Why I Don’t Love Social Media Trending Audio for Business Content

I made a video recently about using social media trending audio for business and why… honestly… I don’t love it.

One piece of trending audio right now literally sounds like static — like radio interference.

First of all — it hurts my ears.

Second — the way people are using it made me start thinking about something bigger.

The caption people are pairing with it is something like:

“This is the sound I hear when I get advice from people who have never been where I want to go.”

Or some variation of that.

And I watched a bunch of them and thought… okay… but what does this actually tell me about your business?

Maybe a little. Maybe not.

If the caption was something relatable like:

“This is the sound I hear when my husband says he’s going to take out the trash…”

Sure — that’s funny. Your friends might relate. It’s entertaining.

But if you're a small business owner trying to grow, we have to ask a different question.

What is the goal of the content you're creating?

Because if you’re hoping trending audio is going to make your video go viral… the odds of that happening are somewhere between slim and none.

The Real Problem With Chasing Trends

If someone is constantly chasing trends, what is that actually doing?

In my opinion, it can start to water down your brand.

What does a trend tell me about who you are?

What does it tell me about what you do?

Most of the time… not much.

Now listen — I’m not saying trends are bad.

I hop on a trend here and there too. Sometimes I get in my head, and doing something quick and trending can feel easy.

But if you do it consistently, something else happens.

A lot of trends are about you.

And if your business is about helping other people, why would someone share a video that’s only about you?

That’s the difference.

There Are Businesses Built on Social Media Trending Audio

Now, to be fair — there are businesses that build their entire strategy around trends.

And that can absolutely work.

But if that’s your strategy, you have to go all in.

That means:

• Jumping on trends immediately when they appear

• Posting them consistently

• Having a personality-driven brand where people follow you because they like you

Some creators are amazing at this. It becomes their whole content engine.

But that’s a very specific strategy.

And most business owners I talk to aren’t trying to become trend creators.

They’re trying to:

• Share their expertise

• Attract the right clients

• Build trust

• Sell something valuable

Timing Matters More Than People Realize

Another thing people don’t talk about enough with trends is timing.

If you’re not deeply on social media and paying attention to what’s circulating, it’s very easy to jump on a trend too late.

And if you’re hopping on a trend at the tail end of it ...

It’s probably not going to do what you hoped it would do.

By the time many people see a trend, it has already been circulating for days — sometimes weeks.

Which means the algorithm has already moved on.

Trends Are Generic

At the end of the day, trends are generic by nature.

They’re designed for mass participation.

Which means they don’t always tell people:

• Who you are

• What you do

• Why someone should follow you

• Why someone should trust you

They’re fun. Absolutely.

But they’re not always strategic.

If You’re Going to Do a Trend — Do the Trend

Here’s my real advice.

If you’re going to do a trend…

Do the trend.

Go all in.

Don’t half-do it.

Because when someone tries to force a trend into their business messaging in a way that doesn’t quite fit, it can start to look:

• Forced

• Awkward

• A little fake

And that doesn’t win anyone over.

So what actually does work?

What Actually Builds a Business Online

For most business owners, the content that works best is the content that tells people:

• What you know

• What you believe

• What you help people with

• How you think

That’s the kind of content that builds trust.

And trust is what builds a business.

If you want to see the video that sparked this whole conversation, you can watch it on my Instagram.

And if you enjoy conversations like this about content, business, and showing up online without losing your personality, make sure you're on my newsletter list.

Because these are the kinds of conversations I love having.

— Camellia Jade