From smooth dance moves to the endless variations of the βwho is more likelyβ question, social media challenges dominate social networking sites. Theyβre fun, interesting, and a great way to garner some likes and engagement while building your presence on online platforms.
In addition to their entertainment value, these challenges can also be an effective way for brands to connect with their target audience. So, even if you use social media for business, there are ways to leverage challenges in your strategy.
In todayβs article, weβll discuss some of the popular social media challenges that helped shape todayβs online landscape and share expert tips to help you participate in them successfully.
What Are Social Media Challenges?
Social media challenges are a category of content that features a specific activity or “challenge,” usually inspired by current popular trends or topics.
According to research by Shroff et al. (2021), social media users often participate in such challenges to satisfy the need to belong and showcase their personal strengths, which explains why this content is always so popular.
For creators, participating in social media challenges is also one of the easiest ways to get famous on TikTok and Instagram, as short-form video content is in demand on these platforms. In fact, simply posting your version of a viral dance challenge will be enough to generate significant views and interactions.
Aside from the ever-prominent dances, there are hundreds of challenges that donβt require much talent or skill, only a dash of creativity and some artful camerawork.
11+ Most Popular and Impactful Social Media Challenges
Social media trends and audience interest can change rapidly, and with them comes a new wave of social media challenges to try. While the popularity of these challenges can quickly come and go, some of them are still present on social media even today.
Now, letβs see some of the most popular social media challenges in recent years.
#1. Vogue Challenge
Fashion is a highly prevalent topic on social media, so it isnβt surprising that one of the top social media challenges of all timeβthe β#VogueChallengeββis fashion-related. Vogue is a popular fashion magazine known for its influence on American fashion and endlessly stylish covers.
Since the chances of a regular person actually being featured on one of Vogueβs covers are slim to none, the next best thing to do is to shoot an artistic photo of yourself and edit it to mimic the magazineβs iconic cover.
While this challenge may initially seem superficial and a way to showcase your best looks, Salma Noor decided to use the trend to highlight the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Source: Salma Noor/ Twitter (X)
Her take on the #VogueChallenge featured her in a black-and-white photo with the words βBeing black is not a crimeβ on the cover. The image went viral and inspired other people of color and creatives to share their own version of the trend, echoing Salmaβs original sentiments.
Itβs important to note that while Salma is not the first person to edit her photo in this specific style, hers was the one that skyrocketed in popularity and started the challenge, likely due to the powerful message it contained.
#2. Pillow Challenge
The lockdown period during the pandemic led to one of the most iconic fashion-related social media challenges that even the Princess of Genovia participated inβthe βPillow Challenge.β This challenge was started by @stylebynelli and @myforteisfashion on Instagram and involved using a normal pillow as a dress and securing it at the waist with a belt.
With its cinched waist reminiscent of early 1950s dresses, the look was stylish and led to thousands of variations using different kinds of pillows, some with frills, fur, and even feathers.
While you wouldnβt normally look at a pillow and think of how to wear it as a dress, the lockdown may have contributed to the creation of this trend.
In a study from the Paris Brain Institute, the majority of its participants stated that they were more creative than average during lockdown compared with the previous period, which likely led to more out-of-the-box thinking.
#3. βWho is More Likely Toβ¦β Challenge
The βWho is More Likely Toβ¦β challenge is a highly engaging activity involving at least two participants. They take turns asking a βwho is more likely toβ¦β question, followed by a scenario like βshow up lateβ or βfall asleep first,β and then point to the person to whom it applies.
What made this social media challenge popular is its versatility; anyone can participate in the trend with their friends, partners, or family members. Moreover, it can reveal interesting and often hilarious insights into the relationships and personalities of the people involved, making it enjoyable for both the creators and the viewers.
#4. Patience Challenge
Children, with their innocence and charm, have long been used in different forms of media to appeal to audiences, and they take center stage in the βPatience Challenge.β In this social media challenge, parents would test their childrenβs patience by leaving them alone in a room with some sweets and instructing them not to touch any of the treats.
The childrenβs reactions are filmed, often resulting in endearing and entertaining clips of them trying to follow the instructions and resist the temptation of the sweet treat. While most of the kids failed the challenge, the videos were always a success and would garner significant likes and comments.
#5. Flip the Switch Challenge
Music can be an excellent tool for elevating posts, as is evident in the engagement boost when adding music to Instagram posts, but it can also popularize trends, like it did the βFlip the Switch Challenge.β
This social media challenge uses Drakeβs song βNonstopβ to set the transition in the video and features two participants, usually a man and a woman, in front of a mirror. When the music plays the titular line βflip the switch,β the participants flip a light switch, and when the light comes back on, it shows them with swapped clothes or personas.
