Here’s a not-so-breaking news story: there is a lot of content online.
Humans will apparently generate 463 exabytes of data daily as of 2025—and yes, we also think an exabyte sounds like an alien with big teeth.
But you don’t need to understand the intricacies of that figure to understand what it means: the amount of content swirling around on the internet is staggering, to say the least.
Given that everyone online is now experiencing choice overload, it’s more important than ever that brands create content that cuts through the noise, resonates with their audience's immediate needs, and fosters genuine connections. The answer lies in reactive content.
What Is Reactive Content?
In general terms, reactive content is created in response to a specific event or trend, usually with the aim of capitalizing on its popularity or relevance. Its timeliness gives it viral potential, meaning it can work wonders to boost brand visibility. This is content that your target audience wants to interact with because it’s on-trend and uniquely your brand.
However, creating quality reactive content isn’t as simple as “hopping on a trend.” Fortunately, we know a thing or two about reactive content, and we’re willing to share our secrets for the small price of a few minutes of your time. Seems fair, right?
Buckle up and let’s learn about reactive content marketing!
How to Create Reactive Content for Social Media
Step One: Conduct Weekly Trend Research
More not-so-breaking news: to be on-trend, you need to know what’s trending on social media.
It’s not rocket science, though. The first step to creating reactive content is to understand what you’re actually reacting to in the first place. Trends are trends for a reason. Whether you like them or not, clearly there’s something about them that’s connecting with a large audience. Leverage that to your advantage!
If you’re researching TikTok trends—you should be; everyone is on there—then the app’s Creative Centre is a great place to start. There, you can check out which hashtags, songs, filters, and more are trending.
No matter how you choose to go about researching trending topics, what’s important is that you’re doing this research regularly. Social media moves fast, and trends can come and go in as little as a few days in some cases.
Take immediate action! Wrongly assuming that what’s popular one week will still be cool the next is a recipe for posting cringe content.
Step Two: Start Brainstorming
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to brainstorm.
If you and your team have a “creative cap”—we’re envisioning one of those red and yellow propellor hats—then this is the time to put them on. The goal here is to start thinking about how you can incorporate your brand into your chosen trend.
Ideally, what piece of reactive content you come up with is going to show off your brand’s personality in a way that resonates with social media users. You want to be loose and fun! Leave the corporate talk for LinkedIn.
Also, be sure to think about how your content is adding value to the conversation. Social media trends are like evolving conversations—what do you have to contribute? Think about the insights and perspectives that only your brand can offer. Your brand voice is essential. Your reactive content should not only provide value but also reflect your distinct brand identity. Creating consistency between your content and your identity helps establish brand authenticity, and people are drawn to that.
This is a great time to lean on your team to hear all the ideas they might have and can bring to the table. It can be easy to get trapped in your own thoughts or existing content, so don’t be hesitant to open things up. Diverse, proactive content is key!
Step Three: Execute Your Concept
Trend research? Check. Ideas in place? Check. Now it’s time to act.
Enter this step with three main goals in mind: creating content that is relatable, entertaining, and engaging. Ultimately, when combined together, it’s three qualities that lead to reactive content people are going to love.
Choose the star of your show carefully. Some people are built for social media, and some just aren’t comfortable in front of the camera. There’s a reason why influencers have become so important in the marketing world. If you really want to create reactive content that pops, we highly recommend leveraging the power of influencers.
Visual appeal extends beyond people, however. Choosing eye-catching colours and incorporating interesting images or graphics will go a long way toward making your reactive content more shareable. Remember: the absolutely worst thing you can be when trying to swim in the content sea is a boring fish.
Also, it should probably go without saying, but don’t equate being controversial with being interesting. Creating content that alienates or offends people might get your brand its 15 seconds of fame, but you won’t meaningfully connect with most people.
When it comes time to post your content, be sure to include a fun caption (yes, people read those) and some hashtags to help with discovery. It would be a shame if your amazing content went unnoticed because you missed out on doing this!
Once you’ve released your content into the world—*sheds a tear*—make sure to keep tabs on how it's performing. While you may never try to jump on this same trend again, understanding what did and didn’t work in your approach will help make your next go at it even more successful. Track the metrics!
We’ll Build Your Reactive Content Marketing Strategy
There you have it! The ultimate recipe for creating reactive content on social media. But instead of following a recipe yourself, sometimes it’s better to leave it to the professionals.
No matter what platform you’re looking to advertise on, the expert team at The Influence Agency has the knowledge, skills, and expertise to develop a content-driven reactive social media marketing strategy that’s unique to your brand. Our job is to help make your brand relatable so people connect with it and turn into conversions.
Contact us today for more about our reactive content marketing services!