Welcome to Issue 1 of It’s Giving Social, your new go-to guide for the freshest news, trends, and formats from the ever-evolving world of social media and digital culture.
Each issue is packed with action-ready opportunities for brands, highlighting why they’re worth the hype and how you can make them work for your business. Get ready to dive in and take your social game to the next level.
Platform News & Updates
1. Google Expands Virtual Try-On Tools (this isn't really 'social' but it is cool)
👀 What's the News: Google is levelling up online shopping by expanding its virtual try-on tools, allowing users to try clothing directly in Search. Using machine learning and augmented reality, this update is more inclusive than ever, featuring models of various body types, skin tones, and sizes.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? This is a game-changer for brands wanting to make online shopping more interactive and fun. With more inclusive virtual models, it’s easier for people to see how clothes will look on them, making the experience more personalised and authentic. It’s the closest thing to a real-life fitting room—minus the queue.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can take this to the next level by offering virtual styling sessions where users can get real-time advice while users “try on” outfits. To make it even better, team up with fashion creators, turning your virtual try-on experience into the ultimate fashion playground. It’s not just shopping; it’s an experience that could make your brand stand out.
2. TikTok Publishes Guide to TikTok Shop for Brands
👀 What's the News: TikTok has launched an in-depth guide called the "TikTok Shop Sellers Playbook," designed to help brands navigate the world of social commerce on the platform. The guide covers everything from setting up your TikTok Shop to creating irresistible content that turns views into sales.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? With TikTok's highly engaged audience, this guide is a goldmine for brands looking to tap into social shopping trends. It shows how to leverage TikTok's unique features—like short-form videos, hashtags, and live shopping events—to create a seamless shopping experience. It's particularly helpful for smaller brands or those new to social commerce, offering clear steps to get started.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can go beyond just setting up a TikTok Shop by turning TikTok into a fun and interactive space for shopping, using TikTok’s live selling features to host exclusive events where fans can grab limited-edition products in real-time. Combine this with trending challenges, creative collaborations, and behind-the-scenes content to bring your brand’s personality to life. The key is to make the shopping experience entertaining, turning TikTok into more than just a sales channel—it’s an experience that keeps teens coming back for more.
3. LinkedIn Launches Gen Z-Focused Podcast with iHeartRadio
👀 What's the News: LinkedIn has partnered with iHeartRadio to launch a new podcast series aimed at Gen Z professionals. The series will focus on career development, networking, and success stories from industry leaders.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? LinkedIn's move into the audio space signals a growing trend toward podcasting as a key format for professional engagement. With the rise of on-the-go content consumption, podcasts offer an opportunity to connect with audiences in a more personal and relatable way. For brands, audio is a chance to cut through the noise and build a loyal community around topics that matter to their target audience, particularly Gen Z, who increasingly seek knowledge and inspiration from social.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can leverage LinkedIn’s growing focus on audio by creating their own thought leadership podcasts, sponsoring relevant shows, or collaborating with influencers to deliver value through conversations. This allows brands to establish industry authority while fostering a deeper connection with listeners. As audio content grows in popularity on LinkedIn, there’s a real opportunity to stand out by delivering informative, inspiring, and authentic storytelling—reaching professionals where they’re most engaged.
Social Trends
1. The ‘Dolphin Symphony’ Trend
👀 What's the Trend: The ‘Dolphin Symphony’ trend on TikTok combines AI-generated dolphin images with the song Symphony by Zara Larsson, paired with bold, often humorous captions of unhinged confessions or inner thoughts. The trend started with user @heiratet and quickly went viral, even catching the attention of Zara Larsson herself, who embraced the trend and added it to her live performances. The trend has exploded, with over 200k videos posted in the last week.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? This trend thrives on humour, relatability, and surreal visuals, all of which resonate strongly with Gen Z. Its viral nature and Zara Larsson’s engagement have taken it beyond TikTok, giving it cultural traction. For brands, this is an opportunity to experiment with AI-generated content and tap into the raw, unfiltered humour that makes this trend so popular.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can jump into this trend by pairing their own quirky, bold captions with the dolphin visuals, reflecting the kind of “too real” thoughts their audience might have. Using AI tools to create brand-specific dolphins or custom visuals could make the content feel fresh while still riding the wave of the trend. The key here is to match the trend’s playful tone, allowing the brand to show its humorous side and connect with younger audiences authentically.
