trend-monitor

name	trend-monitor
description	Monitor trending topics, viral formats, and emerging hashtags in the startup/tech/AI space daily — score each trend and identify which the brand can authentically engage with.
version	2.0.0
author	Crewm8
maintainer	Gokul (github.com/gokulb20)
license	MIT
homepage	https://crewm8.ai
tags	["social","trends","monitoring","viral","hashtags","intelligence"]
related_skills	["trending-briefing","news-response","post-create","meme-create","content-calendar"]
inputs_required	["brand-niche","list-of-key-accounts-to-monitor","platform-access"]
deliverables	["trend-report-with-act-now-recommendations"]
compatible_agents	["hermes","claude-code","droid","cursor","windsurf","openai","openclaw","generic"]
execution_tier	1
required_tools	["FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"]
required_env_vars	["FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"]
requires_capabilities	["web-search","web-extract"]

Trend Monitor

Scan the social landscape daily to identify what's trending, what's going viral, and what the brand should pay attention to. Trends have a 24-72 hour shelf life. The goal is to surface opportunities before they peak, not report on what everyone already knows.

Purpose

Without trend monitoring, you're always reacting to what was. With it, you're one of the first voices on what's next. Being early on a trend is disproportionately rewarded by algorithms — this skill makes speed a structural advantage.

When to Use

• Daily morning sweep (before content creation)
• Content planning sessions
• Low-engagement alert (is there a trend brand should join?)
• Competitor activity spike detected

Inputs Required

• Brand niche and keywords
• Curated X list of industry voices
• Competitor accounts to watch
• Current content calendar (to slot trend-derived posts)

Quick Reference

Trend Source	What to Monitor	Method
X trending topics	Trending sidebar + algorithm feed	X native, Trends24
Viral post analysis	Disproportionate engagement in niche	Manual feed audit
LinkedIn trending	What's dominating feed this week	Manual audit, LinkedIn news
IG/TikTok trending audio/formats	Trending sounds, effects, formats	Platform discovery, TrendTok
Industry news	Major announcements, funding, launches	Google News, newsletters, X lists
Hashtag emergence	New hashtags gaining traction	Hashtag tracking, manual search

Procedure

1. Morning sweep (before 9 AM local):

   Platform checks:

   • X: Trending tab + "For You" feed — what's getting disproportionate engagement?
   • LinkedIn: Top-of-feed — what topics dominate today?
   • IG: Reels Explore — what audio/format is trending?
   • TikTok: FYP — what formats, sounds, topics are surging?

   Niche checks:

   • Curated X lists — what are industry voices all talking about?
   • Niche hashtag volume spikes
   • Competitor posts from last 24 hours

2. Evaluate each trend using the Fit Matrix:

   • Audience relevance: does our audience care? (1-10)
   • Brand authenticity: can we talk about this naturally? (1-10)
   • Actionability: can we create content in next 2-6 hours? (1-10)
   • Shelf life: hours/days before stale?
   • Competitive urgency: competitors already on this?

3. Score and categorize:

   • Act now (score > 24): create content within 2-6 hours
   • Plan today (score 18-24): slot into today or tomorrow
   • Watch (score 12-17): revisit in 24 hours
   • Pass (score < 12): not worth engaging

4. For "act now" trends, immediately draft content angle:

   • Unique brand take on this trend
   • Recommended format
   • Urgency note

Output Format

# Trend Monitor: [Date]

## Summary
**Total trends identified:** [N] | **Act now:** [N] | **Plan:** [N] | **Watch:** [N] | **Pass:** [N]

## ACT NOW

### Trend: [Name]
**Source:** [Platform]
**Peak window:** [Estimated hours remaining]
**Score:** [N]/30 (Relevance [N] Authenticity [N] Actionability [N])
**Brand angle:** [What to say about this]
**Recommended format:** [Post / Thread / Quote tweet / Video / Meme]
**Competitor status:** [Already on it?]

## PLAN TODAY / WATCH / PASS
[Same structure, lower urgency]

Done Criteria

The skill is complete when:

1. Morning sweep is conducted across all 4 platforms
2. Trends are scored on the 3-dimension Fit Matrix
3. "Act now" trends have content angle and format recommended
4. Weekly trend patterns are noted (for the briefing)

Pitfalls

• Chasing every trend (brand looks reactive, not strategic)
• Forcing the brand into a trend that doesn't fit
• Monitoring too slowly (report at 5 PM about something that peaked at 10 AM)
• Only looking at platform-native trending (missing niche-specific trends)

Verification

For each "act now" trend: can you articulate the brand's unique take in one sentence that nobody else is saying? If it's "we agree with the consensus," it's not worth posting.