“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” It’s a sentiment that rings true for a lot of marketing initiatives and trends. Seeing trends before they are happening is a marketing superpower, so let’s get into how to be a trendspotter hero.
First thing’s first: Following trends and trendspotting are NOT the same. Trendspotters identify the upcoming trends and capitalize on them early (like the hipsters of strategy, they do it before it’s mainstream).
The 3 types of digital trends often found:
- Fleeting trends that burn bright and fade fast.
- Consolidative trends happen when smaller trends merge over time, creating a bigger, wide-reaching trend.
- Macro or society-shaping trends that can span multiple audiences, demographics, or cultures.
We are gonna note that trendspotting is a little different than traditional market research. Here’s a visual:
Where trendspotting fits into your digital strategy:
Now that you have the definitions down, how do you get it done? Keeping your eyes and ears open on top of your daily grind (we know, that’s easier said than done). Monitor market behavior
- Monitor market behavior – This is where data tracking is gonna be your bestie. The best snapshots are usually found in YOY trends, but spotting trends ahead of time means knowing that data well and seeing monthly changes, too.
- Analyze search trends within an industry – now it’s not very often you’ll discover a major trend across the whole wide world of marketing. Get granular and pay attention to industries and the sub-businesses within an industry. For this, that means throwing yourself deep into something. After all, where did TikTok come from? A niche app called Musical.ly.
Check out Similarweb’s full article for more trendspotting advice and resources.
