How to Exploit Current Events for Clicks

Or what is trend-jacking?

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Based on images from Wikimedia (image credits below).

What is trend-jacking?

You may not be familiar with the term “trend-jacking,” but I’m sure you know what it is.

Whenever something big hits the news, everyone craves to learn more about it and it becomes a trend. Social media platforms are flooded with news, memes, and hot takes on the issue. Pieces on the topic go viral. Everyone starts talking about it.

Trend-jacking is an attempt to capitalize on that information frenzy. It’s a deliberate effort to draw some of that juicy attention and engagement back to you.

And if the thing that’s on everyone’s mind is a celebrity breakup or some stupid thing Elon Musk said, there’s probably not much harm in it. But if you’re trying to capitalize on something that may have horrendous consequences for the world (e.g., World War III), I’m worried.