A trend is a topic or hashtag that experiences a surge in popularity on one or more social media platforms for a short duration. Ecommerce businesses can leverage trends to amplify their visibility and attract audiences who may not otherwise see their content. Trends evolve around popular cultural occurrences such as celebrity announcements, TV premiers, social concerns, breaking news and viral content. While some trends remain relevant for a longer period of time, most only hold a popularity spike for a day to one week.
The term “trend” can be applied to anything — from a person’s style or fashion sense, to a hot new restaurant or a popular music genre. It can also be used to refer to a popular business idea, such as an app or software solution. Trends often relate to current events or pop culture, but they can be about any subject.
On Twitter, for instance, a trend is a group of words or phrases that Twitter users are discussing in real time. These topics are displayed in a special ‘Trending’ section on Twitter’s homepage or within the Explore tab. Twitter adjusts the trending list according to a user’s location and personalization preferences.
Other social media networks have similar features that show what’s currently popular, such as Instagram’s Discover page and TikTok’s Explore tab. These features are useful for identifying what’s driving conversations on the platform and can help you find opportunities to get involved in real-time discussions with your audience.
For example, if you see that the Oscars are trending on social media, you could post a video of your favorite scene from the movie, or even a spoof or parody of the film. This will generate engagement, and you might even receive some media coverage.
Keeping up with trends is important for any type of business, but it’s especially crucial for those in the ecommerce industry. Trends can indicate what types of products are currently in demand, what consumers are interested in and where your target audience is spending their time online. By knowing what’s trending, you can develop and implement a strategy that will help your ecommerce business grow.
The most effective way to leverage a trend is to ensure that your content is relevant. You don’t want your content to be a distraction from the topic, but you also don’t want to avoid joining the conversation altogether. Posting something completely unrelated to the trend can draw ire from social media sites and could even lead to an account suspension. Twitter specifically discourages companies from posting irrelevant keywords or hashtags to increase their visibility in the trending list.