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    Staying on Top of Social Media Trends To Grow Your Audience

    Social media is constantly changing and evolving. The algorithms. The platforms. The trends, however, are the hardest to follow and create content for. Trends come and go so quickly! But have no fear. We’ve got you. Here are some of our top tips for staying on top of social media trends to grow your audience!
    by
    February 20, 2024
    in Social Media
    3 Comments
    1458

    Creating content for social media is usually a task that I enjoy, but not today. After an unplanned six-month hiatus, I feel anxiety rising as I scroll through my Instagram feed. Staying on top of the latest social media trends and best practices can be challenging for everyone, even seasoned marketers like me. 

    Maybe you’ve experienced this kind of frustration too. Social media is constantly evolving, and although we don’t want to discount our personal influence when it comes to creating content, keeping up with what’s happening in the social media world is one of the most effective ways to boost engagement and reach — two vital keys to organic growth of your platform. So here are a few tips to help you achieve your social media growth goals moving forward.

    1. Let’s start with the obvious: Social media requires being social — be active and engaged in the conversation on your social media platforms. Consistency is key; start small by setting aside 10 minutes daily to peruse your platforms. Do it at the same time each day; this helps to build trust with your followers and keep you accountable.
    1. Follow relevant accounts, not just on social media; subscribing to their newsletters, blogs or podcasts is an easy way to see what top influencers are doing. Samanta Cimerman (@_socialsam_) is one of my favorite social media experts. She shares valuable information for free and more personal advice for a fee.
    1. Utilize social media management listening tools to track keywords, hashtags and conversations specific to your area of ministry. Buffer, Crowdfire, Later and Tailwind all offer free options and more detailed insight through paid subscriptions. You can also monitor hashtags trending on Instagram and TikTok with https://www.hashtag.expert.
    2. Content apps and websites such as Google Trends and Feedly are excellent resources that help you stay ahead of the curve. Both track the content you want to read and store it in one place. Once you set up the search criteria, very little maintenance is required. Also Feedly’s free version allows you to follow up to 100 sources online, so there’s no need to upgrade to the pro version.
    1. The resources above relate to trending content, but we must also be aware of the design trends, such as colors and themes. Pantone announces the Color of the Year every December during a free webinar; this is a great resource to use as you rethink your color palettes for the new year.
    1. Creative Market is a fantastic source for all your visual needs, including fonts, graphics, images, etc. As with the resources above, they offer free use and membership prices. I use the free version and buy fonts as needed. Subscribe to their email list, and you’ll receive notices of the design trends each season.

    Finally, even with all the best tips to reach our social media growth goals, it is important to frame our perspective with wisdom from God’s Word. A proper balance between the priority of God’s approval and the social media goal to gain people’s approval is of utmost importance. As soon as you feel the angst rising over the impossible task of pleasing fickle people, remember this: Our purpose is to please God, not people (1 Thessalonians 2:4). Yes, we do our best to stay on top of social media trends, but ultimately it is for His glory, to lead others to Him.

    Blessings,

    Kelly Kirby Worley

    How do you feel about following trends? Have you done this in the past? If not, would you like to utilize any of the resources above? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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    Kelly is a marketing-savvy Christian communicator, writer and artist passionate about encouraging and empowering women to trust God and know who they are in Christ. She serves as a volunteer leader for a COMPEL Critique Group and is a member of the COMPEL Training blog writing team. You can follow Kelly's writing on Instagram @kellykirbyworley or connect through her website: www.kellykirbyworley.com.

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    Comments

    1. Vickie Turley: February 20, 2024 at 11:12 pm

      I haven’t followed trends in the past but I love these resources. I downloaded the Hashtag app and I’ve bookmarked the Creative Market app.

      Reply
    2. Lisa R: February 20, 2024 at 1:09 pm

      Wow! Thank you for all the specific resources, though I do find it all a bit overwhelming. Right now I’m glad when I just keep up with posting something. I will, however, look into the resources you’ve shared as it looks as though they will allow me to work better, not harder.

      Reply