A trending topic is one that has been gaining popularity on social media. It’s highlighted by platforms like Twitter, Facebook and TikTok to encourage discussion and engagement among users. Trending topics are determined by algorithms used by each platform which analyze activity, searches and other factors to identify popular words or phrases. These are then displayed in a “Trending” section of the platform’s homepage and explore tab (like TikTok’s FYP).
Trending topics are often related to current events, news, viral content or online campaigns and challenges. They can be localized to a specific community or location, or they may have a global impact. Trending is usually driven by human interest and conversation, but can also be influenced by a variety of other factors including weather, holidays, cultural or other events and even viral trends.
When a topic or hashtag becomes trending, it means that thousands of people are tweeting about it. This can help drive awareness and brand visibility for your business. However, it’s important to remember that a trending topic can change quickly. Trends are driven by what people care about in the moment, so it’s crucial to be reactive to the conversations taking place on social media and not release pre-planned content that doesn’t align with what your audience is talking about right now.
In order to get a hashtag to trend, it needs to experience a sudden and concentrated spike in use. This is why it’s important to choose a hashtag that’s unique, not something that has already been widely used. Then, when you want your hashtag to trend, it’s crucial to promote it in a creative and relevant way to ensure that it does.
One example of this is when a celebrity does something controversial or outlandish, and that creates a hashtag trending topic around it. When this happens, you need to make sure that your brand is in line with the tone of the conversation and doesn’t come off as insensitive or offensive.
Using Google Trends is another helpful tool that allows you to see what people are searching for and talking about in real-time. This can be used to find new keywords to target or research your competition, and it’s also an excellent resource for journalists who need to illustrate what their readers are interested in right now.
You can also utilize Promoted Trends on Twitter to highlight a particular word or phrase for a limited period of time. This works well for promoting a campaign or event and can be complemented with other Promoted Tweets that show up in the timeline. Just be mindful that a promoted trend will not stay at the top of the Trending section for long, so it’s best to plan out your campaign in advance.