Even in a world dominated by TikTok and Instagram Reels, Facebook remains one of the most powerful platforms for content discovery and community engagement.
With over 3 billion monthly active users, it's where people catch up with friends, follow creators, explore trending content, and engage with brands they trust.
For creators, marketers, and small businesses, Facebook offers a unique opportunity to reach a wide, often multigenerational audience, if you know how to ride the trends.
We're exploring 20 of the most effective and popular trends happening right now, breaking down how to identify and start trends on Facebook, and share some quick tricks to boost likes, views, and engagement.
20 Facebook Trends You Need to Know (and Try)
Facebook content thrives when it taps into emotion, community, and creativity. The trends below mix timeless strategies with newer formats gaining traction right now. Whether you’re looking to boost engagement, grow your audience, or just experiment with fun ideas, these 20 trends will give you a strong place to start.
1. @Friends Trend
This viral prompt invites users to tag their friends in fun or ironic scenarios (like “Who would survive a zombie apocalypse? @friends”). It encourages tagging, commenting, and laughter, all key engagement signals Facebook loves. Simple to create and great for boosting reach within personal networks.
2. @Highlight Trend
Used to spotlight an important person, moment, or achievement, this trend typically includes the tag “@highlight” in captions. It brings attention to meaningful content and makes viewers feel like they’re part of a special reveal or recognition moment. Great for storytelling and emotional connection.
3. Day-in-the-Life Reels
These short, vlog-style videos offer a glimpse into a creator’s typical day, from coffee runs to late-night edits. The casual, relatable vibe makes people feel connected and often leads to repeat views. Great for creators or businesses wanting to build trust and consistency.
4. Caption This
Posts that showcase bizarre, hilarious, or heartwarming photos and ask viewers to “Caption this.” It’s one of the easiest ways to start a comment thread. People love showing off their wit, and the low-effort participation makes it inviting for everyone.
5. Before and After Transformations
From home renovations to personal glow-ups, these transformation posts are always satisfying to watch. They promise a reveal and give viewers a reason to stick around. They also perform well when they include a relatable story or challenge behind the change.
6. Text Overlay Skits
Funny, character-based Reels with bold text guiding the viewer through the story. These are perfect for people watching without sound, and they’re easy to follow, even if you’re scrolling quickly. Great for mini comedy bits, POVs, or fictional character monologues.
7. Life Hack Videos
Quick, visual solutions to everyday problems, like peeling garlic in seconds or organizing your phone screen. They’re highly shareable and often get saved for later. Plus, the combination of utility and surprise makes them addictive to watch.
8. Meme Reels
Short videos that use trending audio or meme formats in clever, niche-specific ways. These reels are fast, funny, and relevant, everything the algorithm likes. Jumping on meme culture lets you show humor while staying part of the larger social conversation.
9. Local Humor
These posts tap into inside jokes based on cities, accents, food, or habits specific to a region. They’re extremely relatable to niche audiences and tend to get shared like wildfire among local friend groups. Think: “Only people from Chicago will get this.”
10. Pet POV Videos
Videos told from a pet’s perspective, often using a voiceover or subtitles to dramatize their “thoughts.” These are cute, funny, and universally appealing, whether it’s a cat complaining about the vet or a dog narrating its walk.
11. Challenge Participation
Dance trends, outfit glow-ups, or audio-based “act this out” prompts. Challenges give you a ready-made format that’s already popular, meaning the algorithm is primed to boost it. Just make sure to put your own spin on it to stand out.
12. Photo Dump Posts
A trend that embraces the “unfiltered” life, random, mismatched photos from a week, an event, or a mood. Think less curated, more chaotic. It feels casual and authentic, which is exactly what younger Facebook users are responding to lately.
13. Throwback Content
Old photos, childhood memories, or “on this day” moments work wonders for engagement. People love nostalgia; it sparks emotion, conversation, and often tagging of family or old friends. Bonus points if it connects to a cultural moment or personal milestone.
14. Fake Movie Trailers
Creators edit mundane situations, like going to the grocery store, with dramatic music and text to make them feel like intense movie trailers. It’s clever, funny, and great for showcasing your editing skills while tapping into storytelling humor.
15. Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses
These posts reveal the real work behind polished content, editing setups, product creation, or even bloopers. They humanize your brand or persona and build transparency, which leads to stronger follower trust and connection.
16. “You vs. Reality” Posts
Expectations vs. reality content is always a winner. Whether it’s a failed recipe or a fashion attempt gone wrong, these posts are relatable and funny, and they often spark comments from people who’ve “been there.”
17. Interactive Polls & Quizzes
Poll stickers in Facebook Stories or A/B quizzes in posts invite immediate interaction. They’re lightweight to engage with, boost your visibility in Stories, and make followers feel part of your content.
18. Silent Reels with Subtitles
Videos crafted for autoplay without sound, using clear captions and expressive visuals to get the message across. These are ideal for mobile scrollers who watch on mute and help maximize accessibility too.
19. Mini Tutorials or Recipes
Short, step-by-step guides, whether it’s how to cook something fast, fix a tech issue, or do a quick DIY. They offer immediate value and often lead to likes, saves, and shares. Educational + entertaining = win.
20. Face Filter Skits
Using face filters for characters or dialogue-driven skits is a fast way to add humor and visual variety. Great for creators who want to act out multiple roles or bring silly concepts to life with minimal editing.
How Do You Make Something Trend on Facebook?
While some viral moments seem to happen by luck, there’s often a lot of intention behind the posts that catch fire on Facebook. The platform’s algorithm favors content that sparks emotion, encourages interaction, and keeps users watching. If you want your post to trend, not just get a few likes, you need to think about what makes people stop scrolling and take action.
