Getting trending on social media can be a big boost for any brand, influencer or individual looking to gain visibility and engagement. However, what exactly is a trend and how does something become one?

The word trend is actually quite broad and can refer to many different things. Trends can be seen in pop culture, business, the market, politics and even weather. They are generally cyclical and can last for an undetermined amount of time. They can be serious or fun and can vary in size, from a small group of people to an entire population.

For example, if someone starts to wear their shirt a certain way and other people copy them, this may become a fashion or fad. The weather can also trend if there is a sudden change from hot to cold or vice versa. A trend can also refer to the general direction that a stock price is moving, i.e., upward or downward.

When used on social media, trends are a set of topics or hashtags that have suddenly gained popularity and appear in the Discover or Trending area of a particular platform such as TikTok, Twitter or Instagram. They can also be displayed in the For You or Explore tabs on these platforms. Trends are usually determined by analyzing the volume of keywords or topics that are searched for over a period of time. This is based on both local and global search data. It is important to note that searches with multiple characters, multiple searches by the same person or infrequently searched terms are not considered when determining trends.

As a result, it is difficult to determine what exactly causes a topic or hashtag to become a trend. However, it is thought that the algorithms used by these platforms favor sharp spikes in volume over gradual growth. This may be because they want to ensure that trends are relevant to their users, rather than showing them random or irrelevant content.

For businesses or individuals looking to take advantage of a trend, it is best to do so early on in the cycle, before it becomes too saturated. It is also a good idea to have a unique hashtag that is not already being used, as this can help you stand out. Also, consider the timing of your campaign. If you are trying to get a topic or name to trend during a major event, such as the presidential address, your chances of success will be greatly reduced.

SparkToro has a trending features that scans Twitter for popular topics and displays links to related content. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see what the actual trends are without clicking through and reading each post. Additionally, the platform is targeted towards digital marketers and doesn’t have a filter for other types of content. As a result, the results are not always relevant to other businesses or individuals. A better option is Buzzsumo, which allows users to create custom feeds based on topics and keywords of their choice.