How to Use Google Trends for Marketing | A Complete Guide

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing and rankings, staying ahead of the curve is essential. As we all know that the internet is constantly evolving, consumer interests and behaviors shift rapidly, making real-time data more valuable than ever. And this real time data is very valuable not just for news media companies but also for digital marketing as well as website bloggers as it helps to know the interest and content demand among people. Apart from this, it also helps to know a lot of things like if a movie is released then the hype for that movie and how popular it is can be easily known from the search volume or Trend among the audience, how popular a celebrity or a politician is can be easily known from the search trends in today's digital world. This is where Google Trends comes into play. A free tool developed by Google, Google Trends provides marketers with the ability to explore what the world is searching for. Whether you're a content creator, SEO expert, or product marketer, harnessing the power of Google Trends can elevate your strategy and provide insights that traditional tools might miss. In comparison to other traditional SEO tools, Google trends is quite different because this data is real time and quite accurate, and the user can check the particular trend category, location as well as their interest according to that category and in Google trends it also shows which news articles related to that trend have already been published. Despite being so valuable, Google trends tool is free for all users.

This comprehensive article will explore how you can utilize Google Trends effectively in your marketing efforts. We’ll dive into its key features, use cases, expert tips, and strategic advantages, making it your go-to resource for data-driven marketing success. So if you are connected with digital marketing or content publishing in any way then read this article completely because this is going to be a very detailed article on Google trends.

Quick Summary

Google Trends is a free tool that shows the popularity of search queries over time and across regions. And many news and media companies use this data for their content and to understand what's popular among people and what's in high demand. It offers features like Explore, Trending Searches, Year in Search, and Subscriptions. Google Trends also shows a graph of recent trends so that users can know whether a trend will be relevant next or if its peak search has already been passed. Marketers, Content publishers and SEO experts use it for keyword research, content creation, local SEO, seasonal campaigns, social media trends, competitor analysis, and more. Today in this detailed article we will learn about all the features of Google trends and also how Google trends works and if you are a marketer then how you can improve efficiency by using Google trends in your work and achieve growth by targeting the right keywords.

What Are Google Trends?

Google Trends is a web-based tool that visualizes how frequently a given search term is entered into Google's search engine over a specific period. It shows interest in topics over time, across different geographical areas, and in various search categories like News, YouTube, Shopping, and Images. Google trends count almost all the search terms that are searched by people on Google search engine and it doesn't include searches of other search engines or social media platforms.

Google Trends doesn't provide exact search volumes but rather an index score from 0 to 100. A score of 100 represents the peak popularity of a term, while 0 means there is not enough data for the term. This makes it ideal for spotting trends, seasonality, and comparing the relative interest of multiple keywords. And mostly marketing and SEO experts avoid covering the peak trend because mostly the trend already becomes irrelevant after reaching the peak. Google trends is a very simple to use platform, and due to its accuracy, this platform is so popular because this platform is owned by Google, which itself is the biggest search engine in the world.

Where Does Google Trends Data Come From?

Google Trends pulls its data from anonymized samples of real-time and non-real-time search requests made on Google. These queries are then categorized into broader topics such as Technology, Health, Finance etc. And Google only shows that data in Google trends which is organic and the user has searched something through Google search engine, Google does not pick data from other social media or other search engines for trends.

To ensure fairness across regions, Google normalizes the data. This means the values are adjusted based on the total number of searches in a given location and time frame. The results are then scaled from 0 to 100 to represent relative interest.

Normalization Example: If 80 people in California and 20 in Texas search for "fitness tracker," but California has ten times more internet users than Texas, the tool adjusts for population and internet usage to give an accurate comparative score. This will save the time of the user from having to analyze the data manually and by using Google trends they will get very accurate data which they can directly use in their work. The data includes searches from irregular activity to maintain algorithm integrity.

The "Related Queries" and "Related Topics" features use AI to cluster semantically similar queries. And Google trends shows related queries, topics or articles within the niche of all keywords so that the user gets all the information related to any keyword or trend on the Google trends platform without having to manually research it.

How to Use Google Trends for a Basic Analysis?

If you use Google trends occasionally and want to do a basic analysis, then let us know how you can quickly do a basic analysis on Google Trends.

1. First of all visit Google Trends official website.

2. Enter a keyword or topic you want to analyze. Or you can also select any broader category like finance, businesses etc.

3. After that adjust the filters according to your need, in which you select your keyword country, time range as well as categories. After that you have to select the Search type, in which you can see the data of (Web, News, Shopping, YouTube) and one important thing is that all the data which is shown in the list comes from Google search engine and not from other search engines.

4. After this you analyse the graph, Look for peaks and troughs to identify seasonality. And also compare multiple terms to see which has more sustained interest. For this you can also compare related queries or topics

5. Then scroll down the page towards the niche and select the view "Interest by subregion" to target specific locations.

Apart from this, instead of manually analyzing keywords you can also do basic analysis of the keywords which are currently trending by following these same steps.

