When it comes to striking gold in Google search, you need to find untapped and underserved keywords on search results. Even the best keyword tools like Ahrefs don't provide you with the most recent and trending keywords as they're most days late at best.
If you truly want to be on the pulse of what's trending today, you need to use a tool that provides you with real-time data and insights to help you uncover local search trends and global keyword ideas before they catch fire on Google search engine.
In this guide, we'll unlock the secrets of using Google Trends for keyword research. Trust us - it's a goldmine of data that's often overlooked in the SEO world. Let's dive in.
Key Features of Google Trends for Keyword Research
Imagine being able to predict the next big trend in your industry or pinpoint exactly when your target audience is most interested in your products or services. That's basically what Google Trends can do for you.
Below are the exact features you gain access to when using this free tool:
Search Term Popularity Over Time
In a nutshell, this feature is about seeing what's hot right now and understanding the ebb and flow of interest in particular topics or keywords.
When you input a search term into Google Trends, you'll see a graph that represents the relative interest in that term over a specified period. This can range from the past hour to as far back as 2004. The y-axis represents search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time. A value of 100 is the peak popularity for the term, while 50 means that the term is half as popular.
But why is this historical data so crucial? It allows you to:
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Identify cyclical trends - Some topics have predictable spikes in interest. For example, "summer holidays" might peak every year around June and dip during the holidays.
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Spot emerging trends - You might notice a gradual increase in interest for a particular term, signalling a growing trend you can capitalise on.
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Avoid declining topics - If you see a steady decrease in interest over time, it might be a sign that the topic is becoming less relevant.
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Plan your content calendar - By understanding when interest peaks for certain topics, you can time your content publication for maximum impact.
Geographical Insights
The data about the locations where the search query is trending is a goldmine for businesses looking to target specific regions or understand how interest varies across different locations.
When you search for a term, you can view interest by region, which can be as broad as worldwide or as specific as cities within a country.
Aside from the ability to tailor your blog and video content to regional interests, this feature lets you identify untapped markets by discovering high interest in your product or service in a region you hadn't considered before. You can also use the data to inform your business decisions, from where to open a new store to which regions to target with your next advertising campaign.
Here's an example: let's say you're running an e-commerce site selling winter clothing. You might find that searches for "warm coats" peak earlier in Scotland than in southern England. This insight could help you time your marketing efforts more effectively in different regions.
Related Topics and Queries
One of Google Trends' most powerful features for keyword research is its ability to identify relevant keywords and topics. This feature acts like a window into searchers' minds, revealing what else they're potentially interested in when they search for your target term.
This section is divided into two. The first is Related Topics, subjects that are frequently searched for alongside your main term. They're categorised as "Rising" (showing dramatic increases in search frequency) or "Top" (consistently popular). The other is Related Queries or actual search terms that users enter, again categorised as "Rising" or "Top".
You can use the search queries here to generate ideas for related content that your audience might be interested in. If you're writing about "organic gardening," for instance, you might discover related topics like "composting" or "natural pest control."
Related topics can also help you better understand user intent. Seeing what else users are searching for gives you a clearer picture of their needs and motivations, helping you create more targeted, relevant content.
Finally, "Rising" topics and queries can alert you to emerging trends in your niche, allowing you to create content ahead of the curve.
For example, if you're researching "smartphone photography", you might find related queries like "best smartphone camera 2024" or "smartphone photography tips". This could inspire you to create a series of articles comparing smartphone cameras or offering photography tutorials specific to mobile devices.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using Google Trends for Keyword Research
Choosing Search Terms
When you navigate to Google Trends, you'll see a search bar at the top of the page. Here, you can input single terms or phrases you're interested in exploring.
It's often beneficial to start with broader terms related to your niche and then narrow down based on the insights you gain.
One of the most powerful features of Google Trends is the ability to compare multiple search terms. You can do this by clicking on the '+ Compare' button next to the search bar.
This allows you to input up to five terms and see how they compare in terms of search interest. This comparison can be incredibly valuable for understanding which terms are more popular within your niche or industry.
For instance, if you're in the fitness industry, you might compare terms like "yoga", "pilates", and "HIIT workout". This comparison could reveal which fitness trend is currently garnering the most interest, helping you decide where to focus your content efforts.
Pro tip: the goal isn't always to chase the most popular term, but to find the right balance between search volume and relevance to your specific audience and offerings.
