#VIRAL, The Newsletter: October 29, 2024

The latest political content trends to use, try, and share with a social media manager in your life

Author

Girl and the Gov®
October 29, 2024

Happy Tuesday and welcome to #VIRAL, The Newsletter, which shares need-to-know content trends and concepts for political social media, digital, and comms professionals. Dive into this week’s trends and content ideas below [and share with a social media manager in your network].

P.S. Please note that this is a double issue ahead of election day. There will be no new issue on election day.

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TIKTOK CONTENT TRENDS

Give these a whirl

“A COUPLE OF UPDATES” AUDIO: Use this audio to generate a video that provides an update(s) on an ongoing political occurrence. At this point in the election cycle, it could be an update on polling or early voting numbers for example. Whatever you choose, the content can come in a few forms:

  • Carousel: Create a carousel with headlines or graphics that provide verbiage-first updates on a scenario.

  • Video: Create a video in this style, with an update detailed via text added to the video and a way for the audience to get involved or learn more, in the caption. 

“YOU VOTED FOR A CANDIDATE ENDORSED BY THE KKK” AUDIO: We really wish some things could stop being timeless, including this audio which is being brought back from last time around, pointing out that Trump supporters are voting for a guy that’s endorsed by the KKK. The audio can be used in at least two formats:

  • Carousel: Use the audio over headlines that showcase Trump’s KKK endorsement and/or other endorsements from hate groups.

  • Video: Tap into your expressive side, and make a video like this or this. A creator can simply leave it as is OR point to a scenario in their life where they would be arguing with a Trump supporter and thus pointing out who the Trump supporter is behind.

“NOBODY’S SON IS STRESSING ME OUT” AUDIO: As seen with this TikTok, the remixed audio of a Megan Moroney interview, can be used to highlight how life is “sweet and fine” when you’re not dating a Trump supporter. That concept can be replicated as is, apply to another candidate a boy supports, or be used to highlight one’s own voting decisions – “how life is when you don’t vote for someone’s insane son.”

“SUSPECT IS….” TREND: This trend started with couples making fun of each other like this, pointing out embarrassing things about one another in jest. As seen, the formula for the video, has one member of the couple emulating a light jog, while the other member films + shares “the suspect is + an embarrassing descriptor/reality about the jogging member of the couple.” This then alternates between members of the couple. What we’ll say is that some of the people doing this trend need to get divorced, LOL. But otherwise, we’ll say that this is a fun way to show someone’s real side, including an elected official [we so see this being one that Senator Cory Booker does with a pal]. Oregon state Rep. Annessa Hartman also found a fun way to do the trend solo – 10’s across the board! Whichever route you go, the resulting video can be used on Reels and Shorts as well.

“JOE BIDEN IS ASLEEP, KAMALA IS AT A DANCE PARTY WITH BEYONCÉ” AUDIO: If there’s one positive we’ll say about Donald Trump, it’s that the the man provides a great basis for viral audios, and this one is no exception. Use the audio which literally describes the best time ever – Kamala Harris x Beyoncé dance party – to dance it out and share a policy or policies that VP Harris supports [and that you support too]. 

“NOT CANCELING OUT MY DAD’S VOTE” TREND: This trend has creators showcasing their dad that’s voting blue to protect their rights. It comes in a few forms, but the #1 version, is a carousel post, with the first image in it being a “fake out” slide. That first slide makes it seem like the creator is going to have to cancel out their dad’s vote with text added to the images like this. The second slide and beyond essentially say “uno reverse” or “jk lol” and highlight why that particular dad would never or not be voting against their daughter’s rights. Two examples to follow: Example 1 & Example 2.

“NOT CANCELING OUT MY PARTNER’S VOTE” TREND: Similar to the trend above, the core message is highlighting male partners that aren’t canceling out their wife’s vote, but instead supporting their rights/their daughter’s rights/their mother’s rights, and so on. This trend would be cool to see a female candidate and their husband/partner do. Check here for an example of the trend in action.

“WHO/WHAT RADICALIZED YOU?” TREND: This trend isn’t new, but it’s taken on a new form recently. Its thesis if you will, is a creator sharing what “radicalized them” during their life about the status quo. In this variation, creators are using it sarcastically to highlight basic experiences like just existing for resulting in things like having empathy or that everyone should have access to food. In this lens, close to the election, it can be used to point to something “radical” aka not actually radical that has determined who you’re voting for.

