Threads trending topics tool: how creators can ride trends safely

Threads is big now. Not "cute side project" big. 150 million daily users-big. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/18/threads-edges-out-x-in-daily-mobile-users-new-data-shows/?utm_source=openai))

And when an app gets that big, the game changes: you're no longer competing with creators in your niche. You're competing with whatever the internet is yelling about today.

What happened

A mainstream social scheduling tool (Buffer) rolled out a Trending Topics panel for Threads inside its post composer this week (Feb 2026). The idea is simple: while you're drafting, you can see what's trending and jump into an active conversation without leaving your workflow.

This matters because Threads' own trending feature has been... uneven. Meta rolled "Trending Now" out broadly in the U.S. back in March 2024 and later tested it in Japan, but the rollout has been very region- and account-dependent. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/19/threads-trending-topics-all-users-us/?utm_source=openai))

Meanwhile, Threads has kept growing. Meta said it crossed 400 million monthly active users in 2025, and Similarweb data published in January 2026 showed Threads edging past X in global daily mobile users (while X still dominates on web). ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/12/threads-now-has-more-than-400-million-monthly-active-users/?utm_source=openai))

Under the hood, this is also part of a bigger trend: Threads opened up its API to partners and developers, with rate limits designed to reduce spam. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/08/metas-x-competitor-threads-invites-developers-to-sign-up-for-api-access-publishes-docs/?utm_source=openai))

Why creators should care

Attention: Trends are basically pre-heated audiences. If your post is good and timely, you don't need to "build reach" from scratch - you borrow it. If your post is lazy, trends will just expose you faster. (Nature is healing.)

Distribution: Threads has intentionally made tagging more conservative. It historically pushed a "one tag/topic per post" approach to cut down on spammy discovery-hacking. So the tag you pick is a lever, not decoration. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/08/threads-is-rolling-out-its-hashtags-without-the-hash-symbol-globally/?utm_source=openai))

Workflow: Meta has been nudging users toward trend-aware posting for a while - like prompting people to add suggested trending topics while drafting. Now the tooling is creeping into the creator workflow layer (schedulers, editors, team calendars), which means "trend participation" becomes a default habit, not a special effort. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/20/threads-adds-new-features-to-highlight-topics-and-limit-replies/?utm_source=openai))

Monetization (the indirect kind): Threads is expanding ads, which usually means organic distribution gets more competitive over time. Early on, you could sneeze into the void and still catch attention. Later, you need cleaner positioning and better timing. ([theverge.com](https://www.theverge.com/news/654048/meta-threads-ads-advertisers-globally?utm_source=openai))

What to do next

1. Pick 2 "lanes" you'll comment on fast. Not everything. Two lanes where you can reliably add signal in under 15 minutes (your industry + one adjacent curiosity lane).

2. Write trend posts like replies, not announcements. Read the room first. Then post something that sounds like you're continuing the conversation, not trying to hijack it.

3. Stop gambling on the trend. Build a repeatable format. Example: "one contrarian take," "one quick explainer," or "one behind-the-scenes micro story." Trends just become the wrapper.

4. Track one metric that matters to you. If you want clients: profile visits. If you want community: replies per 1k views. If you want sales: clicks. Views are dessert - nice, not dinner.