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6 Free Tools to Find What’s Hot on Social Media for Your Next Merch Masterpiece

March 19, 2025

In partnership with

Amazon Merch on Demand sellers know the game: nail the trend, win the sale. But spotting what’s hot—those viral keywords, hashtags, or niches lighting up TikTok, Instagram, X, or Pinterest—can feel like chasing a unicorn. Good news: you don’t need a fat wallet or a tech degree to crack it. These six free tools, all easy to use and brimming with real-time insights, will help you unearth the social media goldmine for your next T-shirt triumph. From hashtag hacks to trend trackers, here’s your toolkit—dive in and design what sells.

1. DisplayPurposes (displaypurposes.com)

  • Platform: Instagram

  • What It Does: Enter a keyword like “dog,” and get 30 hashtag ideas—e.g., “#doglife” (20M+ posts)—filtered to dodge banned tags.

  • Why It’s Great: Free, no signup, and merch-ready—perfect for pet or humor niches. Post counts show what’s trending now.

  • Limitations: Instagram-only; no deep analytics beyond volume.

2. Keyword Tool (keywordtool.io)

  • Platforms: Instagram, X, Pinterest, YouTube

  • What It Does: Pulls autocomplete suggestions—e.g., “cat lover” on X yields “#catlover” (5M+ posts)—across multiple platforms.

  • Why It’s Great: Free tier offers keyword and hashtag lists, no login needed. Spot cross-site trends for your next upload.

  • Limitations: Search volume locked behind paid version.

3. Google Trends (trends.google.com)

  • Platforms: Cross-platform (web trends feeding social media)

  • What It Does: Tracks keyword heat—e.g., “pickleball shirt” up 15% in 2025—with related queries for niche inspo.

  • Why It’s Great: Free, no signup, ties social buzz to broader demand—time your drops like a pro.

  • Limitations: Not platform-specific; needs cross-checking.

4. Tweet Binder (tweetbinder.com)

  • Platform: X

  • What It Does: Free report (200 tweets, last 7 days) analyzes X hashtags—e.g., “#tshirtdesign” used 150 times this week.

  • Why It’s Great: Fast, free X trend insights for merch ideas—no login for basic use.

  • Limitations: 200-tweet cap; X-only focus.

5. Pinterest Trends (trends.pinterest.com)

  • Platform: Pinterest

  • What It Does: Shows trending searches—e.g., “retro tees” up 25% in 2025—by season or region.

  • Why It’s Great: Free, no account, visual-first—spot merch design gems like “vintage shirts.”

  • Limitations: Pinterest-only; keywords, not hashtags.

6. Inflact Hashtag Generator (inflact.com)

  • Platform: Instagram

  • What It Does: Suggests hashtags by keyword—e.g., “fitness” yields “#fitlife” (15M+ posts)—sorted by frequency.

  • Why It’s Great: Free basic use, no signup, merch-friendly tags for instant uploads.

  • Limitations: Limited free suggestions (full list paid); Instagram-only.

Your Next Masterpiece Awaits

These six tools are your ticket to the social media pulse—no cost, no steep learning curves, just results.

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