9 Best Trend Research Software for Arcades

Google Trends is a widely used, free tool that provides insight into search volume patterns across Google’s global search engine. For arcade operators, it helps identify rising interest in terms like ‘arcade game repair near me’, ‘retro gaming console 2025’, or ‘best family arcade centers’. According to its website, Google Trends normalizes search data to show relative popularity over time and by region, making it ideal for spotting geographic trends—such as surging interest in arcade visits during summer months or after a viral Netflix show featuring retro gaming. It also reveals related queries and breakout search terms, allowing arcade marketers to align content with what people are actively seeking. While it doesn’t generate content, it’s invaluable for keyword research and timing campaigns around rising demand. The platform is simple to use, requires no sign-up for basic features, and integrates with Google Ads and Google Analytics for broader marketing context. Many arcade businesses use it to validate whether a new game launch or themed event is likely to attract local search traffic before investing in promotional materials. Its strength lies in its accuracy and global reach, making it a foundational tool for any data-driven content strategy.

TikTok Creative Center is a free resource provided by TikTok to help brands understand what content performs best on the platform. According to its website, it offers real-time data on trending sounds, hashtags, challenges, and ad formats, making it indispensable for arcade marketers aiming to tap into viral youth culture. For example, arcade owners can discover which retro gaming sounds are trending, which transitions are popular in gaming videos, or how other businesses are using duets and stitches to engage with arcade nostalgia. The platform also breaks down performance metrics for top-performing ads, including completion rates and engagement benchmarks, helping users replicate successful formats. While it doesn’t automate content creation, it’s a goldmine for inspiration and trend validation. Many successful arcade campaigns have been built by reverse-engineering top-performing TikTok videos—like a 15-second clip of someone rediscovering a classic pinball machine—to create their own authentic versions. The Creative Center also includes a library of trending audio clips and visual effects, allowing users to quickly assemble content that feels native to TikTok’s algorithm. Its real value is in its immediacy: it shows what’s working right now, not what worked last month.

BuzzSumo is a content intelligence platform that helps users discover what content is performing best across social media and the web. According to its website, it analyzes over 4 billion pieces of content to identify top-performing articles, videos, and infographics by topic, domain, or keyword. For arcade businesses, this means uncovering which blog posts or YouTube videos about retro gaming, arcade history, or family-friendly entertainment are getting the most shares, backlinks, and engagement. It’s particularly useful for identifying influencers and publications that cover gaming culture, allowing arcades to pitch guest content or collaborations. BuzzSumo’s trend alerts notify users when new content emerges around specific keywords, such as ‘arcade redemption games’ or ‘best vintage arcade cabinets’, helping marketers stay ahead of emerging conversations. While it doesn’t generate content, it provides a powerful lens into what’s resonating across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and news sites. Many agencies use BuzzSumo to reverse-engineer successful content strategies from competitors and adapt them for their own audience. Its strength lies in its comprehensive data aggregation, making it ideal for long-form content planning and outreach.

Brandwatch is a social listening and analytics platform that tracks mentions of brands, products, and keywords across social media, forums, blogs, and news sites. According to its website, it uses AI to analyze sentiment, identify emerging trends, and measure brand health in real time. For arcade operators, this means monitoring conversations around terms like ‘arcade nostalgia’, ‘video game bar’, or ‘family entertainment center’ to understand public perception and uncover unmet needs. Brandwatch can detect spikes in mentions tied to events like arcade expos, game anniversaries, or viral TikTok videos, allowing businesses to respond quickly with targeted content. It also segments conversations by demographics and location, helping arcades tailor messaging to specific audiences—such as Gen Z gamers in urban areas versus families in suburban malls. While it doesn’t create content, its deep-dive insights help shape campaign strategy by revealing what language and emotions resonate most. Many enterprise-level arcade chains use Brandwatch to manage reputation and anticipate PR opportunities, such as responding to a viral post about a beloved local arcade closing. Its strength is in its ability to turn raw social noise into structured, actionable intelligence.

AnswerThePublic is a keyword research tool that visualizes questions people are asking around a specific topic, pulled from Google Autocomplete and related searches. According to its website, it organizes queries into categories like ‘what’, ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘can’, and ‘should’, making it ideal for uncovering the exact language arcade customers use when searching for information. For example, searching ‘arcade’ might reveal questions like ‘why are arcades making a comeback?’, ‘how much does it cost to open an arcade?’, or ‘can adults go to arcades?’. This is invaluable for creating blog content, video scripts, or social posts that directly answer customer concerns. Arcade owners can use these insights to build FAQ pages, YouTube tutorials, or TikTok explainers that feel authentic and helpful. The tool also highlights search volume trends and seasonal patterns, helping prioritize content topics. While it doesn’t generate multimedia content or manage publishing, it’s a powerful ideation engine for content that solves real problems. Its strength lies in its simplicity and focus on user intent—turning search behavior into content opportunities.

Hootsuite Insights is a social media analytics dashboard that aggregates data from multiple platforms to track brand mentions, hashtags, and competitor activity. According to its website, it allows users to monitor keywords, track engagement trends, and generate reports on audience sentiment and reach. For arcade businesses, this means keeping tabs on hashtags like #ArcadeLife, #RetroGaming, or #FamilyFunCenter across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. It helps identify when a competitor’s promotion is gaining traction or when a new arcade-themed meme is spreading. While it doesn’t perform deep trend research or generate content, it’s useful for ongoing campaign monitoring and performance reporting. Many arcade managers use Hootsuite Insights to schedule posts and then analyze which ones drive the most engagement, allowing them to double down on successful formats. Its strength is in its centralized dashboard, which reduces the need to switch between platforms. However, its trend detection is reactive rather than predictive, making it better for maintaining momentum than discovering breakout opportunities.

Sprout Social is a social media management platform that combines scheduling, analytics, and listening tools into a single interface. According to its website, it provides deep engagement metrics, audience insights, and competitive benchmarking to help brands optimize their social strategy. For arcade owners, this means understanding which types of posts—whether behind-the-scenes videos of game repairs or nostalgia-driven photo collages—are driving the most comments, shares, and profile visits. Sprout Social’s listening features track mentions of keywords like ‘arcade party’ or ‘retro game night’, helping identify unmet community needs. Its audience demographics tool reveals the age, gender, and location of followers, allowing for precise targeting. While it doesn’t generate content or conduct deep research into viral mechanics, it excels at turning engagement data into actionable improvements. Many arcade marketers use it to A/B test post formats and optimize posting times based on historical performance. Its strength lies in its polished user experience and enterprise-grade reporting, making it ideal for businesses that treat social media as a core revenue channel.

Meltwater is a media intelligence platform that tracks news, social media, blogs, and broadcast media to provide comprehensive brand monitoring and trend analysis. According to its website, it uses AI to analyze millions of global sources to detect emerging trends, sentiment shifts, and influencer activity. For large arcade chains or franchise operators, Meltwater offers a powerful way to monitor how their brand is perceived in the broader entertainment landscape, including coverage in gaming magazines, local news, and YouTube review channels. It can detect when a new arcade opens in a competing city or when a celebrity posts about retro gaming, allowing for rapid response. Its trend reports can identify cultural moments—like the resurgence of 80s fashion—that arcades can tie into with themed events. However, Meltwater is designed for enterprise-level organizations and lacks the agility and creative tools needed for small or independent arcades. Its strength is in its global reach and depth of media coverage, but its complexity and cost make it overkill for most arcade marketing needs.