How to Find Trending Topics for YouTube Shorts

Finding your next viral YouTube Shorts idea doesn't have to be a guessing game. By building a simple system for spotting trends, you can consistently create content that your audience is actively searching for and the algorithm is ready to push. This guide breaks down the most effective strategies, from tapping into YouTube's native tools to analyzing what's just about to pop off.

Start with the Low-Hanging Fruit: What’s Already Trending on YouTube

You don't need fancy tools to get started. The best initial source of inspiration is YouTube itself. The platform gives you direct clues about what's capturing attention right now. Your job is to learn how to read them.

The YouTube Shorts Feed is Your Best Friend

The single most powerful research asset you have is your own Shorts feed, but you need to use it with purpose. Instead of just passively scrolling, switch into "analysis mode." Dedicate 15-20 minutes daily to observing patterns.

Ask yourself these questions as you scroll:

• What sounds do I keep hearing? If you hear the same audio clip three or more times in a single session, that’s a trend. Tap the sound at the bottom-right of the screen to see how many Shorts have used it and save it for later.
• What formats are repeated? Look for specific editing styles, challenges, or video structures. Are creators using a "point to text on screen" format? Is there a popular "day in the life" style circulating? Spotting these formats is just as important as finding trending audio.
• How are other people in my niche using these trends? A popular lip-sync audio might be used by a fitness creator to highlight common gym mistakes or by a chef to share a kitchen hack. Pay attention to how the trend is being adapted, not just the trend itself.

Check the Main YouTube Trending Page

Don't sleep on the main "Trending" page, which is usually tailored to long-form content. While it might seem unrelated to your 60-second video strategy, it’s a goldmine for topic ideas.

Navigate to the "Trending" tab (often found in the left-hand menu on desktop or the top bar on mobile). Here, you’ll see what is capturing the broadest-level attention in your region. A trending documentary, a viral video essay, or a major news event can all be miniaturized into a Short. The key is to distill a big idea into a bite-sized format. For example:

• A trending video essay about productivity culture could inspire a 30-second Short on your "single favorite productivity hack."
• A viral movie trailer release could become a "3 hidden details you missed" style Short.
• A trending news story about a scientific breakthrough could be simplified into an "explain it to me like I'm 5" Short.

This method helps you ride a bigger wave of interest and pull new audiences into your niche.

Spot Trending Audio from the Creation Screen

The quickest way to find certified trending audio is directly within the Shorts creation tool. When you start creating a Short and tap "Add sound," YouTube shows you lists of popular and recommended audio clips. Look for sounds with a small grey arrow icon next to them - this symbol explicitly labels a sound as "trending." Prioritize using these sounds because the algorithm often gives videos that use them an extra signal boost.

Go Deeper with Competitor and Niche Research

Once you’ve got a handle on platform-wide trends, the next step is to narrow your focus to what's working specifically in your niche. This isn’t about copying, it’s about decoding what resonates with a shared target audience.

Analyze a Handful of Key Creators

Identify 5-10 creators in your space who are consistently getting good views on their Shorts. Go to their channel page, navigate to the "Shorts" tab, and sort their content by "Most popular."

This gives you a historical view of their greatest hits. What topics or formats generated millions of views for them? Are there core concepts you can riff on with your own unique perspective?

Next, switch the filter back to "Latest." Look at their videos from the last 2-4 weeks. What's working for them right now? Social media trends move fast, and what worked six months ago might not be effective today. Note their current video subjects, sound choices, and editing styles. This contemporary analysis is just as valuable as looking at their all-time top performers.

Treat the Comments Section Like a Focus Group

The comments section of your videos - and your competitors' videos - are an untapped resource for content ideas directly from your target audience.

Look for questions that people are repeatedly asking. If a creator posts a Short titled "My Top 3 Skincare Serums," and dozens of comments ask, "But what about a budget-friendly option?" - that's a clear signal for a high-demand follow-up video. Similarly, look for enthusiastic reactions. If a segment of a video gets tons of praise (e.g., "That quick editing trick at 0:22 was amazing!"), consider making a whole Short dedicated to expanding on that single element.

