A trend is a direction that something is moving, either upwards (bullish) or downwards (bearish). For example, a stock’s price could be in an uptrend if it is going up for a period of time. If it is in an uptrend, that means people are buying shares of the company. If the stock is in a downtrend, that means people are selling their shares.
On social media, trends are topics that have been searched for a large number of times in a short amount of time. These topics are then displayed prominently on Twitter, Google and other sites. In the case of Google Trends, a search term’s popularity is determined by looking at how many searches for the word have been made over a specified timeframe. It also takes into account how many searches are being done for other related words or terms.
Trends are based on search activity across the world and can be viewed in a variety of ways, including by location, category, timeframe and topic. There are also paid tools that can help you analyze data, such as Ahrefs, which helps you understand trending through a combination of search volume, keyword position and site checker results.
The benefits of trending can be significant for a brand, influencer or individual. The visibility of a trending topic can bring in new viewers and increase engagement with existing ones. It can also generate awareness about important issues or events. However, there are some risks associated with trying to make something trend, particularly when it comes to using controversial or insensitive content. As noted in an article by AdWeek, a post that goes viral for the wrong reasons can quickly turn a trend into a negative perception.
One way to get something trending is to have an influencer with a large following tweet it, especially if it has a unique hashtag. This can be a great way to generate interest in an event, movie or TV show, such as season two of Outlander. If the trend is strong enough, it can drive subscriptions to Starz, which distributes the show, and give Sony or whoever owns the rights to the series leverage for a higher price when negotiating distribution deals.
In some cases, a topic may become a trend due to its relevance. For example, if a tragedy happens and is discussed widely on social media, it can generate a lot of interest. However, this is a risky strategy because the tone of posts can easily go from compassion to insensitive.
As a general rule, it’s best to avoid trying to make your business the trending topic. Instead, focus on creating quality content that your audience is searching for and will engage with. Then when it’s ready, you can promote it to the right audiences through platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. By doing so, you can build your reputation as an industry leader and establish trust with customers. Eventually, you’ll be able to reach your goal of becoming the most popular, relevant and trustworthy business in your niche.