Trending is the term used to describe something that gets a lot of attention quickly, usually via social media. It may be an event, a topic, a catch-phrase, or a product or app that has been discussed widely on the Internet.
There are many ways to use trending to promote your business, including online marketing, SEO, and social media advertising. Understanding how to identify and leverage trends can help you build brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, and grow your customer base.
How to Identify a Trending Topic
There are several ways to identify a trending topic on social media, from using hashtags to searching for topics that interest you. Twitter’s algorithm for determining trending topics works by looking at hashtags and keywords, as well as other factors like time and volume. If a topic doesn’t have a significant spike in tweets within a certain amount of time, it won’t appear on the trending board. This is why movements such as #OccupyWallStreet didn’t appear on the trending board.
The algorithm can also be influenced by spelling errors and mispellings. For example, during the San Bernardino shootings, both the correct and incorrect spelling of the city were used in discussions. This can split traffic and volume, resulting in a split-level rise or fall in a trending topic.
Google Trends allows you to view the most popular terms and stories in real time. It can be a helpful tool for journalists and content creators, as it gives them a clear picture of what’s trending at any given moment. It can be used to explore story ideas or as a way of illustrating the general level of interest in a particular subject.
Choosing the Right Hashtag
The key to selecting a hashtag that will give your brand exposure is to choose one that hasn’t been used before, but is still relevant. This way, you’ll be able to make your post stand out from other posts using the same hashtag.
It’s a good idea to keep your hashtag short and sweet, as a longer post can confuse people and lead them to click the wrong link. It’s also important to keep your post relevant to the situation, and not make it feel like a promotional gimmick.
Getting your hashtag trending is a big dream for any marketing department, but it’s not always easy. It’s a great way to reach new audiences, but it’s also a huge responsibility that requires careful thought and strategy.
Insensitivity to the Tragedy
A tragic event can be an exciting and inspiring topic to talk about, but a brand should avoid posting about it with a tone that’s insensitive to the victims and those who lost their lives. It’s especially critical to keep your post relevant to the event and not overdo it with branding.
Create a Twitter campaign around it
A good way to get your brand name out there is to create a Twitter campaign that includes your hashtag and target market. This will help you reach a wide audience and ensure your post stays on the front page of Twitter.