Tools / Social Media Search / Use Cases / Research Social Trends

Research Social Trends

Search for trending keywords and hashtags across platforms to identify emerging social media trends.

Quick answer: Use the Social Media Search tool through ToolRouter to research social trends directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw — connect once, then drive it with plain-language prompts. No code required.

Tool

Social Media Search

Social media trends shape culture, drive conversations, and create massive content opportunities for brands that act fast. But identifying a trend early -- before it peaks and fades -- requires constant monitoring of what is gaining momentum across platforms.

The Social Media Search tool lets you search for keywords and hashtags on TikTok and YouTube to gauge what topics are generating the most content and engagement right now. By running searches on emerging terms and comparing their volume and engagement over time, you can distinguish early-stage trends from established topics.

This workflow serves trend forecasters, content strategists timing their campaigns, and social media teams who need to stay culturally relevant. The search data gives you the evidence to commit to a trend early or wait for more confirmation before investing content resources.

How to research social trends with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw

Claude turns social trend research into a guided terminal investigation. Search for content around emerging topics and Claude identifies the signals -- rising search volume, creator adoption, audience engagement patterns. Ask follow-up questions like "is this a genuine trend or just noise?" or "how can we position our brand within this conversation?" for actionable trend intelligence.

Connect ToolRouter to Claude

1Open connector settings Open Settings

2Add a custom connector with these details

Name

ToolRouter

URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Let Claude set you up Open Claude

How to research social trends with Claude

Once connected (see setup above), use the Social Media Search tool:

Ask Claude: "Search for trending keywords around AI tools on TikTok and YouTube"
Claude finds content and conversations around the topic with engagement data
Ask: "Is this a growing trend or has it peaked? What is the trajectory?"
Claude analyzes the data and gives a trend stage assessment

Example prompt for Claude

Try this with Claude using the Social Media Search tool

Research social media trends around "sustainable fashion" on TikTok and YouTube. Is this trending up and should we create content about it?

Tips for Claude

Ask Claude to identify sub-trends within a broad topic for niche content opportunities
Request a trend timing recommendation -- when to publish for maximum impact
Claude can suggest content angles that add value to the trending conversation

ChatGPT researches social trends with strategic forecasting, searching for content and generating a trend intelligence report. It evaluates trend maturity, identifies the factors driving momentum, and suggests how your brand can participate authentically. Reports include timing recommendations and content concepts tailored to each emerging trend.

Connect ToolRouter to ChatGPT

1Go to Settings → Apps → Advanced settings and enable Developer mode

2Click Create app and enter these details

Name

ToolRouter

Icon

Download

Description

Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.

MCP Server URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Check the box and click Create

How to research social trends with ChatGPT

Once connected (see setup above), use the Social Media Search tool:

Ask: "Search for trending topics on TikTok and YouTube related to our industry"
ChatGPT returns trending content with volume and engagement analysis
Request: "Create a trend report with content recommendations for each trend"
Ask for a priority ranking based on relevance and timing

Example prompt for ChatGPT

Try this with ChatGPT using the Social Media Search tool

What topics are trending on TikTok and YouTube in the wellness space? Create a trend report with content ideas for our brand.

Tips for ChatGPT

ChatGPT creates trend reports that combine data with strategic recommendations
Ask for cultural context behind each trend to ensure your content is authentic
Request a trend calendar mapping predicted peaks and content windows

Copilot pulls social trend data from your IDE for building trend detection into your content analytics platform. Search for trending content and Copilot helps write the signal detection, momentum scoring, and forecasting algorithms that surface emerging social trends before they peak.

Connect ToolRouter to Copilot

1In your agent, go to Tools → Add a tool → New tool

2Choose Model Context Protocol and enter these details

Server name

ToolRouter

Server description

Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.

Server URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Set Authentication to None and click Create

How to research social trends with Copilot

Once connected (see setup above), use the Social Media Search tool:

Ask: "Search for trending keywords on TikTok and YouTube"
Review the trend data with engagement metrics
Ask Copilot to build a trend tracking dataset
Use the data to power your trend monitoring dashboard

Example prompt for Copilot

Try this with Copilot using the Social Media Search tool

Search for trending topics on TikTok related to our industry. Output as structured trend data for analysis.

Tips for Copilot

Copilot can generate trend detection algorithms from the search data
Build automated trend alerts based on keyword volume thresholds
Integrate with your content planning tools for trend-driven publishing

OpenClaw automates social trend research by batch-searching across platforms with comprehensive keyword sets and producing structured trend reports. Output includes momentum scores, maturity indicators, and related content volumes. Run daily to build a trend intelligence database that powers predictive content strategy.

Connect ToolRouter to OpenClaw

1Install the CLI

npm install -g toolrouter-mcp

2Call tools directly from OpenClaw

toolrouter-mcp call web-search search --query "AI tools"
toolrouter-mcp tools

How to research social trends with OpenClaw

Once connected (see setup above), use the Social Media Search tool:

Ask: "Search for trending topics on TikTok and YouTube in our space"
OpenClaw returns trending content and conversation volumes
Request: "Which trends should we jump on and which should we avoid?"
Create content aligned with the most promising trends

Example prompt for OpenClaw

Try this with OpenClaw using the Social Media Search tool

What social media trends are emerging in the finance niche? Search TikTok and YouTube and tell me which to prioritize.

Tips for OpenClaw

Run trend searches weekly to catch emerging conversations early
Ask for trend longevity estimates to avoid investing in flash-in-the-pan topics
Combine keyword and hashtag searches for a complete trend picture

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I research social trends with an AI assistant?

Search for trending keywords and hashtags across platforms to identify emerging social media trends. Connect the Social Media Search tool to Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw through ToolRouter, then ask the assistant in plain language. For example: Ask Claude: "Search for trending keywords around AI tools on TikTok and YouTube" Claude finds content and conversations around the topic with engagement data

Which AI assistants can research social trends?

Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw can all research social trends using the Social Media Search tool through ToolRouter, with no API keys or coding required.

What does the Social Media Search tool do?

Search across TikTok users, keywords, hashtags, and YouTube to find relevant social media content and creators.

Related Use Cases

Open Monitor Brand Mentions

Monitor Brand Mentions

Search for your brand name across TikTok and YouTube to find organic mentions and user-generated content.

Social Media Search4 agent guides

Open Track Hashtag Conversations

Track Hashtag Conversations

Monitor conversations around specific hashtags to understand trending topics and audience sentiment.

Social Media Search4 agent guides

Open Find User-Generated Content

Find User-Generated Content

Search for organic user-generated content about your brand or products to repurpose in marketing.

Social Media Search4 agent guides

Open Monitor Competitor Activity

Monitor Competitor Activity

Search for competitor brand names and products across social platforms to track their campaigns and activity.

Social Media Search4 agent guides

Related Workflows

Brand Monitoring DashboardMonitor your brand presence across news, social media, and trending content while maintaining brand identity consistency.Influencer DiscoveryDiscover and vet potential influencer partners by profiling their audience, searching niche creators, evaluating engagement quality, and finding contacts.Review MonitoringMonitor customer feedback across app stores, social comments, community discussions, and brand perception to stay ahead of reputation issues.Crisis MonitoringMonitor for brand reputation crises by scanning news, social media, and comment sentiment to detect and assess threats early.PR & Media MonitoringTrack press coverage, monitor social amplification, and audit brand consistency across media mentions.Hashtag Strategy BuilderBuild a data-driven hashtag strategy by researching niche tags, finding trending hashtags, and organizing them into themed clusters.Customer Research PipelineBuild customer personas from real social data by mining social media conversations, analyzing comments, generating personas, and validating with market research.