Everyone Is Chasing Trends. That’s the Problem.

Let me say this gently.

The issue with social media right now isn’t the algorithm.

It isn’t reach.

It isn’t even “over-saturation.”

It’s that everyone is chasing trends.

Scroll any platform and it’s the same audio, the same hooks, the same format, the same “5 things you need to know…” delivered with slightly different lighting.

And look — trends aren’t bad. They can be powerful. They can inject relevance. They can create shared cultural moments.

But they were never meant to be the whole strategy.

Somewhere along the way, brands (and creators) started treating trends like oxygen. As if not jumping on every one means you’ll disappear.

When you build your content around trends alone, you’re renting relevance. You get a burst of visibility — maybe even a dopamine hit from the numbers — but you’re not building recognisability.

And recognisability is what compounds.

The brands and creators who are quietly winning right now? They’re not trend-obsessed. They’re identity-obsessed.

They know:

👀 What they sound like

👀 What they stand for

👀 What they repeat consistently

👀 What they don’t do

They might use a trend — but they bend it to their voice. Not the other way around.

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:

If you strip away the trending audio and your content could belong to anyone… it probably isn’t strategic.

I’ve worked through platform launches, crisis comms, major national events, and algorithm swings. The accounts that hold up under pressure aren’t the ones chasing everything. They’re the ones anchored in something.

So before you jump on the next trending format, try this instead:

Ask yourself:

👀 Does this reinforce who we are?

👀 Would this still make sense without the trend?

👀 Are we adding perspective — or just participating?

You don’t need to be everywhere.

You don’t need every trend.

You don’t need to panic-post.

You need clarity.

And a point of view.

Trends should amplify your strategy — not replace it.

People told me a Police account couldn’t have a sense of humour

They were wrong.

2.8 million followers later, I’d argue the humour is precisely why people listen when things get serious.

When a crisis hits.

When New Zealand needs information and needs it fast — people already trust our voice because we’ve shown them we are human.

The audience you build on ordinary days is the one that listens on the hardest ones.