What are Trends on Twitter and How to Use Them

The Internet is a vast, endless asset filled with potential just waiting for someone to grab it and use it. Twitter is one of the most popular and utilized social media websites with over 300 million users. Companies and marketers are all vying for ways to make that work in their favor. Going viral is the mark of success on social media and trending on Twitter is the way to get that done. Unfortunately, no one can just decide to trend because that reaction is entirely up to Twitter users. So, how does a company grasp trending and make it work for them?

To do anything well, you must first become familiar with theterritory. Before going to college, you look into the academic programs and tour the campus. What do you do prior to your big job interview? You look at the company’s website and found out what they are all about. Can you find success in a project by jumping in blindly with no idea what you are doing? Sure. It’s been known to happen. However, you significantly up your chance of being successful if you do your research ahead of time.

This is true for trends on Twitter as well. Do you understand Twitter? If not, register an account and take it for a spin first. Look into what is trending. Why is it trending? What contributes to the trend? Just like a keyword density search, what trends will work for your cause or business? How are people reacting to the trends? The answers to this information will make you so much more prepared to use trending wisely.

Many companies wanting to take advantage of Twitter trending, head straight to the top ten trends. Then they try to find a way to incorporate what they are doing into what is already hot. The idea has merit. Those trends are already grabbing attention and making waves and jumping onto those coattails might help you.

The masses of Twitter are wise. They can spot a fake interaction. While some believe any attention is good attention, a bright spotlight on how not to use social media is not the way you want to gain visibility. Also, if the trend isn’t related to what you are selling – how effective is the attention you are getting? Things will peak for a short time but then people will drift away because the audience was interested in the trend, not you.

However, don’t give up on trending just because the Top Ten doesn’t suit you. There is so much out there on Twitter and a niche market or service can still make an impression on social media even if it can’t break the top ten barrier.

Like with any fad, some are meatier than others. Trends are destined to be temporary so it’s important that companies focus on solid trendsand not just what is trendy. The goal behind trending on Twitter is to get enough people talking, and posting, and #hashtaging an idea. However, the true motivation for businesses should be to not only get people talking but to keep them talking long after the trending stalls. The trend is the hook but it requires sustenance to convert those conversations into loyal followers. Ask yourself if this trend has the potential to do that or if it’s just a spur of the moment fancy that fades just as easily as it soared?

Twitter is a tool and, if understood, can be used to manipulate and garner new followers. However, like so many other paths, if you take the easy route and only think of Twitter as a tool to be used to increase your business then you are missing out on the true potential it possesses. Spamming, scamming, and cutting corners will be apparent to anyone interested enough to pay attention to you.

Join the conversation or a start a new one. Engage and interact with your followers in ways that feel meaningful to both you and your audience. If you are going to invest this much time in figuring out Twitter and its trends, make that time valuable and productive. Find the right trends. Pay attention to what is trending and don’t miss out on something that truly works for what you do. Get familiar with Twitter’s tools and the best way to monitor trends and conversations. Really connect with people and then don’t forget to follow up with them.  Monitor, track and study your results so you can focus on which are working for you. Then repeatyour successes. These are the ways to journey through trending and make it a viable part of your social media arsenal.

Get the idea of how best to utilize Twitter trending but still not sure where to start? Give us a call to brainstorm where to begin or how to make the most out of what you are already doing.