I stay tuned to trending sounds, challenges, and formats on TikTok and Instagram, but I always think about how to put a unique, authentic twist that fits the brand or my style. Memes, relatability, and timing are key, if something’s hot, you have to jump on it quickly before it peaks.

I also track engagement patterns: what captions, hooks, or transitions are getting the most saves, shares, or comments, then I reverse-engineer that into content that feels native, not forced. The goal is to ride the trend while making it feel fresh and personal, not just copy-paste. 

When I was working on a UGC campaign, the brand suddenly shifted their messaging focus a few days before my deadline, they wanted the content to feel more lifestyle-driven instead of product-demo heavy.

Instead of panicking, I rewatched the clips I’d already filmed, pulled out the most natural moments, and restructured the edit to fit the new vibe. I added a casual voiceover and adjusted the hook to match the updated brief.

It ended up being one of my best-performing videos, proof that staying flexible can actually level up your content. 

Honestly? A mix of scrolling with purpose and listening in the right rooms.

I follow marketing creators on TikTok + Instagram (they always spill the latest hacks first), stay on top of newsletters like Marketing Brew and Social Media Today, and keep an eye on trending audio + ad formats directly on the apps.

But I also test things myself, if I see a new feature or trend, I try it out and track the results. That’s how you really know what’s actually working vs. what’s just hype.