One thing I've noticed is that popularity often spreads because people recommend something to friends rather than because of advertising. In my case, I usually pay attention to how long a platform stays relevant instead of how much people talk about it for a few weeks. If users keep returning over time, there is usually a reason behind it. Sometimes it's a clean layout, sometimes it's reliable performance, and sometimes it's simply that people feel comfortable using the same place regularly. Reading different opinions before making a decision has always worked better for me than following trends.