The gender-swapping element of this challenge made it extremely popular, as the men in the video are often shown in long wigs and dresses, fully committed to the bit. This deviation from the traditional gender stereotype is a trope often used in mainstream media for comedic effect, which is why this challenge appeals to a general audience.
In a more recent version of the challenge, TikTok influencers used the song for their makeup transitions.
#6. Wipe it Down Challenge
Another social media challenge that uses music to build its transition is the βWipe It Down Challenge,β which often involves a single participant cleaning a mirror to the catchy tune of βWipe It Downβ by BMW Kenny.
As the person wipes the mirror with a cloth, their reflection changes to reveal a more glamorous look, a recognizable character, or a different persona. With its simplicity and versatility, this challenge quickly gained popularity among TikTok users as a way to showcase their makeup skills and creativity.
Even celebrities joined in on the trend, with Will Smith transforming into Agent Jβhis character from the movie Men in Black.
#7. Mannequin Challenge
The βMannequin Challengeβ is possibly one of the most viral challenges on social media and involves a group of people standing as still as a mannequin while the cameraman moves and captures the whole scene.
While this challenge initially does not seem very interesting, having a large group of people frozen in place in hilarious and difficult-to-hold poses made it a hit among social media users.
Other creators, celebrities, and notable figures further elevated the challenge by creating tricky situations and contexts in their videos. Some clips show people mid-workout, and others increase the scale of participants in the challenge, even involving the audience in their concerts.
This is also one of the best social media challenges for businesses, as it can help humanize your brand. Hilary Clinton famously participated in the Mannequin Challenge during her bid for the presidency, likely as a way to appeal to the masses and make herself more relatable.
#8. Bottle Flip Challenge
Even if you are not actively on social media, you likely have seen or heard of the βBottle Flip Challenge,β which, as the name suggests, involves flipping a bottle. This extremely simple challenge had people of all ages flipping a partially filled bottle in an attempt to land it upright.
While the challenge may seem easy, to succeed, you need a tricky combination of the right amount of liquid in the bottle and the right amount of force when flipping. This social media challenge even had scientists weighing in, with researchers from Chile devising a way to always land the bottle right side up.
Despite its simplicity, the challenge sparked peopleβs competitive nature and quickly led to thousands of videos, all trying to flip the bottle with the fewest attempts.
Moreover, while the challenge started in 2016, it is still extremely popular even today. A new iteration of the challenge involves a group of people taking turns flipping the bottle while one of them eats delicious food until the others succeed.
#9. Spicy Noodle Challenge
Food-related challenges are also popular on social media, with the most notable variation being the βSpicy Noodle Challenge.β In this challenge, users would consume an extremely spicy instant noodle dish and film their reactions, which leads to highly entertaining displays of discomfort.
A lot of creators who joined this social media challenge did so to prove that they could finish the entire pack of noodles without showing any signs of pain, which helped its virality.
However, another possible element that contributed to the challengeβs success is the high levels of schadenfreude, or the feeling of pleasure obtained from other peopleβs misfortune, that its viewers experienced.
Pain has long been an effective source of humor in the mainstream media. In fact, an old study by Deckers and Carr from 1986 revealed that cartoons with some levels of pain positively affected the showβs funniness rating.
So, whether we do it consciously or not, seeing other people fail or get hurt by their own antics brings a certain level of enjoyment that can be quite addictive.
#10. Cinnamon Challenge
In the βCinnamon Challenge,β participants would attempt to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon in 60 seconds without drinking any water.
While cinnamon is a relatively safe food item to consume, this ended up being one of the most dangerous social media challenges, as the dryness of the powder led to coughing, choking, and throat irritation. Several health experts even warned against participating in the challenge due to its health risks.
Despite these warnings, several social media users still film themselves doing the βCinnamon Challengeβ today, likely due to a Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Research by Przybylski et al. (2013) defines FOMO as a βpervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.β
Viewers may be inclined to think that there is a positive reason why people keep consuming cinnamon despite their adverse reactions to it. To be part of that group and understand their motivations, they participate in the challenge as well.
#11. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Beyond entertainment, there are several social media challenges designed to raise awarenessβnotably the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which turned into a global phenomenon.
People of all statuses, from celebrities and politicians to ordinary social media users, participated in the challenge by dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads and nominating other people to join the cause.
This challenge was started to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research and, according to reports from the ALS Association, helped increase the researchβs funding by 187%.
#12. #NoMakeupSelfie Challenge
Also under social media challenges for fundraising is the β#NoMakeupSelfie Challenge,β which helped raise awareness and funds for cancer. While the origins of the trend are unknown, thousands of women shared their own bare-faced selfies on social media to show support for the cause and encourage their audience to participate in the campaign.