“AS A CONVICTED FELON, I CAN ONLY…” AUDIO: Southern Charm fans rise up! This audio from T. Rav shares three elected offices convicted felons can run for, including president of the USA. It can be used to highlight a certain convicted felon that’s running for president and what he did to become a convicted felon. We’d recommend highlighting those interesting criminal moves in a carousel format. 

“AND SUDDENLY…” TREND: There are two versions of this trend happening right now. What both versions have in common is that they show a progression – one that is logical and makes complete sense, and one that shows growth i.e. a reversal of someone's opinion/actions. To go a little but deeper on it:

  • Logical Progression Version: This interpretation, as seen here with this carousel-style post, highlights the reality of now [ex: a current job held or a vote cast for a Democrat] with slide one and follows with slide two that shows the foreshadowing of the reality/actions in slide one [ex: majored in gov/law].

  • Plot Twist Version: This interpretation, as seen here with this carousel-style post, highlights someone making a political decision [mostly voting blue] on slide one. The second slide highlights how this is surprising because that person [the creator] used to vote a different way/have different political beliefs. It’s meant to show the surprising things in life versus ‘the logical’ of the version above.

CAPCUT TEMPlATES

Give ‘em a whirl

  • Use this template to describe what it’s like to be a candidate, an elected official, or working in politics in the days leading up to election day.

  • Use this template to showcase a “Google result” related to your organization and what the Google search would pull up [visually] that you want potential followers to know/see about your org.

  • Use this template to showcase the opposition candidate for your campaign being served with an October surprise they didn’t see coming.

  • Use this template to share something worthy of a dance party with a little Halloween flair to it.

  • Use this template to illustrate someone getting to the polls before they close or other last minute activities to avoid by preparing for election day or early voting in advance.

  • Use this template to present a question and an answer about a political question you/the account is equipped to provide. The answer can also be off the app, and the caption used to point people in the off-app direction for that info.

  • Use this template to showcase an election win achieved i.e. a ballot measure that passes. We’d stay clear of using this one for candidate match-ups

STITCH THESE TIKTOKS

Jump into the convo

  • Stitch this video and share a political book or document that you think everyone should read. We’d recommend pointing to the 900-page Project 2025.

  • Stitch this video and share a voter prep resource people should know/use before they go to the polls.

Creative content concepts to try

“SAME THING” TREND: This trend, as seen here, is a duo trend. It shows two people in a full yap sesh that is entirely aligned on what they say – tbh, to the level that they’re really saying the same things. Take two electeds or candidates and copy and paste the concept, with this audio in the background.

“NONE OF IT’S TRUE” AUDIO: This audio of someone making an unconvincing argument that what has been said about them isn’t true, can be used to point out an attempt by a candidate to rebuff rumors-facts about them. In a similar vein, use the audio to highlight a candidate trying to create distance between themselves and their own voting record. In practice, it might look like this but with a political twist.

“TWEETY BIRD” TREND: First watch this Reel. As seen, it’s a two-person trend, where one person gets the other to try something gross. The person trying the ‘thing’ i.e. in this case black coffee, reacts in disgust as if they were bamboozled. This same formula can be used to show the dynamic Republican candidates trying to get an Independent voter to try out their policies. Film the concept in a similar way, and swap out the verbiage to make sense in a political lens.

“GETTING READY” TREND: In a night before Christmas style, this trend has creators faking to be asleep in their beds with their prepared outfit for the next day on top, like so. It can obvi be used to tease outfits at-large and an assortment of them. But it can also be used to tease what someone is wearing for election day or an election night party. 

“SAYING GOODBYE” TREND: This trend can be used to share what you’re saying “goodbye to” by voting. It can be an elected official or an issue/platform. Set up a tripod and film yourself walking out the door, with a little wave at the end. Make it shine by adding “POV” style explainer verbiage to the video.

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AESTHETIC INSTA REELS AUDIOS 

Use these over setting videos

AUDIO → Suddenly I See

AUDIO → Ghost Duet

THREADS TO THREAD

Reply or Repost to these digital notes on Threads

The Thread → Reply OR repost with the most important political tidbit in your morning routine [ex: checking the news].

The Thread → Reply OR repost with “I wanna do cute things like” + a political action [ex: voting].

The Thread → Reply OR repost a political action that you’re taking or people should take that will result in an amazing November & December.

The Thread → Reply OR repost with a political action that makes your brain happy.

The Thread → Reply OR repost with a political trend that you’d like to see make a come back.

The Thread → Reply OR repost with a pic of your cat or the office cat on National Cat Day. JD Vance jokes are welcome.

BEFORE YOU GO…

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