Social Media strategies for small and large businesses alike have changed a lot in the past decade. During this time came an unwavering shift towards content creation and community building. It’s not just about posting compelling content anymore; it’s also about having that content relate to you and your brand. This rings true just as much with branded and trending content types.

By applying the 80/20 rule for trending and branded social media video content, you can engage your audiences differently to drive specific results. This is based on what type of content, the frequency and timing of the delivery, and the overall tone of your message.

Let’s take a look at how this works:

What is the 80/20 rule?

Coined by Italian economista Vilfredo Federico Damaso Pareto, the “Pareto Principle” or 80/20 rule asserts that “80% of the results you experience, come from 20% of the effort you’ve put in.”

Other examples include:

• 20% of customers account for 80% of total profits
• 20% of manufacturers supply 80% of the market
• 20% of sales reps generate 80% of total sales

How does it apply to social media video content?

When it comes to TikTok & IG Reel content, this rule allows brands to communicate their values, while building additional rapport with their audiences. Therefore brands should consider that:

• 80% of content should be “Branded” 
• 20% of content should be “Trending”

What are the differences between branded vs. trending video content?

Branded video content is key to conveying to your audience the 3 W’s; 

• Who you are
• What you do
• Why you do it. 

This particular content should show a brand’s mission, vision, services, or products. 

Including your brand’s colors, fonts, customer base, or employees is a great way to build a brand voice and establish your brand identity. The quality of this content is typically hi-fidelity and more evergreen in nature.

Think of a high-quality and produced commercial on television or anything that requires a large team, expensive budget, or relies on company branding.

Trending Video Content 

Content that falls in the category of trending is meant to spark a relevant conversation topic with its audience. Trending topics should be incorporated when there is an important element of timeliness involved and when an opinion or stance on the matter is absolutely necessary. Trending content can sometimes utilize a specific:

• theme
• editing style
• filter
• and/or audio 

that has recently experienced a surge of widespread popularity on the internet. Often times trends relate to popular movies, tv shows, or music. The quality of this content is typically lower, with fewer turnaround times, and only engages the audience for the duration of a trend’s lifetime.

Following and participating in trends help companies connect with their customers by appealing to popular interest.

Examples include following a TikTok trend using a certain sound or actions like “the ice bucket challenge.”

To summarize, you can apply the 80/20 rule to your social media video content by testing out trending or branded content before or alongside HiFi or LoFi formats to help achieve a diverse audience and reach.