# Reel Trend Log — template

From the Reel Trend Research Guide (https://reel-trend-research.pages.dev/documentation-template/).
Version 1, 6 November 2026. Free to copy and adapt.

One row per trend. Recheck every "watch" item 24–72 hours after first sighting and fill in the Growth columns.
Score each trend with the evaluation checklist (https://reel-trend-research.pages.dev/checklist/) before reporting it.

## Column dictionary

| # | Column | Group | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | `trend_id` | Identify | Short unique ID you assign | T-20261106-01 |
| 2 | `date_spotted` | Identify | Date of first sighting (YYYY-MM-DD) | 2026-11-06 |
| 3 | `time_spotted_ist` | Identify | Time of first sighting, 24-hour IST | 10:40 |
| 4 | `researcher` | Identify | Initials of the person logging | AB |
| 5 | `trend_name` | Identify | Short name you will use in reports | [working name] |
| 6 | `trend_type` | Identify | audio / template / format / phrase / challenge / other | audio |
| 7 | `example_reel_url` | Evidence | Link to one original (not reposted) example | https://www.instagram.com/reel/EXAMPLE1/ |
| 8 | `more_example_urls` | Evidence | 2-3 more example links, separated by spaces | https://www.instagram.com/reel/EXAMPLE2/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/EXAMPLE3/ |
| 9 | `audio_name` | Evidence | Audio title exactly as shown (blank if none) | [audio title] |
| 10 | `audio_page_url` | Evidence | Link to the audio page, if available | — |
| 11 | `reuse_count_1` | Growth | Reels count on the audio page at first check | 2400 |
| 12 | `check_2_datetime` | Growth | Date and time of the recheck (24-72 h later) | 2026-11-08 10:30 |
| 13 | `reuse_count_2` | Growth | Reels count at the recheck | 6100 |
| 14 | `relative_change` | Growth | (count 2 - count 1) / count 1, as a percentage | 154% |
| 15 | `distinct_creators_seen` | Spread | Number of unrelated accounts you found using it | 9 |
| 16 | `niches` | Spread | Niches seen, separated by semicolons | fitness; pets; student life |
| 17 | `languages_regions` | Spread | Languages or regions seen | Hindi; English; Pune |
| 18 | `cross_platform` | Spread | Other platforms where you saw it, or 'none found' | YouTube Shorts |
| 19 | `comment_patterns` | Spread | Recurring comment types on examples | 'song name?'; tagging friends |
| 20 | `originality_notes` | Spread | Origin if found; reposts, watermarks, agency or paid coordination | origin not found; no paid-partnership labels seen |
| 21 | `lifecycle_stage` | Assess | seed / emerging / rising / peak / declining / residual | rising |
| 22 | `checklist_score` | Assess | Total from the evaluation checklist (0-20) | 14 |
| 23 | `confidence` | Assess | low / medium / high | medium |
| 24 | `risk_flags` | Assess | safety / copyright / misinformation / mocks a real person / none | none |
| 25 | `status` | Assess | discard / watch / report / archived | report |
| 26 | `next_check_date` | Assess | When to look again (YYYY-MM-DD) | 2026-11-11 |
| 27 | `notes` | Assess | Anything a colleague needs to interpret this row | ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE ROW - delete before use |

The example values are illustrative placeholders, not real observations.

## Quick log (copy as many rows as you need)

| trend_id | date_spotted | trend_name | trend_type | example_reel_url | reuse_count_1 | reuse_count_2 | lifecycle_stage | checklist_score | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## Weekly digest skeleton

- **New this week:**
- **Rising (act now):**
- **Peaking (use with a fresh angle only):**
- **Fading (stop using):**
- **Accuracy check — calls from two weeks ago that held / did not hold:**