How to Use Google Trends

If you are a marketer, SEO expert or are associated with the digital content publishing field in any way, then it is very important for you to use Google Trends because it helps you understand the current trends and interest of people so that you can gain growth by targeting the same interest in your business. So let's know in detail how you can use Google Trends platform. Basically Google

Trends is divided into four primary sections:

1. Explore

The main tool where you type in your keywords or topics and analyze trends. What is trending in your location right now is also shown in the suggestion box of the Explore tab. You can also compare up to five terms, apply filters, and dig into related queries. And this tab comes with a very simple interface.

2. Trending Searches

This section shows real-time trending searches in various countries, often triggered by current news or viral moments. And if you have given location permission to your Google account, then you will first be shown trending topics, terms and searches of your country and region. By default these trending searches are set to last 24 hours. You can customize it as per your wish. And here you also get the option to filter categories and trend relevance, in which you can select search volume, recency and title.

3. Year in Search

Google trends also has a very interesting feature, which is not be very useful on a daily basis, but with this feature you can estimate what people's interest and top searches have been in any field in the last 1 year. An annual recap that showcases the top search terms of the year. It's an excellent resource for understanding macro-level consumer interests. If you research it in detail, you will get very important marketing and user interest lessons, because a lot of important and user interest can be known from the top data of 1 year.

4. Subscriptions

Google trends also has a feature of subscription in which users can subscribe to get updates about trending searches, either daily or weekly. This is useful for newsjacking and staying current with hot topics. And in this you can also select the time when you want the update, after this you receive the email of your selected topic or interest on your account.

Also read this article : Google Trends

11 Ways to Use Google Trends to Improve Your Marketing

Whether you are a Content Marketer, SEO Specialist, Market Research Analyst or if you are involved in marketing in any way, it is very important for you to use Google trends professionally so that you can further improve your marketing targets and strategy. So let's know 11 ways through which you can use Google trends more efficiently, which will improve your marketing even more.

1. Use Google Trends for a Basic Analysis

Well, we have learned about the basic use of Google trends, but let's know in a little detail how you can use it, in Google trends you can also see the trend of micro keywords of any category and as we know that similar topics are also shown to us in Google trends, you can also do keyword research in one way by using Google trends. Google trends is becoming quite popular among marketers because it not only shows real-time trends but also the trend graph of any keyword, topic or news from the last 30 days to the last 5 years, search volume and that too along with demographics, which makes it an advanced tool.

• For example: if you enter the name of any stock in Google trends, then after that you can easily check when the search volume of that stock has increased, when its trend has come, and most of all the people from which location have shown maximum interest in it.

You can do the same things for your topics and. You can also do this for marketing purposes, where you can make the best marketing pitch according to your targeting month and your targeted audience. The best feature of Google trends that I liked was that you can also save your research and analysis in spreadsheets and in offline documents.

2. Use Google Trends for Market Research

Using Google Trends, you can do complete market research in which you can check the regional interest of any brand or category and can also check the trend graph which will give you an idea of when and in which region its demand and interest is more in the year.

• For example: Suppose you want to open a book store for Government exams preparation, then you will also have a question in your mind that in which part of the country should I open the store, and which month of the year which books will be profitable to keep, so that you can maintain the demand and supply, for this you can easily check the demand and interest of the book by searching "Government Exam Book" keywords in Google trends. In which region is it more, and it will hardly take you 10-15 minutes to do this complete research, apart from this you can also use Google trends extensively for market research.

3. Perform Keyword Research

The most important part of SEO and content marketing is keyword research, without keyword research you can never grow your websites, blogs and businesses. Although there are a lot of keyword research platforms and tools available on the internet, but they have a lot of cons too, which I have faced personally, first of all is that the data available in those tools is 7 days to 30 days old and their accuracy is also very poor and the pricing of maximum tools is very high but compared to all these tools and platforms Google trends is absolutely free, in this we get the feature of real time trends, graphs, that too absolutely free and the biggest thing is that Google trends is a part of the Google search engine, hence its accuracy and trust is much higher than other platforms. In Google trends you can also compare any 2 data or keywords. And here you get the feature to do keyword research and trend check not only of the web but also of big platforms like YouTube.

4. Build Topic Clusters

Topic clusters means that you can create multiple related sub-topics around a main topic, in which you can use Google trends, in this you can basically find other queries related to the main keyword and you can also check the trend of every query. By collecting all the keywords and subtopics you can do very professional and effective content planning. The best thing about topics and subtopics is that it will build the authority of your website in a particular niche and when you will do internal linking between similar and micro topics then it will also improve SEO and traffic a lot.

• For example: If you post news articles and updates on digital marketing in your blog, then "Digital Marketing" is your main topic. When you research its important terms on Google, you will also find terms like SEO, PPC, Email marketing, influencer marketing in similar and related topics, which you can use for your blogs and articles.

5. Optimize Your Local SEO Strategy

In Google trends, you can see which keyword is popular in which region/state/city. With this, you can target products and marketing for many local brands, and from this your local keyword targeting strategy will also improves. And if you write regional blogs then Google trends platform is quite good as it gives regional content ideas and you can better target local customers.

