No matter how you slice it, having a blog is a smart move for your business. Maintaining a blog shows that your company is staying active and allows you to communicate with your current – and potential – customers. In the right situation, your company blog is also the perfect medium to chime in on timely topics!

The bulk of your blog material should be evergreen content – content that will always be relevant and interesting. For example, a bakery’s blog post about how much cake to provide for a gathering of a certain size or how to bake softer cookies would be considered evergreen.

Now and then, though, hopping on board a trending topic gives you the chance to interact with your audience about a current event and can even create an opportunity for new readers to find your blog. The question is, where do you start?

Find Out What’s Hot!

So, where do you go to find out what’s trending? A good start can be to check out your own social media feeds. What are people sharing? What are they talking about?

If you want to be a bit more scientific, then Google Trends is the place to be. You can see what search terms are the most popular, which ones are on the rise, and narrow down your results by topic or region.

Another good idea is to see what’s popular on Reddit or Buzzfeed, as these topics are often shared on other social networks soon after. This can give you a head start to get your blog set up before a topic really takes off.

Choose the Topic That Fits You Best

As you likely heard growing up, trends come and go in a flash. Not every hot topic is relevant to you or your industry, so be sure to pick and choose which trends make sense for you.

Right now, the top post on the front page of Reddit is a video featuring a group of sorority sisters at a baseball game, eating churros and taking selfies while the sportscasters poke fun at them. To revisit our bakery from earlier, this video might be a good choice – especially if you make churros! If not, you can write a quick post inviting readers to come in, take a selfie with their favorite baked good, and share it on social media. You can even hold a contest!

Another idea might be a trending BuzzFeed post about bacon lovers. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to promote your bakery’s maple bacon doughnut, this is your chance! On the other hand, the UN assembly – currently at the top of Google Trends – might not be your best choice.

Whatever topics you choose, keep these key ideas in mind: interest, relevance, and, timeliness. Focus on keeping your blog fresh and fun, and you’ll be on the right track!