How do you find trending memes/pop culture moments before everyone else?

I'm a sticker artist, and a lot of my sales come from trending memes or pop culture moments.

For example, recently things like "Dictator Mbappé" or "Du bist gut genug" started blowing up. Last month I sold a lot of stickers based on the Sabrina Carpenter × Jenna Ortega kiss.

Besides Google Trends which is a solid use for me, what can I use to spot trends early?

  • Are there any free websites that track what's currently exploding?
  • Are there subreddits dedicated to finding viral trends?
  • Do you monitor Twitter/X, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, or somewhere else?
  • Any tools or workflows that help you catch trends before they peak?

Comments

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tresheasnitrha•1 day ago•1

If I see it on reddit, youtube and tiktok, I know it's picking up.

wesdacar•1 day ago•1

For stickers, I’d treat this less like “find trends” and more like “find the source before the recap accounts package it.” By the time a meme is on Google Trends, a lot of the easy sales window may already be gone.

A practical stack: TikTok Creative Center for rising songs/hashtags, YouTube Shorts/TikTok search sorted by recent, X trending plus a few curated meme/news accounts, Know Your Meme for context, and Reddit sorted by rising in the communities where the meme is likely to start. For pop culture moments, fan subreddits and stan Twitter usually show the signal earlier than general meme pages.

The workflow matters more than the tool. I’d keep a simple watchlist of 20-30 “source” communities/accounts, check them twice a day, and score ideas on three things: is it recognizable in one image, will people still care in 3-7 days, and can you make it without stepping into obvious IP/trademark trouble. A lot of trends are funny but not sticker-friendly.

Also watch comments, not just posts. When people start repeating the same phrase, nickname, or screenshot format in replies, that is often the moment before it turns into merch demand.

nobsmentor•about 3 hours ago•1

Literally, just search it up on TikTok and adjust the search filter to the last 24 hours. It’ll show you what’s trending

Side note I love stickers , can I see your shop?

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