Every few months, the internet collectively loses its mind over an animal, and this summer, that animal is Jimothy — a round little raccoon from Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood with short spine syndrome and, apparently, the power to unite the entire internet. One video of him waddling through a backyard racked up 18 million views on TikTok alone. Within days, there was a mural, tattoo appointments were being booked, a painting of him sold for over $6,500 at auction and Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck issued an official “Jimothy Summer” proclamation. He’s adorable, yes, but he’s also proof of what happens when the right content finds the right audience at the right time.

Your business doesn’t need a quirky raccoon to go viral (although it would definitely help), but you do need to show up where your audience is already watching. Knowing how to tap into what’s trending on Instagram Reels and TikTok is a great place to start.

Bowe Digital is here to help! We share monthly updates on what’s trending in video and audio, so all you have to do is get behind the camera. If you need help getting started on TikTok, check out our TikTok ebook. We also offer Studio Days, where our team will join you for 4 or 6 hours of video recording at a great price.

What Sound Does ___ Make? Video Trend

This trend is as simple as it is funny. Walk up to coworkers one at a time and ask them to make the sound of something specific and native to your world: a nail gun, a computer keyboard, a basketball, a doorbell and record each answer straight to camera. Then cut to the actual thing, with their audio playing over it. The comedy lives in the gap between confidence and reality. A construction company could ask their crew to make the sound of a jackhammer. A restaurant could ask their kitchen staff to do a stand mixer. A gym could ask trainers to impersonate a treadmill. The more committed the attempt, the better the video. 

Netflix Documentary Video Trend

TikToker @borderbandittx kicked this off by pointing out a common trope in Netflix documentaries. Before every key interview, the subject is shown casually walking up to the chair, adjusting their mic and settling in. The internet immediately turned it into a meme, filming themselves in front of the camera with text like, “Preparing for my Netflix documentary exposing all my coworkers for not actually working.” Even Netflix itself joined in, posting a photo of an empty chair with the caption “about to sit down and watch all these documentaries.” You can make this trend relevant to anything your business does, just as our team did here. 

Things That Are Worth Your Money Video Trend

People value your opinion! So share your list of five things that are absolutely worth the money, like this example. It can be anything from products you use to services you swear by or investments that changed your business. Warning: we’ve seen the comment section go wild on some of these. 

Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind Audio Trend

Those four words close out the chorus of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and they’ve become the soundtrack to a simple trend on TikTok and Instagram Reels right now. Creators film themselves lying on the ground, then pan the camera to reveal a breathtaking view. For businesses, the pan doesn’t have to be of the great outdoors, like this one. Instead, it could be a new home or neighborhood, a patio full of customers or a perfectly curated storefront.

“I Am So Shocked and Betrayed Right Now” Video Trend

Like high-waisted shorts and low-rise jeans, some trends come back in style. This audio — a clip from a Sims-style parody of the Kardashians in which Kim enthusiastically recommends the orange soda, her sisters agree and then both order strawberry has resurfaced. The format is simple: use it any time you’ve made a recommendation to a customer and felt personally victimized when someone didn’t take it. Check out this example from @finishingtouchessalonx.

Modern Family Crying CapCut Template 

Cam Tucker in Modern Family was one of television’s most dramatic criers. This CapCut leans into that legacy. Businesses are using it to react to something they love so much they’d shed some tears (a five-star review, a sold-out product, a major milestone) or something that wrecked them (a rude customer, seeing the Monday morning inbox or really any minor inconvenience). 

Summer Postcard CapCut Template

Greetings from Summer 2026. This CapCut template from @cpt.levi143 makes it easy to add your videos and images from the last couple of months. It’s everywhere right now for travel content, event recaps, behind-the-scenes moments and team highlights. 

Instagram Reels Is Now Speaking Your Audience’s Language — Literally

Instagram just expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels, and it’s worth paying attention to. The tool doesn’t just translate captions; it syncs the audio and mouth movements so it looks and sounds like you’re speaking directly in another language.

Key takeaways:

• Reels translations now support 18 languages, including Japanese, Korean, French, German and Italian.
• Creators can review translations and switch off lip-sync before posting if it doesn’t look right.
• The feature is available to accounts with more than 1,000 followers, with up to two language translations per Reel.

If your business serves or wants to serve a multilingual audience, this is a low-effort way to expand your reach without filming additional content.