How to Use Google Trends to Evaluate Keyword Trends

Google Trends is a useful online tool that you can use to determine the popularity of search terms in Google. You can use it to find out whether a search term is on the rise or declining. Additionally, you can view demographic insights, related queries and related topics.
So, why is Google Trends such an essential SEO tool? And, how can you use it to grow your business?
By understanding the popularity of a search term and seasonal trends, you can plan your marketing accordingly to maximize sales and outrank the competition. In this article, we discuss how to use Google Trends to your advantage.
Finding niches

You can use Google Trends to find a skyrocketing niche. For example, if you type in the term ‘posture corrector’ into Google Trends and change the date range to 2004-present, you’ll see that the term’s search volume has increased exponentially over the past few years. Follow the same process by using search terms that relate to your business, and you may spot an opportunity before your competitors do.

Identifying related product categories

Let’s say that you currently only sell hair extensions but would like to expand your product offering. How do you find out which products your existing customers also want to purchase? Google Trends is the answer. Type ‘hair extensions’ into Google Trends and then scroll to the bottom of the page, where you’ll find a section named ‘Related topics.’ You’ll then be able to see which other product categories your target customers search for.

Researching new keywords

Keyword research is an essential element of any SEO strategy, and there are hundreds if not thousands of ways to do it. However, one of the easiest ways to identify new target keywords is to use Google Trends. Type your product into Google Trends and scroll to the ‘Related queries’ section. There, you can view a comprehensive list of terms that people are typing into Google to find your products. 

You might be able to think of new product categories by using this feature. For example, if you sell men’s t-shirts, you may find that a certain colour is fashionable and decide to create a product category based around it to boost your SEO efforts. 

Promoting seasonal trends

You might assume that a product such as a bikini would only sell during summer. However, if you type the term into Google Trends, you’ll see that there’s a spike for the term ‘bikini’ in January. By finding out exactly when people want to buy a particular product, you can plan your marketing campaigns well in advance and gain the upper hand over the competition. You can also think about what other products you can sell when the demand for your primary product reduces.

Determining when to publish content

Understanding seasonal trends regarding products can help you decide when to publish blog posts about a particular topic. To see what we mean, type ‘how to fix a bike’ into Google Trends. You’ll see that the search volume for this phrase spikes during June and July. With this data, you can publish your blog post on how to fix a bike at the end of May to maximize your readership and drive paying customers to your website.

Identify trending topics

Not all your blog posts should be about your products, though the topics you talk about should be related to what you sell. Google Trends features a section called ‘trending searches,’ which enables you to view the current hottest topics. Let’s say you own a car dealership and need fresh content ideas to increase your website traffic. You might find that a particular vehicle manufacturer is trending. By publishing a post about the vehicle manufacturer, you can drive people who are interested in the topic to your website, and there’s a good chance that many of those people are looking to buy a new car.

Targeting regions

The world is a diverse place. You need to know where to sell your products if you want to increase your sales. Google Trends allows you to view the popularity of search terms in specific regions. For example, the term ‘gold earrings’ isn’t very popular in Louisiana, but it’s immensely popular in New York. Therefore, if you want to localize your marketing, you can publish posts about gold earrings specifically for people living in New York.

Need Help with SEO?

Mastering SEO can be challenging. If you don’t have the time to get used to the vast array of online tools, such as Google Trends, that can help bolster your online marketing efforts, you might want to let a team of experienced professionals do the hard work for you.

We’ve been a leading SEO agency for over a decade helping consistently rank our clients on page 1 of Google. If you want to get more traffic and sales from Google, we can help. Register for a free strategy call below.