Google Trends: What Is It & How To Use It

Google Trends is one of the most powerful tools for gaining valuable marketing insights for businesses to stay ahead of competition. Whether you’re a digital marketing agency in Sydney or an organisation looking to boost your online presence through SEO services, knowing how to use Google Trends can give you the competitive edge over your rivals. It can also help you enjoy an upper hand in creating successful strategies.

This blog attempts to break down what Google Trends is, why it’s useful, and how to leverage it to maximise the results from your digital marketing efforts.

Google Trends -what is it?

Google Trends is a free tool from Google for users to track the popularity of search queries over a timeframe. In other words, it shows how often specific search terms are entered into Google, and if their popularity is increasing or decreasing. It is possible to filter this data by country, region, time period, and categories.

Google Trends offer businesses and marketers a goldmine of information. Whether you are looking to discover new trends, analyse market behaviours, or adjust your content strategy based on what’s popular, Google Trends can be a reliable tool that gives you real-time data.

What is the significance of Google Trends in Digital Marketing?

If you are a digital marketing agency in Sydney, keeping up with the latest search trends is critical to staying relevant. Google Trends offers businesses an insight into the consumer interests and behaviour, which is key to creating effective marketing strategies.

Here’s why Google Trends is valuable for marketing efforts:

1. Keyword Research for SEO – It helps you identify which keywords are trending or becoming unpopular. This information can be used as a guide for SEO services and content marketing strategies.
2. Audience Insights – It provides demographic insights, such as regions or cities most interested in a specific topic or keyword.
3. Content Creation – By knowing what’s currently trending, you can create timely and relevant content to attract more visitors to your website.
4. Competitor Analysis – It gives you an idea of how your competitors are performing on specific search terms, and you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

How To Use Google Trends for Your Business

Now that you understood what Google Trends is and why it’s important, let’s take a closer look at how you can use it effectively in your business.

1. Discover Seasonal Trends

One of the most practical uses of Google Trends is in identifying seasonal trends. Through the analysis of search data over a longer period, it is possible to identify patterns that repeat yearly, such as holiday shopping trends, event-based searches (e.g. “Boxing Day sales”), or seasonal product searches like “winter clothes” or “summer destinations.”

By observing and analysing data you can plan the content and marketing campaigns around the time where there is a spike in demand. For instance, if searches for “Christmas gift ideas” start to grow in November, you can plan your marketing campaign accordingly and make the most of it.

Steps:

1. Enter your relevant keyword into Google Trends.
2. Set the time range to the last five years to identify any recurring trends.
3. Use this data to plan your marketing strategy, whether it’s content, social media posts, or ads.

2. Keyword Research for SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is vital for driving organic traffic towards websites. Google Trends can help you identify popular keywords and eliminate outdated ones. This is particularly useful when you are planning new blog posts, undertaking product page optimisation, or targeting local search terms.

For example, a digital marketing agency in Sydney might want to compare search terms such as “SEO services Sydney” and “digital marketing Sydney” to see which is more popular. The insight gained can be used to prioritise the most effective keywords for your campaigns.

Steps:

• Type in the relevant keyword.
• Filter by location (e.g., Australia or Sydney) and timeframe to get localised data.
• Compare related keywords to see which ones are trending upwards and focus on them in your content strategy.

3. Content Ideas Based on Trending Topics

One of the best features of Google Trends is the feature showing “related topics”, and “related queries” based on your search terms. This is great for brainstorming new content ideas relevant to current trends.

For instance, if yours is a digital marketing agency in Sydney, you might enter “SEO services” into Google Trends. The tool might then suggest related topics like “local SEO,” “content marketing,” or “voice search optimisation,” all of which can be used to generate ideas for new blog posts or social media content.

Steps:

• Enter the main keyword.
• Scroll down to see the related queries and topics.
• Use these suggestions for new content pieces that align with what people are searching for right now.

4. Geo-Targeting Your Audience

If you’re offering services in a specific location, for example, you offer SEO services in Sydney, then Google Trends can help you identify where demand is strongest. It helps you see which region or neighbourhoods are searching for your target keywords the most. You can then use the information to focus your efforts on these areas through tailormade marketing campaigns to cater those clients.

For example, if you find that searches for “SEO services Sydney” are higher in the CBD area but lower in the suburbs, you can adjust your paid search campaigns to reach out the right clientele in the area more effectively.

Steps:

• Search for your service keyword.
• Use the “Interest by region” feature to see where demand is highest.
• Focus your marketing efforts, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, on these high-interest areas.

5. Track Competitor Performance

Google Trends is also useful in comparing the performance of your competitors. By entering your brand name and your competitors’ names, you can see who’s getting more search interest. This can provide valuable insights into which brands are gaining traction and which strategies might be effective.

If you notice that a competitor is experiencing a surge in search volume, investigate their recent campaigns or content to see the driving force behind this growth.

Steps:

• Enter yours and your competitor’s brand name.
• Analyse the trends to see any spikes or declines in search interest.
• Use the insights to modify and finetune your marketing strategy.

Conclusion

Google Trends is an invaluable tool for all business looking to improve online presence, more so if you are a digital marketing agency in Sydney or an SEO services provider. From identifying seasonal trends to performing keyword research to generating content ideas and tracking competitors, this tool offers a wealth of insights that can help businesses to stay ahead of the competition.

By incorporating Google Trends into your marketing efforts, you can create more relevant, data-driven strategies that resonate with your audience and drive better results for your business.