Trending is a process of identifying and tracking a shift in consumer/market behavior, or in the case of business, company performance. Companies rely on skilled teams of social media and SEO experts to identify trends, then create content around them that is both relevant and engaging. Often, the process of trend analysis requires the use of statistical measures that can be subject to interpretation, and the results can vary depending on the application.

On Twitter, trends are displayed in the “Trending” section, which is usually on the left side of the home page or within the Explore tab. The trending topics that a user sees may be personalized based on their location, language, and other factors.

To become a trend, a topic must show significant volume growth over a short period of time. This increase in volume is usually due to a significant spike or flurry of activity, such as an event or viral video. Twitter’s algorithm may also take into consideration the speed at which a topic gains popularity. Trends that gain traction quickly are typically more valuable for marketers and brands.

If a topic’s popularity decreases, it can become a downtrend. When a topic starts to decline, the volume of tweets mentioning it drops significantly. During this phase, traders focus on selling or shorting shares, hoping to minimize losses or make a profit from the price drop. Downtrends often reverse at some point, and a new uptrend can start.

When it comes to social media, brands, and marketers can take advantage of trends to amplify their reach and engagement, and attract more followers and search engine traffic. However, it is essential to approach trending topics with sensitivity and to ensure that the message is consistent with the brand voice and principles, as well as the target demographics. Otherwise, the brand can risk appearing inauthentic or contrived.

While some brands and businesses rely on social media experts to identify trends, others may use software programs like Google Trends to track keywords in their niche. These programs can help identify the most popular keywords in a specific region, as well as the competition level for those keywords. They can be particularly useful in identifying keywords that may be good candidates for blog posts or naming product categories.

To get the most out of using trends, brands and marketers should ensure that they are using a unique hashtag when creating a call to action. They should also research the trends to determine what events or news is causing them to surge, as this could influence how fast or slow they rise. Lastly, it is a good idea to look at the trending topics of competitors to see how they are approaching this process and to learn from their strategies.