What is ‘Trendjacking’?

Brands, marketers and business owners alike have been using this technique, to an extent, for years, often without knowing it. This would especially be the case pre-internet, when the same technique was used but applied to a different form of content or exposure, such as in a newspaper, magazine, phonebook, on the radio or on the television, to name just a few platforms that could be used to advertise a brand before the investigation of the World Wide Web. But what is this marketing technique that has been sweeping the world for decades already? 

Well, it finally has a name in the digital world, and that is; ‘trendjacking’. Often described as a “cultural phenomenon” by those in the industry, such as Success, you’ll have nothing to lose and everything to gain by understanding ‘trendjacking’ and everything that goes along with it. In this article, we’ll be taking you through what trendjacking is, how it differs from ‘newsjacking’ and the benefits of using it yourself to gain traction and exposure in the modern, online world. So, let’s take a closer look at trendjacking and how it can help you in your marketing campaign:

What is ‘trendjacking’?

‘Trendjacking’. It’s a term that has long been batted around the digital marketing industry, and for good reason. It’s a technique used to gain exposure and visibility, mainly on social media, and it can be extremely effective, when done right. Trendjacking is a marketing technique that refers to taking a current and popular trend, usually on social media platforms, and using that to inject their brand to a wider audience. 

For example, if you own a curtain shop and the current home trend right now is floor-to ceiling curtains, then your campaign should focus on floor-to-ceiling curtains. You then need to become engaged with the conversation online and plug your products anywhere you can, where relevant. 

This involves anything from commenting on other people’s floor-to-ceiling curtain-related posts on X (formerly Twitter), to creating floor-to-ceiling curtain-related videos to post on TikTok, complete with the right hashtags. Essentially, whatever is ‘on-trend’ right now, take advantage of it if you’re wanting to give ‘trendjacking’ a try as part of your marketing campaign.

What is the difference between ‘trendjacking’ & ‘newsjacking’?

You’ve likely heard of ‘newsjacking’ before. Seeing as the two terms are very similar, it’s not uncommon for people to confuse one with the other. But what you need to realise is that they’re actually two very different things. In fact, we have published an article, much like this one, all about newsjacking, so you can check that article out here if you’re wanting to learn about it in further detail. For now, let me run you through the basics of newsjacking.

‘Newsjacking’ refers to the practice of strategically inserting your brand and/or ideas into any current news in order to gain traction in the media or social media recognition. It’s a simple, age-old technique that has been used by business owners since the introduction of good old-fashioned newspapers. But what about trendjacking? 

Trendjacking, as we’ve already touched upon, is similar to newsjacking, which is why some people become confused by which marketing technique is which. The main difference is that trendjacking uses a current trend to piggy-back their brand off of, whereas newsjacking takes advantage of popular news stories to get their brand noticed – simple.

What are the benefits of ‘trandjacking’?

Now that you know and understand what trendjacking is, along with how it differs from newsjacking, so as not to get the two confused when it comes to developing your marketing campaign, it’s time to delve deeper into how trendjacking can help and boost a brand. Here are all of the benefits you can experience by adopting trendjacking as a marketing technique:

• Boosts brand visibility – a stand-out benefit of trendjacking is the amount of exposure and visibility your brand will get, in more ways than one. Essentially, trendjacking is considered to be an upper-funnel marketing tactic that does businesses a world of good in the marketing industry
• It ensures a quick win – unlike PR campaigns, trendjacking will offer brands and businesses content to publish to their audience. This is helps to drive an existing conversation or engagement, rather than starting again with a new one and everything that involves
• It has the potential to humanise your brand – it can help your audience to personally identify with your brand on a level that is human, rather than driven by sales pitches and business ideas. You’re talking to your potential customers about something you’re interested in, and not via a campaign or press release
• It can drive conversions effectively – perhaps the most attractive benefit of trendjacking, it has the potential to drive conversion rates and gather leads in the process. This is most effective on new visitors, increasing conversion sales when needed most

Kumo is a highly-experienced digital marketing agency with over two decades of knowledge and expertise behind us. We are able to provide a wide range of marketing services, with a dedicated team of experts at the heart of everything we do. From SEO and PPC, to content writing, website design and everything in between, you’ll be able to count on us to propel your business into the spotlight. If you’d like further information about the digital marketing services we have available, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.