Trend: Inseparable part of every youth's life in the age of social media – Nidhi Agrawal, Country Manager, B612
Today, everyone is on social media platforms for various purposes, like, exploring new and innovative ideas, to create something different, to express themselves or to entertain. And everyone wants to see “Woww!” content.
Social media platforms today are dominated by content creators and influencers who create amazing content using creativity, art, ideas, imagination etc. This content can be just to express themselves or to entertain or to influence. Every piece of content created on social media is a new and a different story that a content creator wants to say. And sometimes, if the story really gets to the audience or connects with the audience then the audience want to create their version of the same story, that’s when the trend starts.
These trends are in the form of photos, short videos, long format video, challenges, songs, fashion, makeup, lifestyle etc. Everyday these trends are calculated on the basis of content sharing, user interaction and journey of users on the web. Depending on the nature of the trend, some last for a week and some stick around long enough to have the general public participation in it.
These trends can be classified under a few categories such as Social trends for the wellbeing of society, Photo trends, Art-based trends, Fashion trends, Fun trends and Educational tips or DIY. For example:
To empower women: #Metoo is one of the most viral trends- A campaign under which women are being empowered to come forward and talk against sexual harassment at the workplace till date.
Food niche: Dalgona coffee in late March 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, this coffee has gained attention across the world.
Wellbeing: Fitness challenges, film yourself doing 10 pushups and nominate
3 more people to do - also known as chain/ reaction trends.
Makeup Challenges: Bajjre da sutta, Kudiyo ne nachne de and so much more. It also promotes desi culture.
Photo Trend: Grain or Bling effects
Entertaining trends: Lipsyncing videos, dance on music trend, this or that trend, 2 video 20 photo trends and many more.
These trends have started to make an impact on everyday life of social media users and affect the way they think and their perspectives, exposing them to the creative side of themselves, not only that - it also spreads the feeling of becoming a part of the community and something bigger than the trend itself.
There are a set of people who pioneer new trends on a daily basis - some of it may go viral and some of it may not.
As per our research, the current trends are divided in 2 major parts creating content for entertainment and creating content for information.
Currently, a big group of users are interacting with filters that have features such as - warm tones, smooth skin, pops facial features, natural makeup looks, or dust, grain effects, frame effects, old looks, light and bling effects.
There are different ways to create trends such as on Stories, Reels, Feed Posts, Youtube Challenges, Blogs etc.
The trends which kept so many Indians stick to their phone is dialogues or lipsyncing short videos, which started from the short video app “Tiktok”. These trends just not stop at photos and videos, it’s being extended to Augmented Reality (AR) which is highly effective and interactive for engagement.
These challenges have the ability to keep us all hooked for hours at a stretch on our devices. From youngsters to senior citizens, everyone is giving in these catchy viral trends.
This also helps brands integrate the product and services to introduce ecommerce into everyday lives. We try to cater to all age groups with different type of creative expression- filters.
Due to these trends, the world is growing and changing in ways that we can only predict, everyday is a new ray of hope to only see the internet rising into new ways and change the way we see.
Trends in a way also affect how the content is consumed by the end user and have created various communities and training programs for content creators to start new trends with the use of hashtags. It helps to enhance the post reach and improve traffic.
Companies recognized them as a community and make an integrated effort to align with the requirements of common man as well as creators. Until then, keep creating! ■
“Every piece of content created on social media is a new and a different story that a content creator wants to say. And sometimes, if the story really gets to the audience or connects with the audience then the audience want to create their version of the same story, that’s when the trend starts”