What is Google Trends: How to Use it for Marketing and Research?
Last Updated on 15th May 2023 by Ajmer Singh
When it comes to writing an article, there are plenty of places where one can find inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a short answer about my new favourite site (besides Quora ), which is google trends.
I’ve used this tool for my own advantage before but never really thought too much about it until a couple of days ago.
When I came across a post on Quora where I learned that google trends can actually be used to have a better understanding of the potential audience for a certain topic you want or have already written an article about.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what exactly is Google Trends, why it’s important and how to use it for your own benefit.
First of all, what is Google Trends in SEO?
Google trends show you whether people are searching for a specific word more than before, less than before or if the numbers remain unchanged.
That might not be incredibly useful but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
If you sign in to your Google account and click on the “trends” tab you can also see what the percentages of people who searched for a certain term at Google were during a specific time frame.
What makes it even more useful is the option to compare up to four different searches and not just look at one single search.
Comparing those will give you an idea of how popular a certain topic is.
How many people search for a certain topic or subject on Google and therefore an idea of what type of audience to expect from your article.
In today’s age where you have to compete against thousands of other contributors, it becomes increasingly difficult to write an article that will be different from the others.
In fact, I’ve written several posts recently where I mentioned how hard it is to come up with a topic as there are posts about almost everything already written.
In this case, Google trends will give you an indication of whether your article will be something that the Internet population is interested in or if they’re not.
While that might not always be enough to convince you to write about a certain topic.
It could be a way to analyse whether your blog is going in the right direction or if you have to change gears and write about something else.
In other words, google trends won’t give you a complete answer as to what type of article will do well.
But it should provide some sort of guideline that can help you to decide what to write about.
Now that you know what Google Trends is capable of, let’s take a look at
Why it is important?
Google trends will give you an idea of how much interest there is in a certain topic.
Of course, the more there is the better but it’s also important to realise that even if something isn’t popular, it can be profitable.
For example, imagine that you’re writing an article about how to fix the engine of a Honda Civic.
While it might seem like a topic that nobody would be interested in.
But there is a group of people who are looking for information about it and will read your article if you write one.
The main thing that Google trends can tell you is how competitive a certain topic is and whether or not your article will be easily found when somebody is looking for information about it.
While this might not make a major difference with a very specific subject, it will be a problem if you’re writing an article that is more general.
In other words, Google Trends won’t give you the answer as to whether your blog or website is going to succeed.
But I would say that it can help you make important decisions about what to write about.
While it might not be the most exciting thing to look at, Google Trends can provide invaluable information about what type of article will do well around your blog.
It’s not a complete answer but it should give you some good ideas for new articles if you understand how to use them properly!
How to use google trends?
In order to use Google trends for your blogging, you have to know what the topic is about.
In other words, you have to choose a topic that has a bigger potential audience or at least a smaller one that is easier to reach.
If you’re just starting out with your blog, it’s important to note that being aware of competition is a good thing.
In blogging, it’s important to realise that there are thousands of other bloggers out there who have many similar ideas as you do.
In that case, looking at Google trends will give you an idea of the popularity of a certain topic,
and whether or not you’ll be able to compete with them in order to get your voice heard.
Once you know what the topic is, type it into Google Trends and make sure to select the time frame that makes sense for your article.
For example, if you’re writing about how popular a certain event was last year, you would look at the topics of 2021.
If this is something that has already happened (such as an event or a movie release), you would look at the topics of 2018-2022.
If your topic is something that hasn’t happened yet but is expected to happen, you would choose 2021-2022.
After doing this, Google Trends will give you an idea if there are too many articles about that topic or not enough.
You can also see how the interest in that topic has changed over time if you’re writing about something from the past.
Can you predict the future with Google Trends?
Have you ever wondered if it is possible to predict the future?
What about predicting what people are searching for online?
Google trends can help you do just that.
Google Trends is a free service that shows how often a search term is entered in the country, relative to the total search volume across various regions and languages.
It provides information about what people are looking for online, which can give you very useful insights.
How does it work?
Google Trends analyzes Google web searches to estimate the relative popularity of various searches.
In other words, it shows you what people are looking for on Google, and how often.
It’s a great way to know what people are interested in and can give you insights into future trends.
How accurate is it?
Google Trends shows the interest over time for specific search terms or topics,
relative to the total search volume across various regions and languages by computing how many times the search term is entered,
relative to the total search volume across various regions and languages.
The scale of the graph changes to accommodate different search volumes in different regions.
Is it possible to predict the future?
If you know what people are looking for online, then yes, it is certainly possible to predict the future.
It would be very difficult to use Google Trends data alone to predict the future, but if you combine it with other sources of data the results can be extremely accurate.
There are many ways in which Google Trends can help your business, including being able to predict the future.
Now that you have read this article, You are much better equipped to use google trends for your business.
Google Trends is an invaluable tool for students, bloggers, marketers, etc.
Its simple interface and ease of use make it easy to use even without prior knowledge of data mining.
