How to Create Trending Videos

We can analyze thousands of topics and niches, attempting to predict future trends by examining the past, but the reality is that trends in the media space, unlike those in fashion, are far more ambiguous.

Therefore, it's important for us to understand the following:

What are trends?

Trends refer to patterns or movements that gain popularity over a period of time. In the digital space, trends reflect the content, topics, or formats that attract widespread attention and engagement, shaping what people talk about, consume, or create at a given moment.

The simplest and most widely used way to classify trends is by time period.

• Short-term trends

To understand what kind of content fits into this category, let’s look at some examples. 

The following might strike a chord with some  or evoke nostalgia in others, but let’s look back at a time of self-isolation. We couldn’t go outside, found ourselves distanced from society, and had to find ways to entertain ourselves.

In 2020, the cooperative online game Among Us suddenly became extremely popular, despite having barely any interest before the pandemic. The game was released back in 2018, but it only became a trend during the period of self-isolation and remote work, when young people were actively seeking ways to occupy themselves. The game was also heavily promoted by Twitch streamers. It united gamers from different countries and became the most downloaded game of September 2020. While Among Us hasn't been completely forgotten, it has certainly fallen out of trend—and that happened quite some time ago.

• Long-term trends

The format of short featuring a "talking head" can be classified as a long-term trend. While many creators are now focusing on producing more visually engaging content, it doesn't change the fact that most creators still often just grab a camera and start recording. Whether to share emotions, impressions, or report urgent news, this straightforward approach remains popular.

• Local trends

In the 2010s, the Ice Bucket Challenge gained popularity in America. The challenge aimed to raise awareness about motor neuron disease and encourage donations to support its research. Participants, including media personalities and everyday internet users, would explain the cause, pour ice-cold water over themselves (sometimes with ice), and then challenge others to do the same.

But why is this considered a local trend? Because its widespread participation was primarily limited to the American public.

• Global trends

Let’s consider a simple example—jeans. Whether in the 80s or the 2020s, people have always loved denim.

 The styles may change—flares, straight leg, boyfriend, skinny—choose whichever suits you, but denim itself has remained timeless for decades and likely will for many more.

 Well, at least until humanity starts wearing holographic clothing.

In the end, trends aren’t as straightforward as they might seem at first, right? For every creator it’s essential to decide: what do you want to create on your channel? Trendy content? Great. But what kind?

Do you want to always stay on trend, like the evergreen MrBeast on YouTube?

Or maybe you want to create short-lived but impactful trends, like Bella Porch, who made one of the most popular TikToks of 2020?

Of course, Bella is still quite popular now, but no longer as a TikToker, but as a singer and streamer. However, people have long forgotten about that trend.

Therefore, understanding the type of trendy content you want to create is crucial for developing a long-term strategy for your channel.

Let’s assume you've decided on the kind of trendy content you want to make. But what comes next? How do you turn ordinary videos into trending ones?

Tools for creating trending videos

The first and most important step in creating trending videos is choosing the right platform. At first glance, it may seem like all video hosting platforms are the same, with similar rules: you upload videos, people watch them, and you get likes. However, it's more complex than that. Each platform attracts a different audience.

What does that mean? Primarily, it refers to age demographics. According to data from 2024, platforms like X.com and Instagram have the highest concentration of middle-aged users, specifically between 30 and 39 years old.

On YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, the majority of the audience consists of young people aged 20 to 29. Facebook, on the other hand, primarily attracts an adult audience aged 50 and older. What does this tell us? Different age groups are interested in different things.

That's why we're used to seeing, for example, that grandmothers most often watch certain TV series, parents watch the news, and children prefer more entertaining content like youth series, music shows, or programs with modern humor.

Therefore, to land in the trending section on any platform, it's essential to first understand the audience that prefers YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram and what their interests are.

This means you will have to:

• Check which videos are currently in the trending and recommended sections 
• Study the goals and direction of each platform
• Ask friends and acquaintances what they like and what topics interest their relatives  

But don't forget that during this analysis, you should align with your own interests and skills. After all, there’s no point in diving into a niche dominated by car enthusiasts if you don't even have a driver's license.

Once you've chosen a platform, try to understand which segment your target audience falls into, and whether it's realistic to create viral content and create trends within that space. 

And don't be intimidated by the word "viral" (or "hype"). It doesn't mean something scandalous or primitive, as we often think. Hype is simply something everyone is talking about,and trying to engage with. So even in a niche like cooking, where "hype" might sound unusual", it’s entirely possible to launch something viral.

For example, in recent years, the Hagrid cake from *Harry Potter* has become a huge trend among millennials, so why not consider that a trend?

So, what else does a creator have at their disposal to set trends? Once again, the answer is—the platform itself. The most useful and important information for creators is often right in front of them.

While not every platform offers this, most have their own social media accounts or even blogs where they share updates and upcoming trends. YouTube is, of course, the best example, with its own dedicated channel and blog.