Understanding Data Visualization
Once you've entered your search terms, Google Trends presents you with a graph showing interest over time. This visualization is key to understanding the ebb and flow of search interest for your chosen terms. The y-axis represents search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time. A value of 100 is the peak popularity for the term, while 50 means that the term is half as popular.
Interpreting this graph requires some nuance. Spikes indicate sudden increases in interest, which could be due to current events, seasonal trends, or viral content related to the term. Plateaus suggest consistent interest over time, which could indicate evergreen topics. Drops, on the other hand, might suggest waning interest or the end of a trend.
Filtering Data
Google Trends offers powerful filtering options that allow you to drill down into specific data sets.
You can filter your results into four categories, each offering unique insights into search behaviour. They are the following:
Region
You can narrow down your search from worldwide to specific countries, states, or even cities. This can be particularly useful for businesses targeting local markets or looking to expand into new geographical areas.
For example, a UK-based fashion retailer might discover that certain styles are more popular in London than in Manchester, informing their stock decisions for different store locations.
Time
Adjust the data period you're looking at from the past hour to as far back as 2004. This long-term view can be crucial for identifying consistent trends versus short-lived fads. For instance, in the tech industry, you might use this to track interest in different programming languages over time, helping you decide which skills to focus on developing.
Category
Define your search within specific industries or topics - particularly useful when dealing with terms with different meanings in different contexts. "Python" could refer to the snake or the programming language, but filtering by the "Computers & Electronics" category would focus your results on the latter.
Web Search
Choose among image search, news search, Google Shopping, and YouTube search.
Optimising for Seasonal Keywords
As mentioned, there are search terms that increase their keyword search volume during certain times of the year. Spotting these seasonal keywords using search volume trends helps you reveal cyclical patterns in search behaviour and align your content creation and marketing efforts with these natural rhythms.
For instance, a fashion retailer might notice that search data for "summer dresses" starts to rise in early spring, peak in June, and then gradually decline through autumn.
Armed with this information, they could begin their summer fashion content push in early spring, ensuring their pages are well-ranked by the time search interest peaks. Similarly, they could plan for a gradual shift towards autumn fashion content as summer dress searches decline.
This strategy isn't limited to obvious seasonal industries like fashion or travel. Even B2B companies can benefit from seasonal keyword optimization.
A software company might notice increased interest in productivity tools as businesses set new goals at the start of each quarter. They could time the release of related content or product updates to coincide with these periodic spikes in interest.
Local SEO and Regional Keyword Targeting
The tool's ability to break down search interest by geographic areas—from countries to cities—allows for highly targeted keyword research.
This feature can help local businesses identify the most relevant terms for their specific area. For example, a UK restaurant specialising in biryani discovers that "Indian cuisine" is a more popular search term locally than "biryani", according to a Google Trends search.
This insight could inform not only its website content and local advertising strategy but also its menu. Instead of just offering biryani dishes, it needs to provide other Indian foods to satisfy users' cravings for Indian dishes.
On a broader scale, businesses operating across multiple regions can use Google Trends to tailor their content and SEO strategies for different areas. A nationwide retailer might find that certain product categories are more popular in some regions than others. They could use this information to create region-specific landing pages or adjust their product focus in different locations.
Using Breakout Keywords for Content Opportunities
Breakout keywords are terms that have experienced a sudden surge in search interest. In Google Trends, these are often indicated by a "Breakout" label, signifying that the term has grown by more than 5000% compared to the previous period. These breakout terms represent significant opportunities for content creators and marketers who can quickly capitalize on emerging trends.
To leverage breakout keywords effectively, it's crucial to act fast. When you spot a breakout term relevant to your industry, consider creating content around it immediately. This could be a blog post, a video, or even a social media campaign. By being one of the first to address a trending topic, you increase your chances of ranking well and capturing a significant share of the growing search traffic.
However, it's important to approach breakout keywords strategically. Not all trending topics will be relevant or beneficial for your brand in the long term. Before jumping on a trend, consider how it aligns with your overall content strategy and brand identity. Sometimes, a slightly less popular but more relevant keyword might be a better choice for sustainable growth.
Moreover, don't neglect your evergreen content while chasing trends. A balanced content strategy should include both timely, trend-driven pieces and evergreen content that provides consistent value over time.
