Here’s this week’s list of Latest Trending Topics – March 2023, insights, and analysis.
Online ADHD Test
Online ADHD tests are self-assessment examinations that come in the form of an online quiz.
After completing the quiz, the user receives a score that estimates the likelihood of them having ADHD.
Demand for doctor-administered ADHD tests has skyrocketed over the last two years.
However, appointments are sometimes not available for months. Describing the situation, some psychiatrists say they are “overwhelmed with appointments”.
Although not necessarily clinically accurate, a growing number of users are turning to online ADHD tests to self-diagnose.
What’s Next
Online ADHD tests are part of the Online ADHD meta trend.
Interest in ADHD has taken social media by storm.
The ADHD hashtag has over 3.3 million posts on Instagram. Whereas this hashtag has over 22 billion views on TikTok.
The r/adhd subreddit had around 643,000 members in March 2020. This number has increased to over 1.6 million today.
People are also using online resources to manage their ADHD.
For example, ADHD apps monitor activity and provide organizational structure designed to help improve focus.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil, as the name suggests, is a liquid oil extracted from the rosemary plant.
The product is commonly used in aromatherapy as its scent reportedly reduces stress.
But this recent spike in demand is due to another potential benefit: haircare.
(Searches for “rosemary oil for hair” have surged by 422% over the last two years.)
Thanks largely to TikTok (videos about this product have over 204 million views on the platform), rosemary oil is becoming an increasingly popular method of preventing hair loss.
What’s Next
Rosemary oil is part of the HairTok meta trend.
TikTok has become home to a massive online community dedicated to hair care.
In fact, the hairtok hashtag has over 56 billion views on the platform.
Having a presence in this community has become a go-to marketing strategy for many DTC hair care startups.
Olaplex bond smoother and Verb Ghost oil are examples of trending DTC hair care products that have grown in popularity thanks to TikTok.
Data Quality Platform
A data quality platform is a tool that enhances the accuracy, completeness and relevance of data.
Data professionals spend around 40% of their time checking data quality.
Notably, 58% of data professionals claim the number of data quality incidents within their organization has increased compared to last year.
Which is driving demand for new data quality platforms.
Cloudingo and Planhat are two examples of trending data quality platform startups.
What’s Next
Data quality platforms are part of the AnalyticsOps meta trend.
Up to 73% of an organization’s data goes unused.
AnalyticsOps (analytics operations) is a data management framework that allows businesses to better manage and optimize their complex data systems.
Some industry experts estimate that around 35% of companies will adopt an AnalyticsOps strategy by 2024.
Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
Freeze-dried dog treats are meat-based pet snacks that have been frozen at low temperatures.
Demand for raw pet food is skyrocketing. However, storing, handling and serving raw food is inconvenient for many pet owners.
The process of freeze-drying kills bacteria and preserves the nutritional benefits of the food.
Freeze-dried dog treats were among the most popular new products in the Global Pet Expo last year, explaining the recent surge in search interest for this product category.
Plus, several startups are launching freeze-dried dog treats, further accelerating interest in this category.
Examples of trending companies offering freeze-dried dog food include Pure Bites, Northwest Naturals and Primal Pet Foods.
Whereas freeze-dried chicken and freeze-dried beef are examples of in-demand freeze-dried treats.
What’s Next
Freeze-dried dog treats are part of the Specialty Pet Diet meta trend.
68% of pet owners say their pet’s diet is similar to theirs. Meaning that a vegan person is more likely to feed their pet a vegan diet.
Which is what is driving demand for pet products that reflect human diets.
Sustainable pet food and human-grade pet food are examples of emerging pet food niches.
Early bird companies: ARMRA Colostrum (DTC colostrum supplements), DeepSwap (deep fake tool), Lilac St. (DIY eyelash startup), Sudowrite (generative AI startup).
Tomorrow’s products today: ADHD music, sea moss drops, tinted serum, embedded investment.
ARMRA Colostrum
Armra Colostrum is a DTC colostrum supplement startup.