Here are some key strategies that can increase your chances of landing on more timelines and trending feeds:
1. Create Emotionally Resonant Content
Content that makes people feel something tends to travel far. Whether it’s a hilarious skit, a touching story, a nostalgic photo, or an awe-inspiring transformation, posts that evoke emotion are more likely to be shared. Ask yourself: does this make someone laugh, cry, or say “same!”?
2. Encourage Participation
Facebook loves conversations. Create posts that invite your audience to comment, tag a friend, vote in a poll, or join a challenge. The more people interact with your content, the more visibility it gets. Think: “What’s your unpopular opinion?” or “Tag someone who needs to hear this.”
3. Hop on Timely Topics
Posting about something that's already trending gives your content a boost from the start. Tap into viral news stories, seasonal events, holidays, or pop culture moments (like award shows, celebrity news, or trending memes). Timeliness shows relevance, and Facebook notices.
4. Leverage Facebook Reels
Facebook is heavily promoting Reels right now, which means short-form videos get more exposure. Focus on quick, eye-catching content that delivers value or entertainment in under 60 seconds. Bonus tip: Grab attention in the first 3 seconds.
5. Use Strategic Hashtags
While hashtags on Facebook aren’t as central as they are on platforms like Instagram, they still help with discovery, especially when used wisely. Stick to 1–3 relevant and specific hashtags that relate to the content or trend you’re targeting. Avoid generic ones like #love or #fun unless they truly apply.
How to Find Facebook Trends
Not sure where to start when it comes to finding what’s trending on Facebook? You’re not alone. Trends can pop up quickly and fade just as fast, so staying in the loop is key if you want your content to stay relevant. The good news? There are plenty of easy ways to spot what’s gaining traction. Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
1. Explore Facebook Reels Feed
Spend a few minutes scrolling through your Reels tab and look for patterns. Are certain sounds or music clips being used over and over? Do you see the same text overlays, editing styles, or story formats? Reels is a great place to see what’s catching people’s attention in real time.
2. Facebook Watch & Groups
Facebook Watch surfaces popular videos, while Groups give insight into what’s trending in more niche communities. Whether it’s parenting tips, gaming memes, or DIY hacks, Groups are a goldmine for discovering what people are currently talking about and sharing.
3. Use Trend-Tracking Tools
Platforms like BuzzSumo, Exploding Topics, and Google Trends can help you spot bigger trend waves, even before they hit Facebook. Use them to find topics that are gaining momentum and then tailor them to your Facebook audience.
4. Follow Influential Pages
Look at what popular creators, meme pages, or brands in your niche are posting. Their content is often trend-driven and tested for engagement. Watch not just what they post, but how, captions, formats, posting times, and calls to action are all clues.
5. Check the “What’s On Your Mind?” Prompts
When you go to create a post, Facebook sometimes offers prompts or seasonal suggestions based on current events or trends. These aren’t random; they’re based on what’s resonating across the platform, and using them can give your post a little extra boost.
Facebook Tricks for More Likes and Views
Want more eyes on your posts? These simple, proven tricks can help boost your reach and engagement without needing a massive ad budget. Whether you're creating content for fun or for your brand, try mixing these into your Facebook strategy:
Post When Your Audience Is Active
Timing can make or break your post. Early mornings (7–9am) and evenings (6–9pm) often see higher engagement because that’s when people are checking their phones before or after work. But don’t just guess, check your Facebook Insights or test different times to see when your specific audience is most active.
2. Add Captions to Every Video
Most people scroll Facebook with the sound off, especially on mobile. If your video doesn't have captions, viewers may scroll past without ever knowing what it’s about. Captions not only improve accessibility, they also increase watch time and signal value to the algorithm, giving your video a better chance at being seen.
3. Use Facebook Reels and Stories
Facebook Reels and Stories get premium placement at the top of the app and are designed to encourage quick, frequent interaction. Reels offer a great way to hop on trends and reach new audiences, while Stories are perfect for behind-the-scenes glimpses and casual updates. Using both helps you stay top of mind and visible.
4. Start Strong with the First Line
Think of your caption like a headline; it needs to hook the reader in seconds. Whether you start with a bold statement, a question, or something emotional, that first line should spark curiosity and make people want to click “read more.” A good hook can be the difference between someone scrolling past and someone engaging with your post.
5. Engage in the Comments (Quickly!)
Responding to comments signals to Facebook that your post is active and worth showing to more people. It also makes your followers feel heard and more likely to comment again. The more back-and-forth you generate, the more your content stays alive in the feed. Try to reply within the first hour if you can, that’s when it matters most.
Create Facebook Videos with Podcastle
Staying on top of Facebook trends gives you a real edge, but only if you can act on them fast. From short-form Reels to text-based updates and photo carousels, Facebook rewards content that’s timely, polished, and tailored to the format.
With Podcastle, creating that content doesn’t have to be a time drain.
Use the AI video editor to trim, polish, and repurpose content for Facebook in minutes, so you can ride the trend while it’s still hot.
- Resize for any Facebook format. Export your video in 1:1, 4:5, or 9:16 so it fits Reels, feed posts, or Stories without editing by hand.
- Add auto-captions and subtitles. Choose your preferred font and size and instatly add your captions and subtitles to your videos.
- Use AI voiceovers for narration. Choose from over 1,000 realistic voices to narrate carousels, tutorials, or text-based Reels without recording yourself.
- Use AI tools to enhance your recordings. Remove background noise, fix eye contact, and boost your content with Podcastle’s AI-enhancement tools.
- Drop in stock visuals, music, or GIFs. Fill gaps in your timeline using a built-in library of royalty-free assets that match popular formats.
Podcastle helps you move fast, stay consistent, and keep up with whatever Facebook throws at us next.
