Social media is constantly evolving, with new topics and trends emerging daily. As a business, resting on top of these trends is crucial to ensure your social media presence is relevant, engaging, and effective. In this blog post, we'll explore five tips and tools to help you discover what topics are trending on social media.
TIP #1 – Use Social Media Listening Tools
Social media changes quickly, and staying up-to-date with these changes is essential for businesses to have a relevant and engaging online presence. One way to do this is by using social media monitoring tools such as Hootsuite, Semrush, or Brand24. These tools allow you to track and analyze social media conversations in real-time, giving you insights into the current popular topics.
By setting up keyword searches and monitoring brand mentions, you can ensure your social media presence is updated and effective. For instance, if you are in the technology industry, you could track keywords such as #TechNews, #Innovation, #DigitalTransformation, and so on.
Most social media monitoring tools also have the option to set up alerts for specific keywords and hashtags. This will notify you whenever there is a mention of the keywords or hashtags you are tracking.
You can also collect and analyze all mentions of the keywords and hashtags you track, giving you an overview of the volume and sentiment of these mentions. By analyzing this data, you can determine the topics that are gaining traction on social media and stay current with the latest trends.
TIP #2 – Check Trending Hashtags
As we previously mentioned, hashtags are a powerful tool on social media, allowing users to easily participate in conversations about specific topics. On platforms like Twitter, you can find a “Trending” section that displays the most popular hashtags at any given time. You can also use the hashtag autocomplete feature on most social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These features provide a quick and simple way to stay informed about the current topics being discussed on social media. By keeping track of these trending hashtags, you can be among the first to jump on a new and popular topic, ensuring that your content remains relevant and up-to-date.
You can also use hashtags to join and start conversations. Creating your own unique hashtag can be a great way to generate interest and engage with your followers. For example, you could use your hashtag to run a contest, host a virtual event, or simply encourage your followers to share their thoughts and experiences. Two successful examples of brands using hashtags for communication are Coca-Cola's #ShareaCoke and Nike's #JustDoIt. The #ShareaCoke campaign encouraged customers to buy bottles with their friends' names and share pictures of them enjoying the drinks together. Nike's iconic hashtag, #JustDoIt, has been used for years to encourage people to pursue their passions and push themselves to their limits. The hashtag has become synonymous with the brand and is widely recognized around the world. Both hashtags helped increase brand awareness and engagement on social media and made the brands more relatable to their customers.
Whether you use hashtags to follow the latest trends or to start your own conversations, they are a crucial tool for success on social media. By leveraging the power of hashtags, you can reach more people and connect with your audience on a deeper level. So, don't hesitate to join the hashtag conversation and start using them to your advantage today!
TIP #3 – Monitor News and Media Outlets
News and media outlets play a crucial role in shaping the public's perception of current events and breaking news stories. In today's fast-paced digital world, where news spreads quickly and public attention shifts rapidly, monitoring news and media outlets is essential to staying on top of the latest trends and keeping your content fresh and relevant. By following reputable sources such as CNN, The New York Times or BBC News, you can stay informed about the latest trends and topics in real-time. Whether it's a breaking news story, a viral meme, or a hot topic in your industry, staying informed will help you stay one step ahead of the competition.
In addition to following news and media outlets, you can also use tools such as Google News to search for specific topics and stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments. This can be especially useful if you're looking to target a specific audience or industry. By combining the insights you gain from news and media outlets with your own research and analysis, you'll be well-equipped to identify and capitalize on the hottest trends and topics.
TIP #4 – Keep an Eye on Competitors
When it comes to staying ahead of the curve on social media, keeping an eye on your competitors is key. After all, they likely have similar target audiences and are facing similar challenges and opportunities in your industry. By monitoring your competitors' social media presence, you can gain valuable insights into what's working for them, and what topics and content types are resonating with their audience.
This includes paying attention to the types of posts they are sharing, the level of engagement they are receiving, and the hashtags they are using. For example, if you see that a competitor's posts about a certain topic are getting a lot of likes, comments, and shares, it could be a sign that this is a hot topic in your industry that you should be paying attention to. Similarly, if you notice that a competitor is using a certain hashtag in their posts, it's worth taking a closer look to see if it's a trending topic that could be relevant to your business.
Again, tools like Hootsuite, Semrush, or Brand24 can help you keep an eye on your competitors' social media presence.
TIP #5 – Utilize Google Trends
Google Trends is an invaluable tool that allows businesses to stay ahead of the curve and keep their social media presence up-to-date and relevant. This free tool provides real-time insights into what topics and keywords are currently generating buzz on the internet.
By using this service, businesses can not only stay informed on the latest trends and topics, but they can also get creative with their content strategies. For example, Google Trends can help businesses identify related topics and keyword ideas that they may not have considered otherwise. This is a great way to reach new audiences and keep your content fresh and engaging.
Additionally, you can find data on the geographical and demographic interest in specific topics, which can help businesses tailor their content to their target audience. This can help businesses reach the right people at the right time with the right message.
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We at Highway 61 are a team of professionals – creative minds with a data-based approach, using cutting-edge technology to help customers thrive. We embrace the new digital communication opportunities in the metaverse and caress the analog personal encounter.
Our goal is to create a customer journey that inspires your customers and enables your business to grow. We not only support you in establishing a meaningful connection with your target audience and differentiating yourself and your offerings from the competition. We focus on emotions and results and always keep a rigid eye on budget adherence.
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