They currently sell five core SKUs.
According to the startup, their colostrum supplements can “alleviate health issues like fatigue, mental fog and bloating as well as boost immunity”.
They also claim that Armra is the most potent colostrum supplement on the market.
Videos reviewing Armra’s supplements have over 260 million views on TikTok.
This pack of colostrum powder brings in approximately $13K/day on Amazon.
What’s next
Armra Colostrum is part of the Colostrum Supplements meta trend.
Researchers say that the measures taken during the pandemic (physical distancing, masks, etc.) have led to an “immunity gap”.
Which is leading to increasing demand for immunity-boosting supplements.
And colostrum supplements are an emerging sector of this market.
(Search volume for “colostrum supplement” has grown by 376% over the past 12 months.)
Several recent studies have shown that colostrum may help fight off infections and boost immunity.
This highly-rated pack of colostrum capsules brings in approximately $44K/month on Amazon.
DeepSwap
DeepSwap is a web-based deep fake tool.
What makes the platform unique is that users can create face-swap content through a simple UI vs. needing special software.
Also, according to the company, DeepSwap can identify and swap up to five faces in a video (whereas other platforms can only detect one or two faces).
DeepSwap has facilitated over 500 million face swaps since it was launched in December 2021.
What’s next:
DeepSwap is part of the AI Face Swap meta trend.
Searches for “AI face swap” have increased by 2100% over the past five years.
AI face swap is a technique that uses AI algorithms to swap one person’s face onto another person’s body in a video or image.
This approach has the potential to be used across several different industries. For example, AI face-swapping technology can be used in the entertainment industry to create digital doubles of actors and actresses for special effects and stunts.
Or it can be used in advertising to create personalized ads that feature a customer’s face.
Several companies are launching AI face-swapping platforms, further accelerating the interest in these tools.
Deepfakes Web, Faceswapper and Icons8 are examples of trending AI face swap platforms.
Lilac St.
Lilac St. is a DIY eyelash startup.
What makes the startup unique is that they claim to make 100% premium Korean silk and vegan and cruelty-free lashes.
Customers can also take a quiz to receive personalized eyelashes for their eye shape and preferred lash styles.
Notably, these lashes are said to last up to seven days, which is significantly longer than the typical one-and-done strip lashes.
This set of Lilac’s DIY eyelashes brings in approximately $9K/month on Amazon.
What’s next:
Lilac St is part of the DIY Lashes meta trend.
DIY lashes typically refer to false eyelashes that are applied at home rather than by a professional makeup artist.
They have become popular among social media and beauty influencers, who often showcase their own DIY eyelash application techniques and products to their followers.
DIY lashes videos on TikTok have over 1.1 billion views.
Which is leading to increased interest and demand for DIY eyelashes among consumers.
Searches for “DIY lashes” have increased by 900% over the past five years.
Lashify and Kiss Falscara are two trending brands operating in this space.
Sudowrite
Sudowrite is a generative AI startup.
Specifically, it’s an AI writing assistant for fiction work, like novels and screenplays.
The platform can edit writing, generate scenes, produce storylines and name characters.
Furthermore, Sudowrite can generate poetry, poems or songs.
The tool currently produces around 14,000 original, plagiarism-free pieces of prose each day.
The startup has raised $3M in funding.
What’s next:
Sudowrite is part of the Fiction AI meta trend.
Tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney have popularized the use of generative AI.
And we’re seeing growing demand for tools specifically designed to generate fictional work.
In fact, searches for “AI story generator” have increased 99X+ over the past five years.
A growing number of authors are already using AI tools to write parts of their novels and books.
(Search volume for “AI book writing” has increased by 3300% over the past 24 months.)
Wordtune, Writier and ShortlyAI are examples of startups operating in this space.
ADHD Music
ADHD music refers to a specific genre of music that is believed to help people with ADHD.
The music usually consists of calming and repetitive sounds that are designed to reduce distractibility and promote relaxation.
