Trending is when a topic, hashtag or keyword becomes popular on a social media platform and receives more attention and visibility than normal. Trends are determined by algorithms that analyze likes, shares, comments, searches and other user activity to identify topics and content that are gaining popularity at a given moment. Typically, platforms display trending content within their Explore or Trends sections (i.e. TikTok’s FYP).
Social media trends can come in the form of hashtags, keywords or specific phrases that are being discussed at a given time. They can also include events, viral videos and other topics that are popular on a certain day or week. Many brands use trends to create content that resonates with their audience, and to boost engagement with their posts. However, it’s important to be mindful of what trends you participate in and how they may impact your brand.
It’s no secret that YouTube’s algorithm decides what appears on the Trending page. However, the company isn’t transparent about how the algorithm works and this leads to speculation that YouTube’s trends are biased toward certain videos or content creators. For example, some creators have complained that their content hasn’t been featured on the page despite hitting high view counts while others are upset that videos they’ve created don’t seem to be making the cut.
Most social media platforms tailor what appears in their trends to the user viewing them, taking into account their location, previous likes or searches and who they follow. This ensures that you’re seeing the most relevant trends for your needs. However, this can also lead to erroneous trends being displayed, such as when an event or trend is disproportionately popular in one region but not another.
If you’re not careful, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using trends for content that doesn’t fit your business or brand. Trends can be a great source of inspiration, but they’re not necessarily a sign that something is popular in your target market.
While you can take advantage of trends to inform your content strategy, you should always keep in mind that your followers signed up for your business because they enjoy the value you provide. Don’t use trends as a way to spam your audience with irrelevant content, or you could damage your brand image.
Keep in mind that some trends are predictable and can be planned for in advance. For example, weekly recurring trends like #motivationmonday or #transformationtuesday tend to trend every week, so you can plan out your content for those days in advance. Other trends are more seasonal, or related to holidays or upcoming events. Keeping up with these types of trends can give your audience a sense that you are on top of current events, which will increase the likelihood of them engaging with your content. This, in turn, will boost your ROI. So be sure to take the time to research what’s currently trending before diving into creating your next post or video.