Get Started with Google Trends: A Practical Guide for Marketers

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that shows you what people are searching for, how search interest changes over time, and what’s currently trending — great for crafting content, planning campaigns, and understanding your audience.

Why Use Google Trends? #

• Discover what topics or keywords are gaining popularity
  
• Track seasonal or regional interest in products or services
  
• Benchmark your brand or competitors against industry trends
  
• Spot opportunities for fresh content or products
  
• Monitor brand reputation and customer sentiment
  

Two Main Tools in Google Trends #

1. Explore Tool
   
   • Dive deep into custom keywords or topics
     
   • See interest over time, related topics, and regional breakdowns
     
   • Compare up to 5 search terms side-by-side
     
2. Trending Now
   
   • Check what’s hot right now on Google Search
     
   • View trending topics, approximate search volume, and related news
     
   • Useful for quick, real-time content ideas
     

How to Use Google Trends Effectively #

1. Monitor Rising Trends #

• Use Trending Now to spot hot topics as they emerge.
  
• Use Explore with filters for location, category, and date to find rising terms relevant to your industry.
  
• Focus on trends that make sense for your audience and business goals — don’t chase trends blindly.
  

2. Perform Keyword Research #

• Add your core terms (up to 5) in the Explore tool to see which ones have rising interest.
  
• Check related topics and queries — switch between “Top” (most searched) and “Rising” (fast-growing).
  
• Identify seasonal trends to plan timely content or inventory.
  
• Use data to prioritize keywords with growth potential but lower competition.
  

3. Create a Content Calendar #

• Use seasonal patterns to publish content before interest spikes.
  
• Tailor your publishing schedule to your audience’s location (trends vary by country or city).
  
• Example: US Brie cheese spikes twice a year, UK only once — plan posts accordingly.
  

4. Benchmark Your Brand & Competitors #

• Track search interest in your brand vs. competitors.
  
• Understand what related terms your audience searches alongside your brand.
  
• Spot industry-wide trends affecting traffic or demand.
  

5. Analyze Brand Awareness & Sentiment #

• Enter your brand name to see what people search about you recently.
  
• Monitor “Rising” and “Top” related queries to catch shifts in sentiment or emerging topics.
  
• Use this insight to respond with content addressing concerns or opportunities (e.g., clarifying rumors, promoting deals).
  

Pro Tips #

• Combine Google Trends insights with your Search Console data to align content with what your audience actually searches.
  
• Use Google Trends data for multilingual or international SEO by exploring related terms in other languages or regions.
  
• Download and track trends regularly to spot changes and plan ahead.
  
• For advanced analysis, consider AI tools for sentiment or trend prediction once your data grows.
  

Quick Start Steps: #

1. Visit Google Trends.
   
2. Use the Explore tool to type your keywords or topics.
   
3. Adjust filters (location, time range, categories).
   
4. Analyze interest over time and related queries.
   
5. Use insights to shape your content, marketing campaigns, and product strategy.