When something becomes a trend, it’s when it reaches a certain level of popularity on a social media platform. Trends are determined by algorithms that analyze posts, shares, likes and searches on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and other platforms to see what topics are gaining the most interest. These trends then appear on the site’s Explore or Trending area.
A trend can be anything that catches on, whether it’s a new fashion style, a political cause or a meme that goes viral. The term is also used to describe a long-term shift in attitudes or behaviors. For example, a trend toward healthier eating could be attributed to concerns about obesity or rising food prices.
Many people use social media to stay current on what’s happening in the world. They may follow celebrities, TV shows or other well-known personalities. But they can also follow trending topics, which are topics that people search for on Google. Google’s Trends tool displays popular search terms, organized by category and date range. It also lets you see searches in a specific region. For example, you can look at the daily search trends page to see the most popular searches in your city. Or you can see the Realtime Search Trends page to see terms that are gaining momentum in the moment.
Getting a topic to trend can have a positive impact on a business or organization. It increases visibility and exposure, which can result in more visitors to a website or more engagement on social media. It can also help raise awareness about an issue or event, which can foster discussion and change minds.
But a company needs to approach these trends with caution, especially in the case of tragedy or controversial subjects. Insensitive or overly promotional content can backfire and make a brand look bad. But when done right, trends can have a huge impact on your audience.
There are a number of tools available for tracking trends, including the Google Trends homepage and third-party apps like Treendly. However, Google Trends is the most comprehensive and offers a variety of useful features. For example, you can view search trends by date range or geographic area, see related keywords and searches, compare terms and get detailed data visualizations on the results page.
Aside from its entertaining and informative features, Google Trends is an excellent resource for businesses. It can be helpful when identifying new market opportunities or uncovering insights about competitors. It can also be useful for planning or executing marketing campaigns.
If you’re not familiar with Google Trends, try entering a keyword or phrase into the search box on the homepage and clicking Trending topics. You’ll then be able to peruse Google’s current trending searches and learn what’s popular in your area, across the country or around the globe. You can even subscribe to a trending topic for regular updates so you can track its popularity over time.