Topics to Watch in the United States for June 2016
Discover each month which topics of conversations on Facebook are on the cusp of going mainstream.
CONTENTS
DIY reigns supreme with people putting new spins on old things.
From experimenting in biology labs to repurposing photos and practicing a stitching technique, Americans are turning to Facebook to share their favorite projects—you might just say this is the best collection of DIY “in the history of the internet.”
Do-it-yourself biology
Not just for scientist and students anymore, biology is a democratic practice open to the masses, and people are gathering all over the world to biohack together. Anyone with access to lab equipment or the right technology can experiment with everything from making an amoeba glow to gene sequencing and optimizing personal health. A recent Facebook IQ study shows that 59% of American are interested in finding out what their DNA can tell them about how to live a health life.1
Associated Topics: Biologist, Biology, Biophysics, Biotechnology, CRISPR, Cas9, Do it yourself, Genome, Grinder, NASA - National Aronautics and Space Administration
Conversation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Do-it-yourself biology
The internet is and always has been a place for communicating and sharing information. But its uses have exploded exponentially and expanded from the computer variety of connected devices- so much so that the claim that something is the biggest, scariest, coolest thing in the "History of the Internet" might actually mean something... but it could never be confirmed. Wonky aside: The internet has been around so long that even journalists have stopped considering it a proper noun -it's not just "the internet."
Associated Topics: Age of Enlightenment, Broadcasting, Internet, Internet access, Tunen Web page, Website, iPhone 7, iTunes
Conversation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Photomontage
Reusing photos to create a new cohesive image has been popular as a form of self-expression and political rebellion for nearly a century. And through digital tools like cameras, editing software and apps, many people today have the resources to create, edit and share their work, both in-person and on digital platforms.
Associated Topics: Collage, Dadaism, Flowers, John Heartfield Memories, "New York, New York", Photo-essay, Photogram, Photographic mosaic, Unique Photo
Convsersation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Primer (cosmetics)
Articles, blogs, tutorials and even your best friend might say that people who don't use primer are missing out. It's touted for brightening one's complexion, creating a smooth base for foundation and helping make-up last longer. A recent Facebook IQ study shows that American beauty buyers who share on social media do so to showcase a new beauty look or product.2
Associated Topics: BB Cream, Concealer, Eye Liner, Eye Shadow, Foundation (cosmetics), Lip gloss, Makeup brush, Mascara, Rouge (cosmetics)
Conversation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Sashiko stitching
Decorative hand-stitching doubles as patterned embriodery in this morden spin on the tradtional Japanese sewing art. From fixing up an old pair of jeans to making a new scarf more unique or adding the final touches to a quilt, Sashiko stitching is offering its practitioners the opportunity to create time-sensitive works of art. it is infused with the popular Japanese aesthetic of wasi-sabi: the idea that we must accept that nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.
Associated Topics: Clothes, Embroidery, Indigo, Kimono Quilt, Running 34itch, Sewing needle, Shibori Stitch (textile arts), Textiles
Conversation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Shrimp
Could shrimp be the new chicken? Perhaps because of its versatility—equally delectable atop coconut rice, salad, spaghetti or inside a taco skewered over the barbecue— shrimp transcends global flavors(and many dietary restrictions). Because it can be served hot or cold, and in dished fit for any season, it's little surprise that conversations about this clutch recipe ingredient have been ramping up for over the past 12 months.
Associated Topics: Avocados, Baked Potato, BBQ, Hamburgers, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Recipes, Spicy Food, Tacos, Vegetables
Conversation Volume
Who's Driving the Conversation
Source: Based on Facebook internal data, US only, June 2015-2016.
About Topics to Watch
Topics to Watch are conversation topics that have shown early growth patterns similar to previous topics with long-term growth (such as kale). Because the conversations around Topics to Watch mirror the volume, variance and measures of past conversations that have shown long-term growth, we predict Topics to Watch will continue to grow in the future. Based on early testing, we found that 8 of the 10 topics we identified in the past grew as predicted.