Trending topics are subjects that see a sudden increase in popularity on social media platforms. These topics are shown in areas like the sidebar on Twitter and in search results on some websites. Ecommerce businesses can use trends to find out what is being talked about and to make posts or ads that capture consumer interest. Trends evolve around cultural occurrences such as movie premieres, TV shows, celebrity announcements, social concerns and breaking news. The popularity of a topic can last for one day to a week.
Ecommerce companies that participate in trending discussions may see their posts or ads appear on more users’ feeds and searches. Trends can also help online stores appear in more local searches, which could boost traffic.
Participating in a trending discussion can be risky, depending on how a company handles the situation and how it is perceived by consumers. For example, an insensitive post during a tragedy can turn the attention from a concern for human suffering to accusations of corporate greed or disrespect. The best approach is to be aware of the history of a topic and avoid posting unrelated content, which violates Twitter’s rules on trend abuse and may lead to account suspension.