Combining Google Trends with Other Keyword Research Tools
Pairing Google Trends with Google Keyword Planner
While Google Trends offers valuable insights into search interest over time, it doesn't provide specific keyword data like search volume. This is where Google Keyword Planner comes in, creating a powerful synergy when used alongside Google Trends.
Start by using Google Trends to identify your industry's rising topics or seasonal patterns. Once you've pinpointed interesting keywords or phrases, plug these into Google Keyword Planner. Here, you'll get specific monthly search volume data, competition levels, and suggested bid prices if you're considering paid advertising. This combination allows you to spot trends and quantify their potential impact on your traffic.
For instance, you might notice in Google Trends that interest in "sustainable fashion" has steadily increased over the past year.
When you input this term into Keyword Planner, you might find that it has a substantial monthly search volume with moderate competition.
This could indicate a valuable opportunity to create content around sustainable fashion, potentially capturing a growing market before it becomes oversaturated.
Using Google Trends with Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Other SEO Tools
While Google's suite of tools provides excellent insights, incorporating third-party SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can take your keyword research to the next level. These tools offer features that complement Google Trends' data, allowing for even more nuanced and strategic keyword targeting.
For example, you might start by identifying a rising trend in Google Trends. Then, you could use Ahrefs or SEMrush to dive deeper into that keyword's potential. These tools can provide data Google search volume and keyword difficulty, which tells you how hard it might be to rank for that term.
They can also show you who's currently ranking for these keywords, giving you insight into the competition you'd be facing along with their SEO metrics.
Moreover, these advanced SEO tools often have their own keyword suggestion features. By inputting the trending terms you've identified in Google Trends, you might discover related long-tail keywords that are easier to rank for while still tapping into the growing trend. This can be particularly valuable for newer websites or those in highly competitive niches.
Another advantage of using these tools with Google Trends is the ability to estimate potential traffic. While Google Trends shows relative popularity, tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can estimate monthly search volumes and potential click-through rates.
This allows you to prioritise your efforts, focusing on keywords with growing interest and significant traffic potential.
Cross-Referencing Competitor Data
Using Google Trends and competitor analysis tools to gain insights into your rivals' keyword strategies can help you identify gaps in your own strategy and uncover new opportunities.
Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can show you which keywords your competitors are ranking for. Take these keywords and plug them into Google Trends. This will show you how interest in these terms has changed over time.
You might discover that a competitor is ranking well for a term that's steadily declining in popularity. This could represent an opportunity for you to focus on more trending, related terms instead.
Conversely, you might find that a competitor is ranking for terms that are showing a steady increase in interest on Google Trends. This could signal an area where you need to step up your efforts to remain competitive. By combining competitor data with trend analysis, you can make more informed decisions about where to allocate your SEO resources.
Additionally, this cross-referencing can help you anticipate your competitors' moves. If you notice a competitor suddenly ranking for terms that Google Trends shows are on the rise, it might indicate a shift in their strategy. This insight allows you to be proactive rather than reactive in your own SEO efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Google Trends be used for all types of keywords?
Google Trends works best for broader, more popular terms. It may not show data for very specific or low-volume keywords. Consider using it alongside other tools for comprehensive research.
How often should I check Google Trends for updates?
The frequency depends on your industry and goals. For most businesses, monthly checks are sufficient. Trending industries may require more frequent monitoring.
What is the difference between Google Trends and other keyword research tools?
Google Trends shows relative popularity over time, not exact search volumes. It's best used in combination with tools providing specific volume data.
Can Google Trends predict future trends?
While it can't predict with certainty, Google Trends can reveal patterns. These patterns can help inform educated guesses about future trends.
Conclusion: Consult with Us for Your Google Trends Keyword Research Needs
Finding trending searches and relevant keywords using Google Trends for SEO is just one piece of the puzzle. At Charles Floate Training, we specialise in helping businesses like yours leverage tools like Google Trends to their full potential. Our team of experts can guide you through the intricacies of trend analysis, showing you how to combine these insights with other SEO strategies for maximum impact.
Don't let valuable data slip through your fingers. Whether you want to refine your current keyword strategy or build one from the ground up, we're here to help. Our tailored training sessions and consultations can equip you with the skills and knowledge to turn Google Trends data into actionable insights.
You can start with our free Modern Keyword Research guide. But if you're ready to take your keyword research to the next level, contact us today to schedule a consultation so we can work together to unlock the full potential of your SEO strategy and drive your business forward in the digital landscape.