Should Your Radio Station Jump on Every Online Trend?
Every time a new online trend pops up – whether it’s the Ghibli filter, AI-generated action figures, or whatever TikTok’s latest obsession is – radio stations seem to flood their feeds with versions of it. But should they?
As with everything in radio, timing, execution, and relevance matter way more than just blindly jumping on a trend because everyone else is doing it.
This is how to get it right.
Trends Are a Chance to Show You’re Dialled In
Jumping on a big online trend isn’t desperate – it’s smart. It shows your audience that you’re present in their world. You’re seeing what they’re seeing. You’re moving in the same spaces.
But getting involved too late? That’s where things go wrong.
Timing is Everything
Trends are like waves. You want to hit them at the perfect moment:
- Too early and people don’t get it.
- Too late and you look embarrassingly behind the curve.
Radio stations should aim to jump on a trend while it’s still rising – not days after every other brand has already had their turn.
Do It Properly, Or Don’t Do It At All
One of the worst things a station can do is rush a trend without doing it properly:
- Poorly executed or planned
- No branding
- Lazy copy/paste captions
If you’re going to do it – do it well. Spend the extra few minutes making sure it looks good, fits your brand, and feels like you cared.
Customise It To Your Station
Sometimes all a trend needs is a little station twist:
- Add your logo or colours to generated images
- Tie the trend into a show feature
- Use the trend to highlight your local area, audience or presenters
Little touches make the content feel like yours, not just a repost of something 1000 other brands have already done.
Not Every Trend Needs a Twist
Sometimes, it’s fine to just join in. You don’t always need a clever angle or a unique spin.
If the trend is big enough and fits your brand, doing it well and doing it on time is often enough.
But if you can add a little extra layer of creativity or station relevance – that’s what will set your content apart.
Nobody Really Nails Trends – They Just Avoid Messing Them Up
Here’s the truth: almost nobody in radio consistently nails online trends. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is to not butcher it.
Stay aware. Be early. Execute it properly. And crucially – know when to sit one out. Not sure where a trend started or how long it’s been around? Sites like Know Your Meme can help you figure out if you’re early enough to jump in.
