A trend is something that seems to be popular at a given moment. It could be a topic, hashtag, photo, video or even an app. When you use a social media platform’s ‘trending’ tab, you can see what’s being talked about around the world. These trends are based on how many people search for a certain topic or keyword.

Understanding trends can help you plan your marketing strategy and stay ahead of the curve. Whether you want to find out what your target audience is searching for or how to capitalize on a new fad, trending tools can give you insight into what your customers are interested in.

The ‘trending’ feature is available on all major social media platforms, from Twitter to TikTok to Instagram. The trends appear in the top section of your feed or under the ‘Explore’ tab. To make a post or video trend, it must be searched for by a large number of users and have a high ‘interest’ score. If a trend gets enough traction, it can be featured on the front page of your account.

YouTube’s ‘trending’ tab shows videos that have been searched for by lots of viewers. Unlike other popular social networks, YouTube doesn’t allow its content creators to choose which videos appear in the Trending tab. The company curates the list to keep advertisers happy, but this can have consequences for some creators. For example, Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg has had his videos removed from the trending tab because it was deemed to be offensive or “harmful.”

Facebook and Google also have a ‘trending’ feature that displays topics that are popular in your area. The algorithms behind these features are complex and debated by journalists, marketers and technologists. Twitter’s ‘trending’ feature is arguably the most useful as it allows you to track breaking news in real time. It’s where you can find out what your favorite celebrities are tweeting about, when new songs are released or even what local events are happening.

Google Trends is a free tool that can be used for research and to predict the popularity of products and services. Its data can be used to inform your SEO and PPC strategies. For example, if you notice that a particular product is trending in your region, it could be a good idea to boost its online presence and invest in related paid advertising.

It’s worth noting that the trending data is influenced by geography and can be quite volatile, so you should use it with caution. Trends can also change quickly, so you should check regularly to make sure that the information is still accurate. For example, searches for ‘new houses’ can rise and fall as the economy changes.