Despite some users questioning the intent behind the photos as an act of vanity, the challenge helped raise over Β£8 million for Cancer Research UK and was widely regarded as a success. Aside from the funds, the trend also helped women feel more confident showing their bare faces on social media, a platform that largely promotes perfectionism in its users.
Important Benefits and Risks of Social Media Challenges
Due to their popularity and widespread appeal, social media challenges can present several important benefits to brands and creators, such as better visibility and reinforced branding. However, these donβt come without risk.
Letβs discuss these in detail below.
The Risks of Social Media Challenges
Aside from the health concerns over the cinnamon challenge, participating in social media challenges can also come with some risks for your brand.
For one, joining the wrong challenge can lead to backlash and a negative brand image. Some challenges can even cause you to be shadowbanned on social media. This is why itβs always important to conduct thorough research before participating in any social media challenges to ensure that they align with your brandβs values.
Additionally, while jumping on trends and challenges can help with your visibility on the platform, relying on them too much will make your brand appear too opportunistic. Rather than participating in all the current challenges, be selective about the ones you join, and make sure to balance your social media content with more authentic posts.
The Benefits of Social Media Challenges
With proper research and content management, you can avoid these risks and reap the benefits of social media challenges for your brand, including:
- Building a dedicated community. Joining social media challenges can help humanize your business and allow audiences to connect more deeply with your brand. Over time, this will help foster a sense of community among your followers, helping you build a dedicated following.
- Improving brand awareness. Joining popular social media challenges can help you reach a wider audience, which directly affects brand awareness and social media growth.
- Reinforcing branding. Consistently participating in social media challenges that align with your values will help reinforce your branding and identity online.
- Gaining user-generated content. If you are the initiator of any challenges, you can gain plenty of user-generated content to use in your social media strategy. This type of content is highly effective at engaging your audience and improving follower-to-customer conversions.
5 Expert Tips to Successfully Join Social Media Challenges
It can be tricky for brands to join social media challenges, but with the right tools and the following tips, you can successfully participate in any challenge and achieve your goals online:
#1. Incorporate Your Branding
If your goal in participating in social media challenges is to establish your brand identity, try to incorporate your branding through the assets and colors you use. This will make your posts instantly recognizable to your audience and help improve brand recall.
Consider using a social media asset management tool like Publerβs media library to store all your assets so you can conveniently access them anytime you create your posts.
#2. Stay Updated on the Latest Trends
While social media challenges seem to appear overnight, they can actually take a while to become popular, so we recommend keeping an eye on emerging trends and topics online. By being one of the first creators to participate in a trend, you can position your brand favorably as an innovator.
There are several tools you can use for this, such as Publerβs Trending Posts tab, which compiles the most talked about topics and posts on Instagram and Twitter, and our Explore tab, which categorizes the latest trending news per industry and location.
#3. Collaborate With Influencers
Influencer marketing is one of the best ways to ensure that your take on social media challenges succeeds. When you collaborate with an influencer, you can introduce your brand to a new audience and garner significant likes and engagement.
When deciding between micro and macro influencers, consider your budget and goals for the challenge.
For instance, macro influencers may cost more, but they are established authority figures in the industry and have a much larger reach, so they are best suited to appeal to a wider audience. Micro-influencers, on the other hand, have a smaller following but are more niche-specific, which can be beneficial for brands trying to market to various industries.
#4. Use the Right Hashtags
Using the right hashtags is key to maximizing your postβs discoverability on social media. While trending social media challenges often have custom hashtags, you can also use branded and other relevant hashtags in your post to solidify your branding and improve searchability.
To help you find popular hashtags to use, you can leverage Publerβs hashtag analysis tool in your content strategy.
#5. Start a Competition
Holding a competition is an alternative way to participate in social media challenges without having to create content. You can center your social media campaign around viral challenges and offer incentives and prizes to encourage your followers to join in.
Competitions can effectively boost engagement and drive user-generated content to your profile, further improving your visibility.
Key Takeaways
- Social media challenges are popular content that features an activity or task that viewers can partake in.
- The β#VogueChallenge,β βMannequin Challenge,β and βBottle Flip Challengeβ are some of the most popular and impactful social media challenges in recent years.
- Aside from fun and entertainment, several social media challenges, like the βALS Ice Bucket Challengeβ and the βNo Makeup Challenge,β were started to raise awareness for specific causes.
- It’s important to research each social media challenge carefully to avoid some of its associated risks and experience its full benefits, such as better brand awareness and community engagement.
- Collaborating with influencers, utilizing the right hashtags, and incorporating your branding are some ways to successfully join in social media challenges.
Ervin Kalemi
