9 Ways To Find Trending Topics On YouTube In 2024
Are you overwhelmed trying to find trending video ideas to entertain your audience and grow your YouTube channel?
You’re not alone.
Many YouTube creators face this challenge.
It isn’t easy to find trending videos that grow consistently on YouTube.
But what if I told you there are proven methods to uncover the hottest trends and skyrocket your views?
I’ve personally used these techniques to grow my YouTube channel by over 54,000 views in just 90 days, and I’m excited to share them with you.
In this YouTuber’s guide, you’ll learn how to:
1. Leverage YouTube’s trending feed for inspiration.
2. Use powerful tools like VidIQ and 1of10 to discover trending keywords.
3. Analyze your competitors’ top-performing videos.
4. Use Google Trends and other trend-spotting platforms.
5. Find trending topics on social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter.
6. Bonus: Just Use YouTube Search.
I created a video tutorial to have you follow along:
1. Use the YouTube Trending Feed as Your Starting Point
One of the easiest ways to find trending YouTube topics is to check out the trending tab.
The YouTube trending page showcases the platform's most popular content, highlighting videos that capture the audience’s attention in real-time.
This section shows you the most popular videos currently getting many views.
For example, if you’re in the gaming niche, check out what games are trending in the trending feed.
You can then make reaction videos or record yourself playing those games to ride the wave of popularity.
Just remember to add your own unique spin and personality to your content instead of copying the trending videos exactly.
By watching YouTube trends and putting your own twist on them, you’ll be well on your way to creating videos that people can’t wait to watch.
Understanding the dynamics of the YouTube Trending page can be invaluable for creators looking for inspiration and insights into what content is currently resonating with viewers.
2. Discover Outlier Videos
Want to know what’s working for other YouTube creators?
Look for viral videos that are getting way more views than their usual content.
You can use 1of10 to find these “outlier” videos.
It shows which videos perform better than a channel’s normal view count. This is a great way to get ideas for your own videos.
You can model your titles after those doing well, get inspiration from their thumbnails, and even find channels that consistently publish popular content.
VidIQ is another tool that has a similar feature for finding outlier videos.
Both 1of10 and VidIQ have free Chrome extensions that you can use to manually analyze channels and see which videos are performing well.
By studying these successful examples, you’ll be ready to create your own videos that have the potential to go viral!
3. Leverage the YouTube Analytics “Research” Tab
The YouTube Analytics “Research” tab is a powerful, free tool that provides valuable insights into what your target audience is searching for.
This information can help you create content that resonates with them.
This tool shows you a list of popular search queries related to your channel, giving you plenty of ideas for new videos.
Since the data comes directly from your own audience, it’s highly relevant and can help you make videos that are more likely to succeed.
By using this keyword research tool, you’ll never run out of content ideas that your viewers will love.
Next time you’re stuck on what to create, head over to your YouTube Analytics and see what your target audience is looking for!
4. Use Trend Spotting Platforms
Trend spotting platforms like Exploding Topics and Glimpse are amazing resources for finding hot topics that are blowing up.
These tools work for any niche or use case, making them incredibly versatile.
Using these platforms, you can discover trending searches and see which keywords are generating the most search volume.
This information helps create content that people are actually interested in.
Whether you’re in the gaming, beauty, or finance niche, trend spotting platforms can help you stay on top of the latest trends and create videos that will get views.
So why not give them a try and see what exciting new topics you can uncover?
5. Find Trends on TikTok
TikTok isn’t just a place for dance challenges and funny skits, it’s also a goldmine for finding trending topics.
By exploring TikTok, you can discover which hashtags and keywords are getting a lot of attention.
To find these trends, open the TikTok app and start browsing.
Look for videos with high view counts and engagement, and note the hashtags and keywords they’re using.
You can also use the search function to look for specific topics or niches.
Another great way to find trends on TikTok is by looking at the “Discover” page.
This section showcases popular hashtags and challenges currently trending on the app.
By keeping an eye on this page, you can stay up-to-date on the latest trends and get ideas for your own content.
So next time you’re on TikTok, pay attention to the trending hashtags and keywords.
6. Google Trends for YouTube Ideas
Google Trends is a free tool to help you find trending searches and topics for your YouTube videos.
It’s super easy to use, and another benefit is that Google Trends is FREE.
One of Google Trends' best features is the “Trending Searches” section.
This page shows you the hottest keywords and topics that people are searching for on Google.
You can use this information to create relevant and timely videos.
Another great way to use Google Trends is by searching for specific keywords related to your niche.
This will show you how popular those keywords are over time and can give you an idea of which topics are worth covering in videos.
7. Catch Trends on Twitter
Twitter is another fantastic platform for finding trending topics and ideas for your YouTube videos.
With millions of users tweeting every day, there’s always something new and exciting happening on the platform.
Check out the “Trends” section on the homepage to find trends on Twitter.
This section shows you the most popular hashtags and topics people are discussing.
You can also use the search bar to find specific keywords or topics related to your niche.
Another way to catch trends on Twitter is by following influential accounts in your industry.
These accounts often tweet about the latest news and trends, giving you plenty of ideas for your own content.
When you find a trending topic that interests you, try searching for that keyword or hashtag to see what people say about it.
This can give you even more ideas and inspiration for your videos.
8. Use VidIQ’s Keyword Tool
VidIQ is a powerful tool that can help you find keyword trends and ideas for your video content, paving the way for creating a successful YouTube video.
One of VidIQ's best features is its keyword research tool, which not only shows you the most popular keywords and phrases people are searching for on YouTube but also assists in optimizing your content for YouTube SEO.
By applying keywords effectively and analyzing keyword search volume data, VidIQ can significantly optimize your video content for success on YouTube, including using closed captions to strengthen video intent.
To use this tool, look at the rising keywords or enter a keyword related to your niche and see what comes up.
VidIQ will show you a list of related keywords, along with their search volume and competition level.
This information can help you create videos optimized for search that are more likely to be found by your target audience.
Another great way to use VidIQ is by analyzing your competitors’ YouTube channels.
By looking at their most popular videos and the keywords they’re targeting, you can better understand what’s working in your niche and how you can create similar content that stands out.
So, to stay on top of the latest keyword trends and create videos that get views, try VidIQ.
9. Bonus: Use YouTube Search
Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is search and filter the view count and publication date.
Doing this will give you an idea of what’s growing in popularity that you can recreate.
Another effective method to identify what’s currently popular on YouTube is to find YouTube search trends.
Start by typing a specific search term and filter the content.
From here, you can create similar videos or ideate.
Remember how understanding YouTube search trends can significantly help with content ideation by focusing on popular and rising search topics.
Final Thoughts
I understand that finding trending topics on YouTube can be hard, but if you follow my simple process above, there is no reason to find at least a few ideas a month.
By focusing on trending YouTube videos, you’re aiming to discover topics that capture the audience’s interest and lead to highly viewed and engaged content.
The last thing is to leverage web search tools and platforms to gather broader insights on trending topics and keywords, adding to your strategy beyond YouTube alone.
Try this out for yourself and trust your gut.