At the end or beginning of each year, the YouTube team releases an article about upcoming season trends, listing their achievements, identifying trends through content analysis, and outlining the formats they plan to focus on in the coming year. 

YouTube’s team analyzes creators' success on the platform, monitors marketing strategies, and from that, draws conclusions about what might take off in the next season. This invaluable information gives us, as creators, a complete understanding of what to expect, where to aim, and what to strive for.

To create trending content, the first step is to choose the right platform, because statistics show that the needs of different age groups vary greatly. Pay close attention to the updates the platform itself offers, and you'll be better equipped to create truly trending content.

Services for finding trending content

In articles about how to create popular and engaging content, we often recommend using various tools and websites, such as Google Trends. It's one of the best platforms for finding trending content. The key feature of Google Trends is that you can enter a topic, like "knitting," and see how popular it is at the moment.

For this example, we searched within the USA over the past year and focused on YouTube searches. This way, we can determine how interesting the topic of knitting is in video format.

What do we observe? Throughout the year, the peak interest was during the fall and winter months, and it started to decline as spring approached. 

What does this tell us? Knitting captures the audience's attention during colder months when people are drawn to cozy indoor activities. The best times for this activity are those quiet, warm evenings at home. In the summer, however, knitting isn't as popular, simply because staying indoors becomes less appealing. It's hot, potentially boring, and people are more likely to spend time outdoors with friends, go on vacations, or engage in more active hobbies.

Now, let's compare two different activities—crochet and crafts.

The trend doesn’t shift significantly, but we can already conclude that the topic of handicrafts is quite seasonal. This means creating trending content in this area can be highly localized due to low demand. Additionally, it's fairly short-term, which is another important factor to consider.

Now, let’s move on to the next tool—TrendHunter.

What does it offer? Right away, you’ll find a list of trending niches, helping you focus on the topics being explored within them. 

These include popular areas such as artificial intelligence, technology, culture, advertising, eco-friendly trends, and more—essentially, everything that shapes the world around us.

Additionally, TrendHunter provides various articles that can be filtered by type, such as image-based articles, lists, videos on current trends, and more.

And finally, TrendHunter offers us current trending topics from around the world—what ideas are at the top, which places, products, media personalities, and brands are trending.

Another interesting site is WGSN, a leading global company specializing in consumer trend forecasting.

The free version offers a good amount of material on trends that are of interest to or may attract buyers, viewers, and readers. Of course, the focus here is on commerce and which products generate the most interest. Still, this can help create a pretty solid content plan.

However, when we mention "free," you might be curious about what's included in the paid version. It promises access to thousands of carefully curated trends and analytical materials, but it seems to be more suited for those developing a business rather than video content creators.

What's trending now

First and foremost, it's important to acknowledge that keeping up with trends, analyzing data, and staying informed is undoubtedly beneficial. However, don’t get too caught up in it. Remember, you didn’t start making videos just to chase trends or rigidly follow platform rules.

You’re a blogger, a creator—call yourself whatever you like, but that doesn’t change the core of what you do. You’re engaging in creativity, and creativity is a vast space for experimentation and self-expression. So, don’t get too fixated on doing things “the right way.” And always make sure that what you’re creating truly resonates with you.

Second, trends are set by ordinary people. So who are we? Don't think that you're incapable of becoming a trendsetter. Sometimes it happens through trial and error, and sometimes completely by chance. 

For instance, someone once uploaded a video of a sneezing kitten. People realized it was cute and funny, which led them to start capturing their pets in amusing situations too.

Now, let's get to the core.

What topics are likely to be trending? Those that bring the most profit to their creators. In other words, topics that can be effectively monetized and will continue to be monetized in the future. 

For example, business niches are one such area. This topic interests a vast number of people. Many have the mindset of “I don’t want to work for someone else,” and this sentiment is becoming increasingly significant each year. This is evidenced by the millions of training programs and startups emerging worldwide.

By the way, business-related themes and various personal development training are trends that have firmly established themselves globally. 

We also shouldn’t forget about topics related to artificial intelligence.Neural networks can now animate Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa or create a realistic image of a tiny elephant sitting on a human palm. While people are captivated by these possibilities, many still don’t fully understand how the technology behind it works.

Therefore, by mastering the topic of artificial intelligence, you can position yourself as a creator who has caught the first wave of the future and is able to teach others how to work effectively with neural networks.

Additionally, promoting yourself on social media and vlogging has been, is, and will continue to be a trending topic. The concept of being a "vlogger" is no longer trivial—it has firmly established itself as a profession. We also can't deny how rapidly the media landscape is evolving.

However, in the pursuit of trending content, many creators—including you—often forget to include other important types of videos, such as evergreen content. These are videos that attract your audience slowly but steadily, while also fostering loyalty and building a stronger connection with your viewers.

So, our advice is to stay on trend, but also provide your audience with content that keeps them coming back and maintains an emotional connection. Yes, it takes a lot of work, but the more thoughtful and dedicated your efforts, the more meaningful your results will be.