Use Strategic Tools to Anticipate What's Next

Looking at what's already trending is great, but spotting what's about to trend is how you get ahead. A couple of free tools can give you a major advantage here.

Google Trends for High-Level Interest

Google Trends shows you what the world is searching for, letting you spot rising interest in topics before they are saturated on social media. Head to trends.google.com and enter a broad topic related to your niche (e.g., "air fryer," "crossfit," "Notion template").

Here’s how to use it for Shorts ideas:

1. Filter by YouTube Search: Instead of the default "Web Search," change the filter to "YouTube Search" to see data specific to the platform.
2. Look at "Related queries": On the results page, you’ll see two boxes: "Top" and "Rising." "Top" shows the most popular search terms overall, which are stable but often competitive. The real magic is in the "Rising" box. This shows you search terms that have had a significant increase in search frequency recently - these are your up-and-coming trends. If you're a tech reviewer and see "AI note-taking app" listed as a "Breakout" query, that's your signal to make a Short on that topic immediately.
3. Check Seasonality: Use the timeline graph to see if your topic has predictable spikes in interest across the year. A Short about "cold brew recipes" will naturally perform better in the summer, and you can plan your content accordingly.

Monitor TikTok for Emerging Trends

It’s an undeniable reality of social media: many of the trends that dominate YouTube Shorts began their life a few weeks earlier on TikTok. Use TikTok's "For You" page as your trend-forecasting tool. If you start seeing a new audio clip, video format, or funny filter showing up repeatedly, there is a very high probability it will soon migrate to Shorts and Reels.

By being an early adopter of these trends on YouTube, you position yourself as a trendsetter within your own community. The key is to think like an adapter. Ask yourself: "How can I take this dancing challenge or audio trend and apply it to my niche about gardening, coding, or personal finance?" The creator who builds that bridge first often wins.

Create a System for Sustainable Idea Generation

Finding one or two trending topics is good, but building a system to churn out endless ideas is what separates struggling creators from successful ones. The easiest way to do this is with a simple formula.

The "Topic + Trend" Formula

This framework prevents you from feeling like you're just mindlessly hopping on trends. It keeps your content anchored to your core niche while still leveraging what's popular for reach.

Here’s how it works: [Your Core Topic] + [Trending Format/Audio] = A High-Potential Short.

Let's see it in action:

• Your Core Topic: "Easy breakfast recipes"
• Trending Format: The "pov: you finally..." storytelling style.
• Your Short Idea: "pov: you finally find a healthy breakfast that takes less than 5 minutes."

• Your Core Topic: "Home organization hacks"
• Trending Audio: A popular, fast-paced 'makeover sound' clip.
• Your Short Idea: A rapid-fire Short showing the before-and-after transformation of a messy drawer, synced perfectly to the trending audio.

When in Doubt, Ask Your Audience Directly

Finally, the most powerful and often overlooked strategy is to simply ask your viewers what they want to see. Don't assume you know what they struggle with or what they're curious about. Use YouTube’s built-in tools to start a conversation:

• Use the Community Tab: Post a poll or an open-ended question like, "I'm planning my next batch of Shorts. What's one quick tip about [your topic] you'd love to learn?"
• Ask in Your Shorts: Use a text overlay or say it at the end of your video: "What should I cover next? Let me know in the comments!"
• Create Question Stickers: Occasionally, you can drop a Question sticker into your Short to encourage specific feedback and generate ideas from the responses.

Final Thoughts

Finding trending topics for YouTube Shorts isn't about chasing every momentary fad, it's about building a consistent process for spotting opportunities relevant to your content and audience. By combining observation on the platform, smart analysis of your niche, and a simple framework for generating ideas, you'll never run out of compelling videos to create.

Once you’ve collected all these great video ideas, the next challenge is mapping everything out without getting lost in a mess of spreadsheets and notes. At Postbase, we designed our visual content calendar specifically for people juggling short-form video on YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels. We make it easy to see your entire strategy, drag-and-drop posts to reschedule, and plan your content weeks in advance, so you can spend your time on what really matters: making fantastic videos.