What are the most in-demand roles for trend researchers in entertainment?

1 Content strategist

A content strategist is a trend researcher who plans and develops content strategies for various platforms and channels, such as streaming services, social media, websites, podcasts, or blogs. They use trend research to understand the target audience, the competitive landscape, and the best practices for creating and distributing engaging and relevant content. A content strategist may work with writers, editors, producers, designers, and marketers to ensure that the content aligns with the brand identity, the business goals, and the user needs. A content strategist typically has a background in journalism, communication, marketing, or a related field, and strong skills in writing, research, analysis, and project management.

2 Trend forecaster

A trend forecaster is a trend researcher who predicts and interprets future trends that may impact the entertainment industry and its consumers. They use various sources and methods, such as data analysis, social media listening, cultural observation, expert interviews, and scenario planning, to identify and evaluate emerging patterns, behaviors, values, and preferences. A trend forecaster may work for a consultancy firm, a research agency, or an in-house team, and provide reports, presentations, workshops, or consulting services to clients or stakeholders. A trend forecaster typically has a background in sociology, psychology, anthropology, or a related field, and strong skills in research, analysis, storytelling, and visualization.

3 Audience researcher

An audience researcher is a trend researcher who studies and understands the characteristics, motivations, and behaviors of the entertainment consumers. They use various tools and techniques, such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, experiments, or analytics, to collect and analyze data on the audience's demographics, preferences, opinions, satisfaction, and loyalty. An audience researcher may work for a media company, a production studio, a network, or a research firm, and provide insights, recommendations, or feedback to improve the content quality, the audience engagement, or the revenue generation. An audience researcher typically has a background in media studies, marketing, statistics, or a related field, and strong skills in research, analysis, data science, and communication.