How to Use Google Trends for SEO: A Game-Changing Guide

How to Use Google Trends for SEO: A Game-Changing Guide

What’s up, SEO warriors! Today, we’re going deep into Google Trends. 

This bad boy can turbocharge your SEO game and help you keep up with the ever-changing trends in your industry. But before we start smashing keyboards, let’s address the elephant in the room: what exactly Google Trends is, and why should you care? 

It’s a tool that lets you see how often specific search terms have been entered into Google’s search engine over time and across different regions. 

Still not convinced? Imagine if you could predict the next big thing before anyone else even knows about it! Yeah, well, that’s the kind of superpower this thing has. 

So buckle up because we’re about to teach you how to use this beast like a pro so that no one stands a chance against your SEO skills!

Why You Should Do SEO With Google Trends

SEO is understanding what people are searching for online & giving them helpful content. It’s about being there when they need us most — but how can we do this better? Enter: Google Trends – our very own crystal ball 🔮 into people’s minds (and pockets) 😉 By using this fantastic data source called Google Trends; 

You will be able to find out;

— What topics are currently hot among readers?

— How can I optimise my blog post around popular keywords while sounding natural?

— Which phrases should I target to rank higher on SERP pages such as Bing or Yahoo?

— When should I publish seasonal articles considering fluctuations based on historical patterns?

And much more!

The Numbers Can’t be Ignored

Still not convinced? Let me put it into numbers for you:

Research by Backlinko showed that pages that appeared in the first three search results for a keyword got 60 per cent of all clicks. If you are not ranking for the right keywords, you might miss out on tremendous traffic.

According to their study, the top result on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) receives an average click-through rate (CTR) of 31.7%. The tenth gets only a measly 2.4%. 

More than 95% of all web pages get no organic traffic from Google at all, according to Ahrefs’ research. That’s massive, but it effectively indicates how much can be gained using tools like Google Trends.

Let Me Prove It To You

Need more convincing? Here are some real examples of businesses crushing their SEO goals with help from Google Trends:

During the COVID-19 pandemic wave one, the world was locked down, and gyms were closed. A fitness company discovered a spike in interest in home workouts and at-home exercise through Google Trends. They changed tack immediately and produced series after series of content in the form of videos covering different home workout plans. This resulted in exponential growth in organic traffic and new customer acquisitions.

Many people searched for “road trips” or “staycations” when Covid hit. They took advantage of this opportunity by creating localised posts about the best road trip destinations within their area or unique staycation ideas near them, which led to increased rankings and audience engagement, too!

For another b2b software company that noticed an upward trend in searches related to virtual collaboration, remote work tools, etc., they optimised the website's better-ranking positions through Google trends. This led to a higher number of qualified leads plus conversions.

How to Use Google Trends for Keyword Research

One of the most robust uses of Google Trends for SEO is keyword research. When people know what others are searching for, they can create content that matches their needs and wants directly, increasing their chances of getting a better ranking and driving additional organic traffic towards their site.

Step 1: Find Your Core Topics

Before using Google Trends, it is essential to identify the core topics and themes relevant to your business or industry. These will form the basis for all subsequent keyword research.

For example, if you run a fitness blog, some core topics might be:

• Types of workouts (strength training, cardio exercises etc.)
• Healthy eating and nutrition
• Losing weight and body transformation
• Reviewing fitness gear and equipment

Step 2: Discover Related Topics & Queries

Having identified your core topics now is the time to fire up Google Trends and delve into related issues and queries. Here’s how:

1. Go to trends.google.com
2. Enter your core topic or keyword in the search bar (e.g., “home workouts”)
3. Scroll down to ‘Related topics’ and ‘Related queries.’

These sections will give you a range of related subjects that may interest users who searched for your main word. For example, if you look up “home workouts,” among other things, there could also be ‘yoga’, HIIT workouts’ or ‘bodyweight exercises’; while related searches include “home workout equipment” alongside “home workout plan for beginners.”

Step 3: Investigate Trend & Pattern Shifts

Google Trends shows what individuals search and how they have searched over time – in different places across various themes or questions.

To analyse these patterns deeply, examine graphs/data points provided by Google Trends regarding:

• Changes in search interest over time, e.g. seasonality or current events, causing spikes/dips in search volume;
• Geographical variation within country boundaries around cities, etc.; 
• It is rising/Falling in popularity among related topics or queries.

Through such insights, one can predict changes in consumer behaviour and align content strategy accordingly.

Step 4: Spot Keyword Opportunities

With findings from Google Trends, researchers can now identify valuable SEO opportunities using various keywords. Look out for:

1. Topics or queries with consistently high search volume/interests;
2. Emerging trends within the niche, which show early signs of picking up steam; 
3. Low competition phrases (i.e. topics/queries with relatively lower search volumes but higher potential growth rates).

Once these are spotted, they should be incorporated into content creation & optimisation processes to improve your chances of ranking well and drive more organic traffic towards your website.

Creating Trend-Driven Content

Since you’ve dominated the keyword research process using Google Trends, it’s time to put those findings to work by producing content that follows trends and resonates with your audience while adding value.