Let’s say you are a student working on a project about global warming or recycling, looking for information that would help you understand the topic better.
Instead of opening multiple websites, simply type ‘global warming’ or ‘recycling’ on the google trends search bar.
Google Trends will show you some results for trends of these terms/phrases over the last few years, which is very helpful in analysing how your research topic has been developing.
The same applies to marketers and website owners.
If they are searching for information to help them identify their target audience, they can use ‘topics related’ to their industry.
This article is meant to be a step by step guide for beginners who are curious about how to use Google Trends in practice.
How to use Google Trends for Marketing Research, Business, SEO, Keyword Research, Product research & Blogging!
Step 1
The first step is to simply go to Google Trends and type in your search term or phrase.
You can choose from a list of default topics if you cannot think of anything, it works too.
Step 2
When you type in your term or phrase, click on the ‘trends’ tab to show the graph of search interest for that topic over time.
Google suggests some related terms as well- you can try those if you want.
If we look closely at the graph we see there is a line indicating how many queries were made for that topic, and also a ‘list of dates’.
Click any date listed to see how many queries or searches were made for a specific day or time period.
You can choose to filter between regions as well- internationally, regionally or locally.
This is helpful if you are writing an assignment on a certain country, or if you are just curious about the geographical spread of your topic.
Step 3
Click any point on the graph to see how many searches were made for that specific time period.
Google will give you some related terms as well, which might help expand your knowledge or understanding of what kind of people are curious about your topic.
Step 4
This is the part where you can use Google Trends for business or marketing purposes.
If you type in a company name, product name, website, etc., you will see what kind of interest there is in that topic.
For example, if you are an SEO trying to determine which terms/phrases people are most interested in, you can simply type those and check out the results.
This is very useful for making business decisions- like which keywords/phrases to prioritize on your site, and how much investment should be made towards them.
However, if you are a student or blogger writing on a topic that is not popular yet, this tool may not help you.
For example, if you are writing about a new technology that does not have many search results on it yet, this tool will not be of much use to you.
Step 5
Another way of using Google Trends is by typing in names or words related to your topic or industry.
You can see what kind of interest there is in that term or phrase.
This is helpful in getting a better understanding of the broad topic you are researching about, whether it be recycling or social media development.
Step 6
You can also add a location to your list of search terms to see where the majority of people interested in that topic are from.
Step 7
If you click on related topics Google suggests some for you.
This is helpful in expanding your base knowledge about the topic in question, and in seeing if there are any other terms or phrases that might be helpful for your research.
Step 8
Finally, if you are writing a research paper and want to see how many pages have been written on your topic, paste the URL of any website related to your topic in the box.
Google Trends will give you information about other related topics as well- this is an added bonus.
Why to use Google Trends for your Business or Research?
1. Using Google Trends can be helpful in conducting market or business research.
You can use this tool to find out the best keywords/phrases for your industry, whether it be marketing, technology, fashion etc.
2. This is also a great research and data analysis tool, and of course very efficient and easy to understand and work with.
3. Google Trends is also helpful in determining where you should expand your business, and make use of online marketing to increase revenue.
4. You can use this tool in making the most out of your content.
– for example, knowing which topics/phrases to prioritize when writing or sharing new content will help you in getting more traffic and engagement.
5. This tool is also immensely helpful if you are writing an assignment on a certain geographical location.
– like a school project, thesis or dissertation on Indian history, for example.
You can use this tool to check out the interest of that place in different contexts.
6. Google Trends is good for SEO too.
-if you are trying to determine the most successful keywords for your website, look them up on Google Trends.
This can be very helpful in deciding which words or phrases to focus on when marketing your site.
However, we are using Semrush for keyword research.
Concluding notes
Google Trends is a great tool that can help with all kinds of research and data analysis.
Whether you are writing an assignment or trying to expand your business, it is very useful for making the most out of market or business research.
Do check it out to get more information on trending topics!
FAQS on google trends!
Q: What is Google Trends?
A: The easiest way to describe it is that it’s a tool for analysing how much interest there is in specific topics.
Since it provides information about search volume, you can use it to find out what type of articles people are looking for on the internet.
Q: How do I check if my article will be unique?
A: If you’re wondering if there are many articles about your topic, Google Trends will give you an idea of whether or not it’s something that is popular.
Generally speaking, the more interest there is in a certain topic the better.
Because this means that people are looking for information about it and will be happy to read your article.
Q: Why do I need to choose a topic that has good search volume?
A: It’s important to note that Google Trends will not give you the answer to whether your blog or website is going to succeed.
While it can help you make decisions about what type of articles would be best for your blog.
The only way to really gauge what articles will do well is to publish them and see how people react.
Q: What if I only want to write about something that isn’t as popular as others?
A: In short, you shouldn’t ignore Google Trends completely.
Even though it might be more difficult to compete with other bloggers for a big audience, it’s still important to try and reach as many people as possible.
