I’ve been thinking about this differently lately. Everyone talks about trend-jacking and hopping on what’s hot, but by the time a trend is visible enough for most teams to act on it, it’s already crowded.
What’s been working for me is tracking micro-signals—not trends, but the seeds of trends. Like, I follow a random mix of small creators, niche subreddits, TikTok sounds that have weird engagement patterns. Not following mainstream accounts. Just watching where small pockets of creators are experimenting.
For example, six months ago I noticed this pattern where creators were doing these hyper-specific product unboxing videos, but instead of the typical “here’s what I got,” they were framing it as “here’s what I actually needed versus what arrived.” Small thing, right? But it had this authentic frustration energy that felt fresh. I filed it away.
Six months later, that exact frame became massive for UGC across e-commerce. We got in early because I’d already mapped what made it work—the pacing, the humor, the relatable disappointment.
The other thing I’ve learned: don’t just watch what creators are making. Watch what they’re trying to make but can’t because the tools or platform don’t support it yet. That’s where the real angles live.
Where do you hunt for your UGC angles? Are you following specific accounts, data tools, or is it more gut instinct and community watching?