INTRODUCTION
Google Trends is a free tool that provides insights for some of the top searches on Google, including information about the frequency of searches for the topic, interest over time and activity based on location. You also can view related topics and queries or research specific terms.
Following are some ways you can use Google Trends to develop content topics for blogs or social media posts for your business.
RESEARCH TRENDING TOPICS
It is important to be timely with your content marketing efforts. You can view some of the top trends right on the home page of Google Trends, or visit the “Trending Now” tab to see daily trends or real-time trends. You also can look back in reverse chronological order to see what users have been searching for recently.
Click on the topic to view more information, such as the number of searches, related queries or related news. The latter provides some context so you can make more informed decisions about whether you want to post or write about that topic. For instance, you may want to avoid topics that are overly controversial or tied to a tragic event.
Make sure to double-check the location (e.g., United States) and that the topics are relevant to your business and audience before creating a blog or social media post. Also, keep in mind that not all trends are worth writing about. When you do find a relevant trend, make sure to act fast before you miss your window of opportunity.
LEVERAGE RISING SEARCH TOPICS AND QUERIES
Use the “Explore” feature in Google Trends to help you plan ahead or create your content calendar. The default view will show you rising search topics and queries (e.g., topics and terms that saw a sudden surge in search frequency) for some of the most popular searches in the past 12 months. You can adjust parameters, such as the timeframe, category (e.g., beauty & fitness, food & drink, etc.) or type of search (e.g., news search, web search, YouTube, Google Shopping).
You also can switch from “rising” to “top” topics and queries, which are the most popular overall. It is important to note that Google Trends data is pulled from a random, unbiased sample of Google searches and are not based on exact numbers. In addition, data for “rising” and “top” topics or queries are unavailable within the past seven days.
Click each individual term to show its interest over time. This will help you determine whether it is on its way up or if it has already peaked and is losing momentum. In some cases, you may see a fairly steady line with high interest, which could indicate potential evergreen topics to incorporate into your content strategy.
In addition, you will see interest by subregion, which you can filter by metro (e.g., metropolitan areas) or city, as well as related topics and queries.
EXPLORE TERMS RELATED TO YOUR BUSINESS
In many cases, the most popular or trending topics won’t specifically align with your business. Use the “Explore” feature to enter your own relevant search terms. For instance, you can enter terms that are related to your products or services, your industry or potential pain points your customers may have.
As mentioned, you will see interest over time, interest by subregion and related topics and queries. Pay close attention to the “related” sections, as they can help you hone in on a topic or inspire new content ideas.
If you are interested in “fitness” as a search term, for example, you may find that a specific type of fitness (e.g., Pilates, strength training) ranks higher (either as “rising” or “top”), or you may uncover specific fitness-related questions. This could help you develop your content accordingly. You also can compare multiple search terms with one another, which can help you prioritize your topics.
Add subscriptions to receive email notifications about select topics or trending searches. Click the three-line symbol next to “Google Trends,” then select subscriptions and click the plus sign to add terms or set up the parameters for your “Trending Searches” subscription.