2. The “This is Espresso” Trend
👀 What's the Trend: The “This is Espresso” trend combines a sound with a CapCut clip from Sabrina Carpenter's Chicken Shop Date interview. The trend showcases a contrast in a humorous way, with the performer over-explaining or overdoing something while the observer remains unimpressed.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? This trend taps into the relatable experience of talking too much or overdoing something only to receive a judgemental or uninterested response. It’s perfect for brands aiming to show their humorous, relatable side and works well for creating shareable content. The visual contrast and simple format make it easy for brands to adopt with their own twists, such as showcasing their products or services in an exaggerated light.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can jump into this trend by creating content that humorously over-explains a new product feature or service while an "observer" (such as an outdated competitor or older model) looks on disinterestedly. This allows the brand to poke fun at itself while still showcasing the value of its offerings in a fun, engaging way. The trend's simplicity makes it adaptable and easy to replicate, helping brands connect with audiences through humour and reliability.
3. The “Do You Know You Have 30 Minutes?” Trend
👀 What's the Trend: This trend uses audio from the 2006 reality show Flavor of Love, where Tiffany Pollard (aka 'New York') warns contestants they only have 30 minutes to prepare for a photo shoot. Recently, the sound resurfaced and became a TikTok trend, often used when people humorously reference the pressure of a time crunch. It’s especially relatable when creators give a countdown warning to someone, often about everyday situations like getting hungry or approaching deadlines.
🔮 Why Is It Interesting? This trend plays on the universal experience of running out of time, making it relatable and easy for brands to adapt. The countdown adds a sense of urgency, and the humour gives it shareability. Brands can use this format to address customer pain points (e.g., limited-time offers) or playfully highlight moments when their products or services can “save the day” in a time-crunched situation.
🚀 What Is the Opportunity? Brands can join the trend by using the audio to create fun, relatable content highlighting time-sensitive offers or situations. For example, a brand could use it to promote a flash sale or show how their product helps during last-minute scrambles. With humorous, punchy text overlays, this trend can make a brand feel in tune with TikTok culture while also promoting key messages with a sense of urgency.
Format of the Week: Straight-to-Camera Selfie Videos
👀 What it is: This format involves creators speaking directly to their audience by looking into their phone’s front-facing camera, creating an intimate, personal connection. The content can be casual, like sharing thoughts while walking or sitting, and typically doesn’t involve heavy production or editing.
🤝 Why it is interesting & what the opportunity: Straight-to-camera videos are great because they break down the barrier between the creator and their audience, feeling more like a conversation than a performance. For brands, this is an opportunity to connect with their audience in a more authentic and relatable way. It doesn’t require fancy equipment or editing—just a clear message and the ability to speak directly to your audience. Brands can share behind-the-scenes insights and personal reflections or respond to trending topics in real-time.
🎨 How to use: The key to success with this format is authenticity. Brands can use this style to discuss industry trends, share updates, or answer FAQs. For example, a brand representative can walk through a product demo, give personal insights into the company culture, or share their thoughts on current industry news. Make sure to keep it raw and unfiltered—this format is all about building a genuine connection with your audience, not delivering a polished ad.
That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of It’s Giving Social. Whether you’re jumping into the latest trends or experimenting with new formats, I hope these insights help you level up your social media game. Keep creating, stay authentic, and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.
Remember to subscribe, and I'll see you next week for more updates, trends, and tips on keeping your social feeds fresh and on point.
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