Looking for social media trends and insights? You've come to the right place. We gather the latest trends, insights, and strategies so you can succeed on every platform.

Global viral hits: See what's taking Reels and TikTok by storm this month.

• Social spotlight: Get inspired by our top-performing posts every month.
• Content creation tips: Learn how to craft and publish promptly with Semrush Social.

We analyze trending reels and TikTok videos so you don't have to! Save hours on research —just pick the idea that best fits your product.

Note: Post creation difficulty is indicated by the number of stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trends for September ‘24

Social media trends for September 2024

#1 Crying girl meme ⭐️

Concept

A video clip showing a crying girl who starts laughing when she sees your product.

Use it to

Show off your product in a relatable and funny way.

Steps for adapting

Adapting requires some skillful video editing.

1. Start with a shot of the crying girl.
2. Insert footage of yourself looking at the camera as if you've just noticed the crying girl.
3. Zoom in on the face of the crying girl.
4. Insert footage of yourself showing your product to the camera.
5. Show the girl's surprised and laughing expression.

Pro tip: Your video is more likely to get noticed if your outfit or accessories are unique and your product is showcased glamorously.

Example post

Resources

Take the original crying girl clip from TikTok and edit it with your own recording.

#2 Annoying salesman ⭐️⭐️

Concept

A stranger asks you (the business owner) about what you do. You respond by chasing them down, asking for contact details, and trying to make a sale.

Use it to

Poke fun at your hustle spirit (humble brag ;)) or at an industry stereotype.

Steps for adapting

1. You can take the original video, but record your voice and dialog and edit the subtitles. OR 
2. Record yourself getting out of the car and chasing the camera, asking questions.

Pro tip: Your video will get more attention if you pretend to slip and almost fall like the original guy.

Example post

Resources

Take the original clip from Instagram. Remember to credit the original creator!

#3 Sales teleporter ⭐️⭐️ 

Concept

You are standing outside your storefront waving enthusiastically as a customer drives by. The camera pans, and you are now in the back seat of the car, smiling creepily at the customer and encouraging them to buy your product. 

Use it to

Poke fun at your hustle spirit or promote a special discount or giveaway.

Steps for adapting

This requires some shooting effort.

1. Record yourself waving outside your store, a busy shopping center, or an event venue. Ask someone to record you from within a moving car.
2. Record yourself sitting in the back seat of the same car. Use a camera in the front seat for recording.

Pro tip: To create a creepy/horror video mood, act like you are threatening the driver in the last shot. You could also wear a creepy costume or enthusiastically promote your product.

Example post

#4 Board & paper ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Concept

Use a board and pen to share tips. Key information is hidden, and you uncover it in the video.

Use it to

Educate your audience with short tips that they can remember and implement.

Steps for adapting

Prepare the board and record yourself revealing key information. Try to keep the written content short and neat.

Example post

Resources

You will need a whiteboard, marker, and stickers or labels to hide some parts of your message.

Pro tip: Your video will attract more attention if you use a bigger board, neater handwriting, and colorful labels/stickers.

#5 Dangerous situation ⭐️⭐️

Concept

A special-effect video that shows you promoting your product or sharing a safety tip around a dangerous situation like a reversing car or a slowly oncoming bus.

Use it to

Educate your audience memorably or show your commitment to your product in a funny way.

Steps for adapting

This requires some video-editing skills and knowledge.

1. Record yourself talking about your product with the product in your hand. Use a blank screen and background and record from a slight distance.
2. Take just your clip and overlay it over another video of a car reversing or other dangerous situation.

Pro tip: You can record the car reversing or bus video outside your storefront if you have a physical store.

Example post

Resources

Free video clip - moving car
Free video clip - car crossing road
Free video clip - oncoming train

#6 Dancing ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Concept

Dance and show different product variations or product items to catchy music.

Use it to

Promote your products, showcase a new release, or humble brag about the different roles you play while running your business (manager, cleaner, cook, etc.).

Steps for adapting

Record the same dance movement with different clothes in the same spot.

Join the different clips so transitions look seamless.

Pro tip: Record with a tripod for maximum stability. Start at the exact same spot in the exact same pose for a smooth final video.

Example post

#7 Product Giveaways ⭐️⭐️

Concept

You meet a stranger and give away your product if they complete a challenge.

Use it to

Showcase your products or promote a discount, voucher, etc.

Steps for adapting

1. Get a friend/colleague to act like a stranger, introduce yourself, and ask them to perform the task.
2. The task should be related to or even using your product.
3. Shoot the video with your hand camera so it looks natural.

Pro tip: Share some educational tips about using your product or on the subject. Keep the video shorter than 90 seconds for maximum impact.

Example post

FAQ of the month

Can I repurpose video content between Instagram Reels and TikTok?

Try Social Poster to schedule your videos simultaneously on Instagram and TikTok:

• Identify optimal posting times for each platform
• Analyze and re-purpose your top-performing posts 
• Use AI to schedule your social media calendar a month in advance

Learnings for the Month

#One-person marketing can be more successful than you imagine.

This reel about one-person marketing got over 35K views. 

We think it worked because it combined a universal music reference (the music from Friends) with a classic marketing pain point. We know digital marketers struggle with wearing many hats in their roles, and acknowledging this reality in a comical way really hit the mark with our audience.

#Emojis are always popular.

Our #WorldEmojiDay posts went down a treat with our audience, getting over 5000+ reactions and 200,000 impressions on LinkedIn and Instagram.

One person commented: 

The key takeaway? Keep a calendar of important ‘National Days’ that align with your brand and target audience—and consistently celebrate those days with engaging social content. These are great opportunities to connect even better with your followers! 

#Freebies don't have to be physical products.

Brands think they have to give away physical products to drive engagement. But sometimes, solving a problem for free or giving away ideas works just as well!

When we launched our Social Content AI, we released an interactive post that promised to give 30+ custom social media marketing ideas to anyone who asked.

We responded to every comment, skyrocketing engagement on LinkedIn.

An example list of ideas we shared

Social Content AI can generate personalized content ideas and posts for your brand, too!

• Compelling social copy and captions 
• Unique images and designs
• Videos and memes