doing in terms of views, engagement, and follower growth. By monitoring your performance, you can refine your approach and focus on the types of trends that generate the most engagement.

Key metrics to monitor:

• Video views: See how many people are watching your trend-based content.
• Engagement rate: Track likes, comments, and shares to gauge how well your content is resonating with your audience.
• Follower growth: Analyze how many new followers you gain from participating in trends.

Why it matters: Monitoring your performance allows you to understand which trends work best for your brand and audience, helping you refine your content strategy over time.

Conclusion

Using TikTok trends to boost engagement is a powerful way to increase your brand’s visibility and connect with a wider audience. By staying on top of trends, participating in challenges, using trending sounds, and adapting trends to fit your brand, you can create content that resonates with TikTok users and encourages them to interact with your brand. Keep your content authentic, track performance, and most importantly, have fun with it — TikTok is all about creativity and engagement!