Trending

What does trending means?

In social media and digital marketing, trending refers to topics, content, or hashtags that are experiencing a surge in popularity and engagement within a specific timeframe.

 These trends reflect what a significant number of users are discussing, sharing, or interacting with at a particular moment.

Trends can emerge organically through user activity or be influenced by current events, viral content, seasonal themes, or coordinated marketing campaigns. Understanding and leveraging trends can significantly boost content visibility and engagement.

How trending works on social platforms?

Each major social platform has its own system for identifying and displaying trends:

Twitter/X trending

Twitter's algorithm identifies trending topics based on sudden spikes in conversation rather than overall volume alone. This allows emerging topics to gain visibility even if they don't match the absolute highest conversation volumes.

Twitter displays trends in a dedicated section, often categorized by location and interest areas. These trends typically feature hashtags, keywords, or phrases experiencing rapid growth in mentions.

Instagram trending

On Instagram, trends manifest primarily through trending hashtags, Reels challenges, and content featured on the Explore page. The platform's algorithm considers factors like engagement rate, recency, and relevance to determine trending content.

Instagram trends tend to be more visual and often involve specific content formats or creative approaches that gain momentum among users.

TikTok trending

TikTok's algorithm is especially known for its ability to rapidly amplify trending content. The platform features trending hashtags, sounds, and challenges on its Discover page, highlighting content formats that are gaining traction.

TikTok trends often revolve around specific sounds, dance routines, or creative formats that users adapt and personalize, creating viral waves of related content.

LinkedIn trending

LinkedIn displays trending topics in its news section, focusing on professional conversations and industry-relevant discussions. These trends tend to reflect business news, workplace topics, and professional development themes.

Types of trends

Social media trends fall into several categories:

Hashtag trends

Hashtags serve as organizational tools that can trend when many users incorporate them into their posts within a short period. These range from event-specific tags like #SuperBowl to movement-based tags like #ThrowbackThursday.

For marketers, understanding how to use hashtags effectively is critical for participating in and leveraging trending conversations.

Content format trends

These trends involve specific types of content that gain widespread popularity, such as:

• Short-form vertical videos (popularized by TikTok and Instagram Reels)
• Carousel posts with educational slides
• Before-and-after transformations
• User participation challenges

Understanding these format trends helps marketers create content that resonates with current user preferences.

Topic-based trends

These trends center around specific subjects generating significant conversation, such as:

• Current events and breaking news
• Cultural moments and entertainment releases
• Seasonal themes and holidays
• Viral stories or memes

Monitoring topic trends helps brands identify relevant conversations to join authentically.

Platform-specific trends

Each platform develops unique trending formats that work especially well within its ecosystem:

• Twitter threads for extended storytelling
• Instagram carousel posts for multi-image narratives
• TikTok challenges for participatory content
• LinkedIn carousels for professional insights

The value of trending content for marketers

Leveraging trends offers several key benefits for digital marketers:

Increased visibility and reach

Trending content often receives preferential treatment from platform algorithms, appearing more frequently in users' feeds and discovery sections. This algorithmic boost can dramatically expand your content's reach beyond your existing follower base.

Enhanced engagement

Content that taps into trends typically generates higher engagement rates as users are already primed to interact with that topic or format. This increased engagement further signals to algorithms that your content is relevant and worthy of additional distribution.

Demonstrated relevance

Participating in appropriate trends shows that your brand is current and in touch with audience interests. This perceived relevance builds connection with your audience and positions your brand as an active participant in cultural conversations.

Audience growth opportunity

Trending content creates opportunities to reach new audience segments who are following the trend but may not yet be familiar with your brand. This exposure can lead to follower growth and community expansion.

Strategies for identifying trends

To effectively leverage trends, marketers need systematic approaches to trend identification:

Utilize platform trending sections

Most social platforms feature dedicated sections highlighting current trends. Regularly checking these native trend indicators provides immediate insight into what's gaining traction.

Implement monitoring tools

Dedicated trend monitoring tools help identify emerging conversations before they reach peak popularity. These tools track conversation volume, growth rates, and engagement patterns to spot rising trends.

Follow industry influencers

Industry influencers often serve as early adopters or creators of trends within their niches. Monitoring their content can provide advance notice of potential trending topics or formats.

Track hashtag performance

Analyzing hashtag usage and performance helps identify which tags are gaining momentum. Tools like hashtag generators and analytics platforms can provide insight into trending hashtags within specific industries or topics.

Best practices for leveraging trends

To effectively incorporate trends into your marketing strategy:

Ensure brand relevance

Only participate in trends that align naturally with your brand values, voice, and audience interests. Forced participation in irrelevant trends can damage authenticity and credibility.

Act quickly

Trends have limited lifespans, so timely participation is essential. Having streamlined content approval processes allows brands to join conversations while they're still gaining momentum rather than after they've peaked.

Add unique value

Rather than simply replicating trending content, find ways to add your brand's unique perspective or value. This differentiation helps your content stand out among the many participants joining the trend.

Prepare for trend opportunities

Develop templates and response frameworks that allow for quick adaptation to relevant trends. This preparation enables faster response when suitable trends emerge.

Measuring trend participation success

To evaluate the effectiveness of trend-based content:

• Compare engagement rates of trend-related content versus standard content
• Track new follower acquisition during trend participation
• Monitor brand mention growth during and after trend involvement
• Analyze audience sentiment around your trend participation

By continuously refining your approach to trends based on these metrics, you can optimize the role of trending content within your broader social media strategy.