Data Sources
Understand and configure the data sources that power Trend Analysis, from news feeds to social media, research databases, and custom integrations.
Data Sources Overview#
Trend Analysis monitors over 10 different data source categories to provide comprehensive trend intelligence. Each source type offers unique insights: news reveals public narrative, social media shows real-time sentiment, patents indicate innovation direction, and job postings signal strategic priorities.
By combining multiple sources, Trend Analysis can identify trends early, validate signals across channels, and provide a holistic view of market dynamics that single-source monitoring cannot achieve.
Source Diversity Matters
Available Sources#
News & Media#
Traditional and digital news sources provide context, analysis, and broad market coverage:
Major News Outlets
Reuters, AP, Bloomberg, WSJ, and 500+ global news sources covering business, technology, and markets.
Industry Publications
Specialized trade publications and industry-specific news sources across 50+ sectors.
Press Releases
Corporate announcements, product launches, and official company communications.
Blogs & Analysis
Expert blogs, analyst reports, and thought leadership content from industry voices.
Social Media#
Social platforms provide real-time sentiment and early trend signals:
| Platform | Coverage | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| X (Twitter) | Public posts, trending topics, influential accounts | Real-time sentiment, breaking developments |
| Professional content, company updates, job trends | B2B trends, industry movements, talent signals | |
| Community discussions, niche topics, emerging interests | Consumer sentiment, grassroots trends | |
| YouTube | Video content, comments, channel trends | Consumer behavior, educational content trends |
| TikTok | Short-form video trends, hashtags, creator content | Gen Z preferences, viral consumer trends |
Social Signal Weighting
Research & Patents#
Academic and intellectual property sources reveal innovation trends and emerging technologies:
Academic Research
Papers from PubMed, arXiv, IEEE, and major academic databases covering science, technology, and medicine.
Patent Filings
USPTO, EPO, and global patent databases tracking innovation activity and IP trends.
Preprints
Early-stage research publications that signal emerging scientific directions.
Citation Analysis
Track which papers and patents are gaining attention and influence.
Business Intelligence#
Business-focused sources provide strategic and operational intelligence:
| Source Type | Data Captured | Strategic Value |
|---|---|---|
| Job Postings | Hiring trends, skill demands, team expansion | Reveals strategic priorities and capability building |
| Company Filings | SEC filings, earnings calls, regulatory documents | Financial health, strategy disclosures, risk factors |
| Funding Data | VC investments, M&A activity, IPO filings | Market confidence, emerging competitors, consolidation |
| Event Calendars | Conferences, trade shows, product launches | Industry timing, competitive activity planning |
| Government Data | Economic indicators, regulatory changes, policy | Macro trends, compliance requirements, opportunities |
Configuring Sources#
Customize which sources Trend Analysis monitors to focus on the most relevant channels for your organization:
Access Source Settings
Enable or Disable Sources
Configure Source Priorities
Set Geographic Filters
Define Language Preferences
Source Coverage and Plans
Source Quality#
Not all sources are equal. Trend Analysis employs multiple quality controls to ensure reliable trend detection:
Source Verification
Each source is vetted for reliability, update frequency, and data quality before inclusion.
Noise Filtering
AI algorithms filter spam, duplicate content, and low-quality signals automatically.
Historical Accuracy
Sources are scored based on how often their signals have predicted real trends.
Continuous Calibration
Source weights are continuously adjusted based on performance and user feedback.
| Quality Metric | Description | How We Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness | How current the data is | Average lag from event to capture |
| Coverage | Breadth of topic coverage | Topic diversity and completeness |
| Accuracy | Correctness of information | Cross-reference validation rate |
| Signal-to-Noise | Relevant vs irrelevant content | AI classification accuracy |
| Predictive Value | Trend prediction success | Historical trend validation |
Custom Sources#
For organizations with specialized monitoring needs, Trend Analysis supports custom source integration:
- RSS/Atom Feeds: Add any RSS or Atom feed for automatic monitoring
- API Integrations: Connect to third-party APIs for proprietary data sources
- Web Scrapers: Configure custom scrapers for specific websites (Enterprise plan)
- Internal Data: Integrate internal databases and knowledge bases for holistic analysis
- Partner Sources: Access specialized industry sources through our partner network