Trends in a messaging platform

A messaging platform system comprising:

• a processor;
• a topic repository storing:
• mappings between a first topic and a first profile of the messaging platform;
• and
• mapping between a second topic and the first profile;
• a trends repository storing:
• a first plurality of trending entities obtained for the first topic and a second plurality of trending entities for the second topic, wherein a trending entity for a particular topic is an entity with a calculated topic weight for the particular topic that satisfies a threshold and wherein obtaining trending entities for a particular topic comprises:
• obtaining a plurality of entities and calculating an intra-topic (IT) weight for the particular topic each of the obtained plurality of entities,
• wherein for each entity, the IT weight for a particular topic indicates a degree to which the entity is trending within the particular topic, the IT weight of the entity is calculated for the particular topic based on a current value of a frequency counter for the entity with respect to the particular topic relative to a historical baseline for occurrence of the entity with respect to the particular topic, and
• wherein each entity having a calculated IT weight that satisfies the threshold is designated as a trending entity for the particular topic;
• and
• a trends personalization engine executing on the processor and configured to:
• determine, by accessing the topic repository, that the first profile is interested in the first topic and in the second topic;
• obtain, for the first profile, a first intra-profile (IP) weight for the first topic and a second IP weight for the second topic, wherein each IP weight indicates a degree of interest the first profile has in the respective topic, and the first IP weight is different from the second IP weight;
• select, for the first profile, a combined subset of entities from the first plurality of trending entities and the second plurality of trending entities using the first IP weight, the second IP weight, the first plurality of IT weights, and the second plurality of IT weights, wherein whether a particular entity for a particular topic is included in the combined subset is determined using the IT weight of the particular entity for the particular topic and the IP weight for the particular topic;
• identify content associated with the entities in the combined subset of entities;
• and
• send the identified content for display to a user of the first profile.

A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) storing a plurality of instructions for operating a messaging platform, the instructions comprising functionality for:

• obtaining, for a first profile of the messaging platform, a first topic of interest, a first intra-profile (IP) weight for the first topic of interest, a second topic of interest, and a second IP weight for the second topic of interest, wherein each IP weight indicates a degree of interest the first profile has in the respective topic, and the first IP weight is different from the second IP weight;
• obtaining a first plurality of trending entities for the first topic of interest and a second plurality of trending entities for the second topic of interest, wherein a trending entity for a particular topic of interest is an entity with a calculated intra-topic weight for the particular topic of interest that satisfies a threshold and wherein obtaining trending entities for a particular topic of interest comprises:
• obtaining a plurality of entities and calculating an intra-topic (IT) weight for the particular topic for each of the obtained plurality of entities,
• wherein for each entity, the IT weight for a particular topic of interest indicates a degree to which the entity is trending within the particular topic, the IT weight of the entity is calculated for the particular topic based on a current value of a frequency counter for the entity with respect to the particular topic relative to a historical baseline for occurrence of the entity with respect to the particular topic, and
• wherein each entity having a calculated IT weight that satisfies the threshold is designated as a trending entity for the particular topic;
• selecting a combined subset of entities from the first plurality of trending entities and the second plurality of trending entities using the first IP weight, the second IP weight, the first plurality of IT weights, and the second plurality of IT weights, wherein whether a particular entity for a particular topic is included in the combined subset is determined using the IT weight of the particular entity for the particular topic and the IP weight for the particular topic;
• identifying content associated with the entities in the combined subset of entities;
• and
• sending the identified content for display to a user of the first profile.