Skip to main content

Trending Topics

Track the keywords and hashtags gaining traction—spot what’s rising, what’s fading, and why it matters.

Julie Bevacqua avatar
Written by Julie Bevacqua
Updated this week

In this article

Learn how to use the Trending Topics page to explore what your audience is talking about, including how to:

  • Spot the top and rising keywords in your tracker

  • View keyword trends over time to identify spikes or drop-offs

  • Compare two terms side by side to see which is gaining more traction

  • Scan real posts to understand how each keyword is being used

  • Filter by Sub-Tracker to focus on specific audiences, regions, or themes

Overview

Trending Topics highlights which keywords or hashtags are being mentioned most in your tracker (Top), and which ones are quickly gaining traction (Rising). It’s built to help you adjust your strategy in real time based on what’s catching fire—and what’s fading out.

Watch this overview video on Trending Topics


How to Use Trending Topics

Trending Topics shows you which terms are getting the most attention inside your tracker—either because they’re consistently mentioned, or because they’re suddenly gaining momentum.

To explore it:

  1. Go to Listening & Campaigns

  2. Select your tracker

  3. Click Trending Topics from the left-hand menu

From here, you can:

  • Browse Top (most frequent terms) and Rising (terms gaining traction)

  • Click a keyword to see its Mentions Over Time

  • Scroll to see actual posts using that term

  • Click + Add Subtopic to compare two terms on the same chart

  • Switch between your main tracker and any Sub-Trackers using the dropdown at the top


Top vs. Rising

On the left side of the page, you’ll see two tabs:

  • Top: These are the most frequently mentioned keywords in your tracker

  • Rising: These are keywords that have gained the most ground compared to the previous time period

Each keyword includes:

  • A count of times it appeared

  • A change icon:

    • Green ↑means it’s gaining popularity

    • Red ↓means it's cooling off

    • No arrow means it’s a new keyword that wasn’t ranked previously

Hover over any keyword to view its current and previous rank (when available).


Mentions Over Time

Click on any keyword to bring up a chart showing how mentions of that term have changed over your selected date range.

The chart:

  • Shows mentions over time

  • Updates in real time as new posts are collected

  • Uses your local timezone for reference

Use this view to:

  • Spot spikes and dips in interest

  • Tie keyword surges to specific events, campaigns or dates

  • Monitor campaign momentum

Key insights to look for

  • Sudden spikes in mentions: A term appearing more frequently than usual could signal a growing trend, campaign moment, or emerging conversation.

  • Terms moving from “Rising” to “Top”: When a keyword shifts from “Rising” to “Top,” it’s gaining mainstream traction—use this to validate content themes or marketing angles.

  • Unusual terms in the list: Unexpected keywords might hint at off-topic chatter, media influence, or a change in how your audience is talking.

  • Flatlines or declines: If a high-performing term suddenly drops, it could mean interest is fading or that your campaign message isn’t sticking.

  • One term outpacing another: If comparing two keywords, the stronger performer can reveal which theme, message, or product is resonating most.


Posts Feed

Just below the chart, you’ll see a feed of actual posts that include the selected keyword.

Each post includes:

  • Platform icon and username

  • Post content with your keyword highlighted

  • Engagements (e.g., likes, shares, comments)

  • Reach (estimated audience size)

  • Date posted

Use this feed to:

  • See how your keywords are being used in context

  • Spot standout posts driving the most engagement

  • Pull examples for reports, client recaps, or content inspiration


Add Subtopic

Want to compare two keywords side by side?

Click + Add Subtopic to overlay a second term on your chart.

You'll be able to:

  • Select any second term from either the Top or Rising list

  • Compare how often both terms are mentioned

  • See combined or side-by-side mentions in the Mentions Over Time chart

  • Scan the post feed for posts that include either term—or both together in the same post

It’s a simple way to visualize trends, test different campaign messages, or track competing topics in one view.


Using Sub-Trackers

If you’ve created Sub-Trackers inside your campaign, you can drill into Trending Topics by theme, location, or audience segment.

To do this:

  1. Use the dropdown menu at the top of the page

  2. Select the Sub-Tracker you want to view

Everything—your Top and Rising keywords, mention chart, and post feed—will update to reflect only that slice of the tracker.

This is especially helpful when comparing:

  • Different regions in a global campaign

  • Paid vs. organic activity

  • Partner-specific messaging


Get Help

For additional support, click the chat icon in the bottom right-hand corner and select I'm an existing customer and need support.

Did this answer your question?