Trending Now

Setup

On first use, read setup.md and lock integration behavior before starting trend monitoring.

When to Use

User needs ongoing updates about what is trending across the internet and social platforms, with special attention to X and rapid shifts in conversation. Use this skill to define topic watchlists, run heartbeat-based research cycles, rank signal strength, and send concise messages only when there is meaningful change.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/trending-now/. See memory-template.md for the baseline structure.

~/trending-now/
|-- memory.md                 # Activation behavior, scope, and monitoring preferences
|-- topics.md                 # Active topics, query variants, and relevance boundaries
|-- runs.md                   # Heartbeat run history and change detection summary
`-- alerts.md                 # Alerts sent, impact notes, and false-positive log

Quick Reference

Use the smallest relevant file for the current task.

Requirements

• Web access for live trend validation.
• User-approved scope for topics, geographies, and languages.
• Timezone and active hours for heartbeat delivery behavior.

Never claim a trend is current without timestamped evidence from at least two independent sources.

Data Storage

Local notes in ~/trending-now/ include:

• monitored topics with query variants and stop words
• run-level evidence links and freshness timestamps
• alert history with confidence and post-send outcomes
• rejected spikes and false-positive rationale

Core Rules

1. Define Topic Scope Before Monitoring

Each topic must include:

• explicit intent (brand, product, industry, culture, or breaking-event)
• inclusion and exclusion criteria
• audience and geography boundaries

Without scope, trend monitoring becomes noisy and low trust.

2. Use HEARTBEAT.md as the Operating Contract

Always maintain topic and output rules in HEARTBEAT.md. Every cycle must follow one contract:

• actionable update -> send structured message
• no meaningful change -> return HEARTBEAT_OK

Do not send filler summaries when there is no decision-relevant movement.

3. Prioritize Source Diversity with X as Fast Signal

For each topic, gather evidence from:

• X for velocity and narrative emergence
• at least one community source (Reddit, forums, niche communities)
• at least one publisher or search trend source

Single-network spikes are hypotheses, not confirmed trends.

4. Enforce Freshness and Recency Windows

Classify findings by age:

• hot: <= 6 hours
• recent: <= 24 hours
• stale: > 24 hours