Growing interest in ADHD music is heavily driven by social media, specifically TikTok.
Videos about this genre of music have over 22 billion views on the platform.
What’s next:
ADHD music is part of the ADHD TikTok meta trend.
TikTok has become home to a massive ADHD community.
In fact, the #adhd hashtag has over 21 billion views to date.
And members of this community routinely discuss products designed to help with ADHD symptoms.
(Searches for “ADHD products” have increased by 133% over the past 24 months.)
Here are a few examples of trending ADHD products:
Online ADHD tests are self-assessment examinations that are taken virtually.
ADHD chairs are chairs specifically designed for people with ADD or ADHD. Videos featuring ADHD chairs have over 23 billion views on TikTok.
ADHD planners are organizational tools specifically designed for people with ADHD. Videos about ADHD planners have around 6.9 billion views on TikTok.
Sea Moss Drops
Sea moss drops are a concentrated form of sea moss, a seaweed rich in minerals and nutrients.
The supplemental form of sea moss provides several potential health benefits, such as supporting the immune system, improving digestion, and promoting healthy skin and hair.
Reports suggesting that Kim Kardashian adds sea moss drops to her smoothies helped put this product on the map.
However, interest has continued strongly since then.
In fact, videos about sea moss drops have over 620 million views on TikTok.
What’s next:
Sea moss drops are part of the Sea Moss Products meta trend.
Searches for “sea moss products” have increased by 1200% over the past five years.
Examples of trending products in this category include:
Sea moss gels are edible gels made from sea moss that are mainly consumed as a dense source of micronutrients.
Sea moss gummies refer to sea moss in gummy form.
Sea moss capsules are similar to sea moss gummies but come in capsule form.
Tinted Serum
Tinted serums are skincare products that combine the benefits of a serum with a touch of color.
They typically contain a blend of active ingredients such as antioxidants, vitamins, and peptides to improve the texture and appearance of the skin while also providing coverage and a natural-looking glow.
Interest in this product category is also growing due to a brand called Ilia.
(Searches for “Ilia” have grown by 326% over the past five years.)
Search volume for “Ilia tinted serum” has increased by 1200% over the past five years.
Videos about the product have over 220 million views on TikTok.
Ilia’s tinted serum generates approximately $280K/month on Amazon.
What’s next:
Tinted serums are part of the Tinted Skincare meta trend.
Tinted skincare are cosmetics that provide skin-enhancing properties and subtle color coverage.
These products are becoming increasingly popular as the“makeup-free” look starts to become the norm for many women.
Here are a few examples of trending tinted skincare products:
Tinted sunscreen is designed to provide broad-spectrum sun protection while offering a hint of color. They are lightweight, non-greasy, and can be used in place of traditional sunscreens and foundation.
Tinted moisturizers serve as a moisturizer and a foundation. They are lightweight and provide a medium coverage that evens skin tone while hydrating the skin.
Tinted lip balms moisturize and add color to the lips.
Embedded Investment
Embedded investing refers to the integration of investing functionality into non-traditional financial products or services.
This means that instead of using a separate investment platform or broker, individuals can invest directly through an app or platform they already use for other purposes.
Interest in this technology is growing because many companies are integrating embedded investment into their apps.
For example, Venmo and PayPal now allow users to invest in crypto and make deposits on trading platforms.
Elon Musk has also laid out his vision of turning Twitter into an embedded finance company.
Additionally, several startups are launching embedded investment solutions, making it easy for companies to integrate investing on their platforms.
Tarrakki offers a white-label solution for investment products. This means the startup provides an infrastructure stack that lets companies offer investment products on their platforms.
What’s next:
Embedded investment is part of the Embedded Finance meta trend.
Search volume for “embedded finance” has grown by 966% over the past five years.
Some VCs describe embedded finance as essentially “making every company a fintech company”.
A growing number of startups are now offering embedded finance solutions, further accelerating this trend.
BharatX and Zego are examples of startups in this space.
And embedded insurance and embedded payments are examples of trending embedded finance tools.