Welcome to #VIRAL, The Newsletter from Girl and the Gov®, sharing need-to-know content trends and concepts for Dem social media, digital, and comms professionals. For 1v1 tailored help building out your social media, book an Office Hours session or an Audit here.

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Editor’s Note: Apologies for the day delay! The newsletter system that VIRAL sends on was down for maintenance, unfortunately. But the good news is, we’re BACK and fresh trends, audios, and all that jazz are below. Thanks for hanging tight and happy reading! - Sammy

Give these a whirl (and post them on Reels & Shorts too)

→ “Hallelujah” Trending: Amidst and now following Bieberchella, a trend has emerged centered around Justin Bieber’s song ‘Hallelujah.’ The trend has creators sharing things that they’re grateful for by adding text to a video or carousel in the following format: “[what they’re grateful for], hallelujah.” For example, “freedom of speech, hallelujah.” The video version typically looks like this, with a number of items listed out, and the carousel version typically looks like this, with one item per slide. In doing the trend, it could be kept entirely within the personal realm, with the principal creator sharing generally what they’re grateful for, and/or it can be made directly political with the principal creator sharing political accomplishments/values/statutes/institutions that they’re grateful for. Regardless of the route chosen, the video needs to use this audio. To note, this trend is also having a moment on Reels, so it’s heavily worth populating the resulting content there as well.

→ “Top 5 horror movies” Trend: This trend has creators sharing either five things that they hate or five things that they fear, with more emphasis on the second one there. The trend is simple and features either a b-roll video or a singular image of the creator like this, with the following text added: “my top 5 horror movies” and then a short-winded list of the creator’s ‘fears.’ For a candidate, elected, thought leader, etc, the fears can be entirely and directly political ones – ex: “1. The SAVE Act passing.” For an org, the fears should be uniquely tied to the org’s area of work. To hit at the intersection of politics and personality, a candidate for example could integrate a mix of the two across the list – for example: “1. The Yankees losing the World Series” + “2. A blue seat flipping red.” No matter the path taken, the resulting content should use this audio.

→ “Yea-I travel for work” Trend: Lobbyists, activists, org EDs, come to the front of the class, because this carousel trend is great for politicos that travel a lot for work. The trend leads with a distinctly travel-oriented picture [think: in the air, on a train, at baggage claim, etc] with the text added to screen, “Yea-I travel for work.” The next images or slides rather, should be of recent places you’ve traveled, with the name of each place added to its respective slide. To make the trend not only more interesting, but accomplish more in sharing an org’s mission for example, add a line in smaller text to each slide on what the principal creator was doing in each city/place. For the trend, use this audio.

→ “OMG NO” Trend: This is a short and simple lip-sync trend that uses this audio. And that audio, which captures someone saying “omg no” in a dramatic fashion, is being used by creators to react to something happening that they dislike. In a political use case, the principal creator can lip-sync to the audio and then add a screenshot/images sticker of headline or receipt of a political situation unfolding. Text on screen can also be used to illustrate scenarios and can be formulated like so – ex: “POV: you just saw that Trump [XYZ decision]. The caption can be used to share more details.

→ “Stop. Carry on.” Trend: This audio has largely been used as a transition trend, showing creators moving through outfit reveal after outfit reveal, usually connected to a multiple-day event. That same concept can be evolved to show off political wins instead of outfits. Visually what that can look like the principal creator holding a sign/board with the accomplishment written on it, and then swapping to the next sign/board in the transition [think sign/born instead of outfit, albeit the creator could change outfits too to make the distinctions more clear]. 

Trending TikTok audios for BTS and b-roll vids

AUDIO → obamas back baby HAAAAAH *use this for transition/reveal videos like this

AUDIO → I have fucking proof *use this to show the receipts on a situation in carousel or video from 

AUDIO → Residue *use with a video depicting a situation ramping up

AUDIO → drop dead *creators only for this one

AUDIO → original sound *use to illustrate a situation that keeps happening again and again

AUDIO → Wait for you *save for summer b-roll based videos

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Creative content concepts to try and post on TikTok too

→ “POV: you’re next to the SMM” Trend: This trend really gives the social media manager on the team a moment to shine and star in a Reel; naturally, with that, this trend works best for a crew that leans into office humor and features multiple employees on their feeds. Alas, the trend itself is straightforward, with this audio as the base for creating a video that depicts what it’s like to be in the same room as an SMM when they’re editing a video [hint: a very annoying experience for all].

→ “Big fan of the theory” Trend: This creator made this viral Reel about a commonly talked about theory, and being a big fan/believer in it. The Reel provides a potential trend building moment if done correctly. A principal creator could then use this model of content to share a different theory that they’re into/think people should lean into as well. Naturally, this is a politics meets social media newsletter, so the theory selected should have some connection to the political orbit. If this MYOT [make your own trend] concept floats your boat, use this audio and credit/tag the original creator in the caption as the inspo point.

→ “But the sun is still in the sky” Trend: This trend has creators using this audio and b-roll of either themselves enjoying the sunshine or their favorite places illuminated by a sunny day, like so. The Reels feature the core verbiage of the audio clip in bold letters over the videos, typically in color + block font combo. The opportunity here is to show off parts of one’s district on a sunny day. Grab the clips, grab the audio, add the text, and give the details on what people are viewing in the caption. Side note: this trend would be great for a tourism account or a wildlife preserve, etc.

Background audios that make Reels move

AUDIO → Chaotic *use to illustrate a change point - between seasons, big moments, etc

AUDIO → Porcelain (Moby’s Version) *use with videos aimed at showing off nature’s finest

AUDIO → Missing *for creators only: use with a recap carousel

AUDIO → original audio *use this to showcase moments of whimsy or examples of whimsy in action

AUDIO → Soulful strut instrumental *use this with b-roll videos depicting something that’s heating up in a positive way – ex: on the road campaign video

AUDIO → Cloud in a bottle *use with carousels and basic b-roll videos

Reply or Repost to these digital notes on Threads

The Thread → Reply OR repost by sharing a legislative/policy action that could be done to protect the bees.

The Thread → Reply OR repost by sharing a controversial food opinion that’s connected to policy.

The Thread → Reply OR repost by replying with an example.

The Thread → Reply OR repost share a podcast you listen to that makes an important point you want people to see.

The Thread → Reply OR repost by elaborating on the news of GOP-ers wanting to pardon Maxwell.

The Thread → Reply OR repost by sharing a pic of yourself with a side part [obvi, only if you still have one, cough Millennials, cough].

The Thread → Reply OR repost by sharing a bit of good political news.

Trending topics ATM on Bluesky

Election Lawsuit

Congress Activity

Xbox

Maxwell Investigation

Texas Politics

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