RFCI Score is the metric that separates trend noise from trend signal. Learn how to read it, estimate it, and use it to make smarter decisions.
What is the RFCI Score?
RFCI stands for Relevance-Frequency-Confidence Index — a proprietary scoring system developed by TrendLogic that evaluates trending topics on a 0–100 scale. Unlike simple volume metrics, RFCI combines four distinct dimensions to give you a holistic view of a trend’s importance and trajectory.
The four dimensions are: Relevance (how closely the trend matches your niche or industry), Frequency (how often the topic is mentioned across platforms), Confidence (the statistical confidence that the trend will continue growing), and Index timing (where the trend sits in its lifecycle — emerging, peaking, or declining).
How Is RFCI Score Calculated?
The RFCI Score uses a weighted algorithm that processes data from multiple sources. Each dimension contributes to the final score:
- Relevance (30%): Semantic analysis of the trend’s relationship to your specified niche. – Frequency (25%): Normalized mention count across all monitored platforms. – Confidence (25%): Statistical modeling of growth trajectory based on historical patterns. – Index Timing (20%): Lifecycle positioning that favors trends in their acceleration phase.
The result is a single number from 0–100 that tells you how much attention a trend deserves. Scores above 70 indicate high-priority trends. Scores above 90 are rare and indicate potentially viral or paradigm-shifting topics.
How to Estimate RFCI Score Manually
While TrendLogic automates RFCI calculation, you can estimate it manually using this framework:
- Check Relevance: Is this trend directly related to your industry? Score 0–10. 2. Measure Frequency: Search for the topic on 3+ platforms. How many mentions in 24 hours? Score 0–10. 3. Assess Confidence: Has the mention volume been growing for 48+ hours? Score 0–10. 4. Determine Timing: Is this trend emerging (high score) or already peaking (lower score)? Score 0–10.
Multiply the sum by 2.5 to get your estimated RFCI on a 0–100 scale.
Using RFCI Score in Your Content Strategy
RFCI Score transforms content planning from guesswork into data-driven decision making. Here’s how to use it:
- RFCI 80–100: Drop everything and create content now. These are rare, high-momentum signals. – RFCI 60–79: Add to your content calendar for this week. Strong trends worth covering. – RFCI 40–59: Monitor for growth. Create outline and drafts but don’t prioritize. – RFCI below 40: Interesting but not actionable yet. Set up alerts for movement.
By organizing your content pipeline around RFCI scores, you consistently publish at the right time — not too early (wasted effort) and not too late (saturated topic).
RFCI Score vs Other Trend Metrics
Traditional metrics like Google Trends search volume or social media engagement rates only tell part of the story. Google Trends shows you what people searched for — past tense. Social engagement shows what’s already viral — you’re too late.
RFCI Score is forward-looking. It identifies trends during their acceleration phase, giving you a window of opportunity before the topic saturates. Combined with polar trend detection and platform-specific filtering, RFCI creates a complete trend intelligence system.