That being said, it’s definitely a good idea to try and find something that is interesting to you and see if it’s also interesting to other people.
Q: What if the topic doesn’t have any search volume?
A: If you find that there isn’t enough interest in a certain topic, then it’s not necessarily useless.
You can still use Google Trends as a source of inspiration to come up with your own ideas for new topics.
For example, if you go on Google Trends and discover that there’s no interest in anything related to hobby X, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write about it.
It just means that there isn’t much competition out there, which is good news for you since nobody will be able to steal your traffic!
Q: What if I can only find articles on Google Trends that are really long?
A: You’ll need to make sure that you’re using the right search query.
While it might be tempting to look up specific events, it’s better to instead use broad terms in order to get more accurate results.
Q: What if I’m writing about something that is too popular?
A: If your topic is so popular that tons of people have already written about it, then your best bet is to come up with a unique angle that hasn’t been done before.
You can also try and find an older topic that has good search volume but isn’t being covered by many current bloggers.
Q: What if I just want to see results for my country?
A: If you want to make sure that nobody will be writing about your topic, then it would be a good idea to limit your search results to your country.
By using this option you’ll make it impossible for other bloggers to compete with you because they won’t have the resources or knowledge that you have!
Q: What if I don’t know how to use Google Trends?
A: The best way to learn how to make the most of Google Trends is simply by experimenting and trying new things.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, sign up for a free account and try running some simple searches.
You’ll soon discover that there’s a lot of potential here, especially if you use it to drive more traffic towards your own blog!
Q: What phrases do most people search for?
A: People usually type in phrases with specific meanings and not just words.
For example, if you want to know phrases that most people search for related to mother’s day, you can check Google Trends and see what kind of phrases it suggests.
This is because there are so many different kinds of searches and phrases and it is very difficult to find what you are looking for.
If you just type in the word “mother’s day” there might be different meanings to that phrase.
Q: How do I use this tool?
A: You can use Google Trends by clicking on this link or going to the website of google trends itself.
You can then type in the topic of your interest, and you’ll find out what most people are searching for about that topic.
Q: What is Google trends?
A: This is a tool provided by Google which shows search results according to popularity or trends over time. It also helps with data analysis.
Q: Does Google Trends collect information about users?
A: Google Trends does not store any information about users except the search terms they type in.
You can sign in with your Gmail account or go to Google trends anonymously to view results.
This tool is strictly for analysis and research, so there is no need to worry about privacy issues.
Q: Is using Google Trends free?
A: Yes, this tool is free to use.
Q: How often are the results updated?
A: Google Trends updates the results every day.
These are fresh and new search data which can be used daily to analyze your market/business research in detail.
Q: Why don’t I see any results when I type in my topic?
A: This might be because that is not a popular enough topic or phrase to be included in the results.
This can be because it is too specific, for example.
Q: How do I export/save my data?
A: You can save your research or share it using Google docs or presentations.
You can then access and edit your data whenever you want to!
Q: How accurate are Google Trends results?
A: According to my experience, Google trends is very accurate when it comes to data analysis.
The only flaw with this tool is that it doesn’t show all of the search traffic.
– for example, if your market research topic has a lot of phrases people might type in, you will not see all of them when you use Google Trends.
You can, however, view all the data in Google analytics if you have one.
Q: Sometimes I get different results even when I use the same search term- why is this happening?
A: This might be because of a difference in location or time.
For example, if your research topic is about elections, and you type it in on different days, you might get different results since that topic is more popular during certain months.
Q: What do all of the numbers mean?
A: When Google trends show a graph with the trend line (the line which represents search traffic related to your topic), sometimes there are numbers along the side of it.
The numbers next to it represent the percentage of growth or drop from what you typed in.
For example, if there is a number that says “100%” next to your term, that means that search traffic has increased by 100% since last year.
Q: What is the difference between Google Trends and Adwords Keyword Planner?
A: One of the main differences between these two tools is that,
Adwords keyword planner is used by advertisers to determine which search terms they want to use for advertising campaigns,
whereas Google Trends is strictly for market research, data analysis and other types of research.
Q: How do I know if my keywords are popular enough to be used?
A: If there are lots of search results about your keyword over time, then it means that your keyword is popular.
You can use this tool to measure demand for a product or service and you can determine how much competition there is for that particular search term.
For accurate and better results use any paid tool like Semrush.
Q: Is it okay to use Google Trends if I am not a company or professional?
A: This tool works best when used by professionals, but anyone can use it. It’s free and easy to use!
Q: Can I get results of trending topics from categories other than the ones already presented?
A: Yes, there is a category named “Everything” where you can get the results of all searches on Google.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it was helpful.
This is not a verbatim copy but does follow the same line of thought as the other articles on my blog.
The rule to google trends is that there are no rules- just great ideas that you can use to boost your blog.
I hope that you can use this article as a way to boost your own website and interest others.
And remember: Google doesn’t always get it right, so always do your research and make sure there is demand before writing an article on something!