Just a matter of proper research and good feedback bout the coin. There's an excitement for the upcoming alt season but whatever coin you will gonna hold, if it belongs to the top 50 or not, the bottom line is we shall choose the right altcoin to invest. Not just because of it's popularity.
Potential is easy to say,,, anyone can say any coin has potential but for me, without usage and without community, that potential will never be realized. Which is why most altcoins will die out eventually after the hype is gone. I think the next altseason will be disappointing for a lot of people.