Trending stories can be a goldmine for writers who are willing to jump on them before the crowds. They can drive traffic, build audience engagement, and, if done right, can lead to a thriving business. However, not all trends are created equal and it’s important to only hop on those that align with your industry and brand voice.
The Ice Bucket Challenge, climate change, and the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are all examples of trending topics that broke the internet (or at least dominated social media discussions for a while). The key to creating a successful trend story is finding an angle that separates you from the pack.
You’ll be able to find trending topics by visiting a site like Google Trends or X (aka the place where celebs get canceled and chat wars start). Once you’ve found one that interests you, do some research to make sure it’s not just a fad or something that’s specific to a certain demographic.
Oftentimes, the best way to spot a trend is through your day-to-day work. For example, if you’re on the police beat, you may notice an uptick in drug arrests or car thefts in your city. You can then use this information to inform your audience about the issue and offer solutions to help mitigate it.
Another way to find a trend is through your daily social media feeds. If a particular video is making the rounds on TikTok, you can use platforms like Perplexity to see search volume and explore related keywords to find a potential topic for a story.