Trending is a term used to describe topics, hashtags, or keywords that are popular on a social media platform such as Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc. These trends are identified by algorithms that analyze user activity to identify topics that have a high level of interest at any given time. Typically, the trending topics are displayed on the home page or in a dedicated section of the site (such as TikTok’s Trending page).
Trends can be created for any topic, hashtag, or keyword. The popularity of a particular term can fluctuate and can be influenced by current events, social awareness, or even weather. Trending is a great tool for marketers as it can provide an extra boost of visibility to their content. However, it’s important to use this tool carefully and make sure the content is in line with the brand voice and values. Using trends incorrectly can result in the content being seen as contrived and spammy.
One of the best ways to take advantage of a trend is to jump on board with it. By doing so, you’ll be able to reach a larger audience and gain more engagement from both your followers and non-followers. This tactic is often employed by influencers and social media managers in order to expand the reach of their posts and videos.
Using a trend to increase the reach of your campaign can be particularly effective when it involves a call to action such as asking people to sign a petition, donate, or share a post. In addition, you can use a trend to encourage people to participate in an existing campaign by encouraging them to join the conversation using a hashtag. For example, during the recent protests against President Trump’s immigration ban, activists used the hashtag #BetterPolitics to bring more attention and people to their efforts.
Another way to use trends is to leverage them in your advertising campaigns. Many platforms allow you to create trending ads, which are essentially trending topics with a specific tag attached to them that identifies what topic the ad is related to. These ads can then be shown to users on the platform’s For You tab, or in a special trending ad spot.
Finally, trends can also be useful for investors and traders. A trending market is one that closes either higher or lower on average than the previous closing period, and can be observed by technical analysts who look for resistance and support lines to indicate when a security may reverse its direction.
Whether you’re using a trend to promote your business, take advantage of social media trends, or track the latest search terms, understanding how trends work can help you stay ahead of the competition. To get a better feel for what’s happening out there, try Google Trends, which lets you see trends at a global scale, as well as by country and region. Click the “In more detail” link to see search breakdowns, and the Compare button at the top allows you to add up to five different topics for comparison.