Key Points:

Small businesses are advised to carefully choose social media trends that align with their brand identity and target audience, as mismatched trends can harm credibility and confuse customers.

Effective digital ads should avoid clutter and excessive text; instead, use “progressive disclosure” by showing key info first and allowing users to click for more, since platforms like Facebook reduce reach for text-heavy ads.

Tools like Google Search Console and Ubersuggest help businesses track trending search queries and optimize content for answer engine optimisation (AEO), focusing on clear, authentic responses to user questions rather than relying solely on visuals or AI-generated content.

SMALL businesses are being urged to exercise caution when engaging with viral social media trends, as not all trends are suitable for every brand.

Head of Web Development at Adtelligent, Christopher Derrell, explained during a recent JBDC Virtual Biz Zone webinar that while trends can boost visibility, some may backfire and hurt a business’s credibility. “It’s not every trend that we are supposed to jump on, because not every trend is for your business nor will it fit your brand,” said Derrell.

His presentation highlighted both effective and misguided uses of social media, stressing the importance of self-awareness in brand identity before engaging in online trends. He warned that companies can dilute their image by aligning with content that does not resonate with their values or target audience. Using the example of placing the Apple logo on a juice box, he illustrated how something seemingly small could confuse or alienate customers through brand misalignment. This same dissonance, he said, plays out digitally when businesses stray from their usual tone or audience focus.

“If you see a new trend pop up, ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? What is your goal, and does this align with my brand?” he said.

The platform a business chooses to promote its message is just as important as the content itself, he noted. Derrell recounted a campaign in which TikTok was used effectively to encourage student registration for a sixth-form programme. The content resonated because it targeted the right demographic — young people — who then brought it to their parents, triggering the desired response. However, he noted that this approach is not universal. TikTok, for instance, may not be the ideal platform for every brand, particularly those offering higher-end products and services. Derrell also challenged how some businesses approach the design of digital advertisements, particularly when they replicate the cluttered look of physical flyers on their online ads. He argued that this approach ignores the way users consume digital content.

“It’s actually bad practice for you to put all of that information in the graphic: one, because most people are looking at it on their phone, so they won’t be able to actually read it; that makes it less effective,” he shared.

He likened it to an ad on a stoplight post, where the fear of losing the viewer pushes businesses to include everything upfront. But with digital media, the user can always scroll back or click for more information. This opens the door for a concept known as “progressive disclosure”, a design strategy that reveals information step by step rather than all at once.

“Give them enough to say, ‘I want to know more’, and then click forward,” he said. “Those ads with a lot of text, Facebook will even derank if you try to run as an ad, and your best ads will have enough key information so that when someone clicks on it, it goes to the next thing.”

According to Meta’s advertising standards, ads with too much text, especially those where text occupies more than 20 per cent of the image, often experience reduced reach or delivery issues, reinforcing Derrell’s argument that less is more when it comes to ad design.

“Social media operates like the town crier,” Derrell added. “It goes there to get attention, but you need someone to convert to business.”

To make the most of this attention, Derrell recommended using tools to analyse digital performance and trending topics that align with a company’s brand. One such tool is Google Search Console, which is only available to businesses that have a registered website. The platform allows owners to see how their site appears in Google search results, what queries are driving traffic, and what search terms are trending among users.

“If you can take this content, Google is telling you what is trending and what people have been searching for in the last three months, that you can then tweak your website or advertising message so you can bring more people to your business,” he explained.

Without a website, however, there is no access to Google Search Console, as it is tied directly to a web domain. Another useful analytics tool he highlighted is Ubersuggest, which provides data on search patterns related to either a business’s own brand or its competitors. This can be used to inform decisions around graphic design, giveaways, or website updates to remain in step with consumer interests. Derrell emphasised that while search engine optimisation (SEO) has long been a cornerstone of digital marketing, it is no longer the only approach. He introduced the concept of answer engine optimisation (AEO), which focuses on ensuring that a company’s content directly responds to users’ questions, especially as more people use voice search and AI-based tools to find information. SEO helps websites rank by telling search engines what the business does. But AEO, he explained, is about crafting content that provides immediate, relevant answers to search queries.

“More than ever it’s important you have good content; when people are searching for answers, they’re going to be pulling from your site’s content to make sure that this is the most relevant answer possible,” he said.

In this model, websites that rely heavily on visuals without text are unlikely to perform well, and Derrell added that AI-generated content also doesn’t appear to rank strongly in Google’s current algorithms. As such, he encourages business owners to be as authentic as they can in creating their websites and being more thoughtful in the trends they decide to use to grow their businesses.

DERRELL…if you see a new trend pop up, ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? What is your goal, and does this align with my brand?