• For Example: If you have a bakery, then you can find out from Google trends which cake is trending in your area and when and which one has more demand.

6. Leverage Trending Topics for Social Media Content

You must have noticed many times that the trend or news that gets popular in the news also gets popular on social media platforms later on. Whenever you research on Google trends, keep in mind that the topics that are spiking in Google Trends, you can use them on social media. Because that trend and news have a potential to viral on social media later on. You can use the trend by making Memes, Reels, Short Videos in which you can use trending hashtags.

• Important Note: Timing is very important in viral trends or news, so whenever you get to know about the trend, act on the trend as quickly as possible.

• For example: If a movie is getting popular among people, then you should present the hype and trend of that movie in an attractive and informative way according to your specific platform and niche, this increases the chances of your content going viral.

7. Leverage Seasonal Trends

As we already know that Google trends is a great keyword and trend research tool, by using Google Trends you can see which seasonal keywords repeat every year. Whether you are a marketer or an SEO expert or a content writer, by using it you can improve your content and marketing strategy a lot. In Google trends, you can create a marketing calendar with seasonal trend keywords. With this you can keep pre-planned content ready. So you can upload the right content at the right time and if you are thinking of marketing your products then through this you can launch the right ads campaign at the right time.

• For example: If you have an art and crafts business, then you can check seasonal trends with the help of Google trends, in which you can make designer or custom Rakhi for "Raksha Bandhan" according to the trend and you can use the same thing on different festivals like "Christmas", in this you can offer trendy gifts idea according to custom or trends. And always remember one thing, you can use the trend in every kind of business

8. Use Google Trends for Newsjacking

If you think that Google trends are used only by small bloggers and marketers then you are absolutely wrong because Google trends are used by small bloggers, SEO experts as well as big media and news companies. Newsjacking means using breaking news or viral news to make your brand relevant, or to gain traffic.

You can use Google Trends for Newsjacking in a number of ways

1. You can check with Google trends which news or topic is suddenly going high, or which keyword's search volume has suddenly spiked.

2. Apart from this, you can also check the queries and topics related to that trend. And if you feel that this trend or keyword can be relevant for your business or brand, then definitely use it.

3. You can quickly create your content on that trend and get traffic and engagement. And the chances of content going viral in trends increases significantly.

4. For this, you can get updates by subscribing to relevant keywords and topics related to your brand on Google Trends.

• For example: If suppose a new model of Iphone 16 has been launched, and if you have a Tech Blog, in it you can write blogs on many different keywords related to Iphone 16, such as Pricing, Launch date, specifications, comparison with different brands or different apple models etc., and for all these you can use Google trends. In which you can check which keyword is ranking and publish the right article at the right time.

9. Use Google Trends for Product Innovation

If you work on new innovations or product production according to the trend, then you can get new product ideas from Google trends. You can check from Google trends what things are now more popular in the people, the demand for which type of products is increasing and you can also analyze which problem people are looking for solutions to.

• For example: If the trend of "Plant-based protein powder" is growing on Google trends, then you can launch a product in that niche. Or suppose you have a mobile cover business and you found out that a new mobile has been launched on Google trends and if the search volume for its accessories is quite high, then you can use it to launch your product and market it.

10. Improve Your YouTube SEO

Google trends not only provides you with web search data and trend research but also gives you the benefits of YouTube research and trends. In Google Trends, you can use the “YouTube Search” filter, which tells you what people are searching on YouTube, which topics and video titles are trending. You can use Google trends for content ideas and keyword research for YouTube.

• For example: if you are a teacher or you have an educational youtube channel. And if you see in your Google trends youtube section that queries related to a particular exam are increasing, then you can prepare for that exam and make videos related to it and you can use these search terms in your youtube video title and description. This can increase the chances of your video becoming popular.

11. Monitor How You Stack Up Against Your Competitors

As we know that Google Trends gives us the feature to compare, in this you can compare the keywords and search volume of your brand vs competitor brand, which brand has more interest among people, in which region you are strong, and where the competitor is strong, you can do proper analysis of all this. This data can help in improving your branding and advertising strategy.

• For example: If you have a restaurant, then you can compare the trend of "Zomato vs Swiggy" and check which dishes or food are trending in your region and you can use it in marketing of your restaurant.

Conclusion

Google Trends is more than just a keyword tool, it's a strategic asset for any digital marketer. By understanding how consumer interest evolves over time and across locations, you can make smarter content, SEO, and advertising decisions. Here you can grow your website or brand by following seasonal campaigns to social media trends, and personally Google Trends is my favorite tool because the most important thing is that it is absolutely free compared to other platforms, users do not have to pay anything and users can make unlimited use of this platform and the other most important feature that makes it best compared to other SEO and keyword research platforms is that its data is real time. So whether you are an SEO expert, a blogger or a marketer, the Google Trends platform is very beneficial for everyone.

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