Trending is when certain topics, hashtags, and keywords become popular and receive more visibility and engagement on a social media platform like Twitter or TikTok. These trends are displayed in an area on the platform’s homepage (like Twitter’s Trending section or TikTok’s FYP). The way trends are identified and categorized is mostly determined by algorithms that analyze data from various sources, including the number of mentions and interactions from people using the platform.
Oftentimes, these algorithms take into account the volume of a keyword over time as well as the average of the frequency of the term. The trending algorithm also accounts for the proximity of a topic or hashtag in relation to other terms used on the platform. This helps identify a trend when it’s most relevant to the audience. In addition, most platforms have a “decay” factor in place that prevents a topic from staying at the top of the Trending section for too long, so newer posts and trends can take its place.
Many brands use trends to their advantage by participating in them and posting about them on their social media platforms. Trends help marketers keep their finger on the pulse and actively participate in conversations with their audience in real-time, as well as gauge what their audiences are paying attention to.
However, it’s important to note that trends are not always positive or helpful. For example, some challenges or memes that go viral are not always productive or healthy and can be incredibly destructive. It’s also worth mentioning that trends can be manipulated by individuals or groups of users, with the intention of gaining popularity for a particular topic. This has happened for political reasons, as well as in a more playful manner by teenage fans of specific celebrities or cultural phenomena, such as certain musicians or films.
Fortunately, you can customize the types of trends you see on Twitter by choosing your preferences in the settings menu or on your profile page. You can also change your location to only see trends in your city or country.
YouTube allows you to customize the trends you see in your timeline by tapping the menu icon and selecting “Settings and privacy.” You can then choose which regions of the world you want to be shown trends for and which categories of content you’d like to appear in.
It’s important to know how your platform determines trends so that you can make informed decisions about whether or not you should participate in them. It’s also important to remember that trends can be manipulated by individuals and groups of users, so you should think twice before you decide to follow them. After all, popularity or attention should never come at the expense of your safety or the safety of others.