While the first two Facebook/Instagram 'Hot Topics' monthly reports of 2017 have come a bit later in the proceeding month than they had been delivered previously, they still offer some great insights and data on relevant trends. It's just a little more behind time.
Facebook's Hot Topics report highlights the subjects generating the most discussion across The Social Network - and importantly, who's discussing them, demographic wise, which can help marketers get a better understanding of the issues and subjects most relevant to their specific target audiences.
This has a number of advantages and use-cases - at its most basic, it enables brands to see which subjects are resonating most with their target audience, confirming or informing understanding and helping to shape more relevant, topical content.
So what were the most discussed topics across Facebook's network in February?
(Click on image for a larger version)
Valentine's Day was the big one - over there on the far right - with its placement on the chart meaning it was a far bigger topic of discussion amongst female users.
Seasonal events like Valentine's Day always generate a lot of discussion on social - which makes perfect sense, people are more likely to post updates around such events, while Facebook even provides prompts and tools to promote related activity. As such, it's probably not delivering a heap of insight to have these included in the Hot Topics listing. We all know the amount of discussion these events generate (and that we should be considering them in our marketing efforts).
Here's the chart with Valentine's Day removed, providing a clearer picture of the most resonant, unique topics of discussion.
Definitely seems like women were a lot more active on Facebook this month, right? Other than former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley getting kicked out of Madison Square Garden, the subjects are really skewing to the right. I wonder if this is an indicative trend - that more women than men are active on Facebook.
In terms of events, you can see that the Super Bowl and The Grammy Awards generated a lot of interest, as did Mardi Gras, while Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime show was also a big topic of discussion.
NFL and NBA related posts show up throughout, while Nicki Minaj was a key topic of discussion amongst younger female users.
Over on Instagram, the story is again much the same.
This is a little disappointing. I mean, it is what it is, but when Facebook first started including Instagram discussion in the monthly Hot Topics reports last year, the mentions on Instagram were distinctly different to those on Facebook, but over time they've become more and more aligned. This likely points to the evolution of Instagram, how it's becoming a more diverse social platform as opposed to being focused on images. But still, it was more interesting, from a marketing perspective, when they had very different engagement data, catering to more unique audiences.
There are still some differences - Instagram always has more entertainment-focused mentions, including movies and video games (underlining the audience demand for gaming content on the platform). But still, they're fairly similar.
As always, Facebook's also provided regional Hot Topics reports for...
Australia
Worth noting that none of those regional charts reflect the gender imbalance seen in the US data. Could be a trend to watch.
It's always worth taking a look to get a better understanding of which topics and discussions are resonating amongst your target audiences. Facebook is by far the largest social network in the world, and it can drive the conversational agenda on a great many fronts. Knowing what's trending on The Social Network can provide key insights that can help improve your social outreach efforts.