When it comes to social media, trending means a topic, hashtag, or keyword that is popular at a given moment. It often mirrors a community’s interests, discussions, and collective attention at that time, but can also be driven by other factors such as events, popular culture, or online campaigns and challenges. Trending is a great way to gain visibility and engagement on your social channels. Typically, trends receive a boost in visibility and interaction as they become prominently displayed on platforms such as Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook.
How does something become a trend? Trends are determined by a combination of factors — including where search data is coming from, how fast it’s growing, and whether it’s being searched for in multiple countries. They can be influenced by the popularity of an influencer, as well as current news events and celebrity or pop-culture topics. They can also be triggered by specific types of content, such as videos, memes, or vlogs.
It’s worth noting that a post, hashtag, or keyword may only trend for a brief period of time before disappearing from the list of popular searches. This is because the algorithms that determine trends are constantly being updated and refined. So, if you’re looking for the next viral hit, it’s important to be proactive about searching for and monitoring trending topics on a regular basis.
The best way to do this is to sign up for a free account with Google Trends, which allows you to select your country of interest and the category that you want to explore. This will provide a list of topics that are currently trending in your chosen category and country. You can then click on a topic to see more information and related search terms. You can also use a premium tool such as Ahrefs to search for trending content by criteria such as keyword, timeframe, and location.
In the world of YouTube, trends are determined by an algorithm that looks at various factors, including how widely a video appeals, how fast it’s growing, and who is watching it. Videos with broad appeal or that are timely or relevant to current events are more likely to be trending, as are vlogs from new or up-and-coming YouTube creators.
The popularity of a trend can be unpredictable, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it. Once you’ve spotted an opportunity, it’s important to be quick to act! You can try to get your own brand or product to trend by using a specific hashtag that you know will be popular with your audience. However, it’s important to be thoughtful and strategic about this approach to avoid being seen as spammy or irrelevant. If you’re unsure of which hashtags will be popular with your target audience, it may be worth reaching out to industry experts for advice or recommendations. Then, when you’re ready to start your trending campaign, be sure to communicate it clearly with your team and followers.