Staying Informed

Among the most significant benefits of using Google Trends for content creation is staying ahead of emerging trends before others know about them. This allows you to capitalise on such trends before they become saturated. By monitoring search interest and identifying topics or queries rapidly gaining popularity, you can establish yourself as an authority in your niche and attract a dedicated readership.

For example, imagine the number of searches related to “plant-based diets” and “vegan recipes” has steadily grown in your locality. As a food blogger, you could take advantage of this situation by preparing eye-catching plant-based dishes in a series, complete with delicious photos and easy-to-follow directions.

This will help you capture the attention of these new plant eaters and position yourself as their go-to resource whenever they want tips on how best to live this lifestyle — which benefits your audience (who get more valuable information) and your SEO efforts, too.

Evergreen versus Trending Content

When creating trend-driven content, it’s essential to balance evergreen topics (content that remains relevant over time) and trending subjects (content about things currently popular but might quickly lose relevance).

Evergreen articles form the backbone of any solid content strategy because they provide long-term value while driving consistent organic traffic. For instance: 

• “The Beginner’s Guide To Meal Prepping”
• “10 Essential Strength Training Exercises For Building Muscle”
• “The Ultimate Guide To Starting A Successful Podcast”

On the other hand, trending pieces leverage temporal events/seasons/tastes or fickle consumer wants. However, their lifespan may be short-lived compared to evergreens; these posts can cause huge spikes in traffic & engagement. For instance: 

• “7 Delicious Pumpkin Spice Recipes To Try This Fall”
• “Top Fitness Trends to Watch in 2024”
• “How To Set Up A Christmas Work-from-Home Space”

Mixing evergreen and trending content allows you to create a well-rounded content strategy that keeps readers satisfied while taking advantage of current happenings.

Types Of Content Formats

When generating trend-driven content, think beyond the traditional blog post or article format — experiment with different media types to keep things interesting for your audience. Here are some suggestions:

1. Listicles And Round-ups: Easy-to-read lists work particularly well for trending topics (e.g., “10 TikTok Fitness Challenges To Try This Summer”).
2. How-To Guides And Tutorials: Step-by-step guides are perfect for evergreen subjects but can be tweaked slightly to fit into what’s currently popular (e.g., “How To Start A Vegetable Garden At Home” or “How To Master The Latest Dance Craze”).
3. Videos And Live Streams: Video is an incredibly engaging medium that resonates strongly with today’s audiences; use it to showcase new products based on trends, talk about hot-button issues within your industry, or share expert insights (e.g., weekly livestreams discussing the latest marketing trends).
4. Infographics And Data Visualisations: People love visually appealing content that breaks down complex information in easy-to-understand ways; use tools like Google Trends data to develop compelling infographics about industry-wide shifts.
5. Podcasts And Audio Content: Podcasting has gained massive popularity in recent years — leverage this format by exploring various trending topics through interviews, roundtable discussions with other experts in your field, and solo episodes where you give personal advice based on what’s happening among consumers.
6. Interactive content: quizzes, polls, calculators – anything that gets the audience involved can be influential, especially if it’s tied to a hot topic or something people are currently interested in. 

Try different formats, see how they perform, and change your approach according to what will connect with your intended viewers most effectively.

Optimising for Search Intent

Creating content that follows trends is just a starting point; ensuring that your content is optimised for search intent is equally essential. In fact, what good does it do if you rank for a popular keyword but fail to address what your audience wants?

What Is Search Intent?

Search intent denotes the inherent motivation or purpose behind a user’s search query. There are usually four main kinds of search intents:

• Informational: Users seek information or answers to specific questions (e.g., “What is the keto diet?”).
• Navigational: These users want to find a particular website or online resource (e.g., “Facebook login”).
• Transactional: Users intend to make purchases or complete transactions (e.g., “buy running shoes online”).
• Commercial Investigation: Before committing their money, users research products/services (e.g., “best smartwatch for fitness tracking”).

Knowing which intention underlies a given query allows you to adjust your content to correspond with what people seek. This way, more individuals will find your content helpful and engage with it.

Optimising for Various Search Intents

Below are tips on how you can optimise your content for different types of search intent:

• Informational: Prioritise creating detailed, well-researched posts that answer all aspects of the user’s question. Use obvious subheadings, bullet lists and other formatting features such as videos or images that help quickly scan and digest information.
• Navigational: Make sure branded searches can easily find critical pages within your site by optimising them accordingly. Include clear CTA buttons that direct visitors to relevant pages/resources they may need.
• Transactional: Persuasive copies of product/service pages should be enhanced with high-resolution images/videos showing different angles, detailed specifications, and solid CTAs for buying/converting ease.
• Commercial Investigation: Provide more informative content like comprehensive comparisons between similar products, buying guides, etc., thus helping customers make informed purchase decisions. Include detailed specifications, pros and cons lists, and user testimonials/ratings where applicable.

Matching your content with the hidden search intent raises chances of ranking highly and improves user experience, leading to more engagement, conversions and, eventually, customer loyalty.

Leveraging Google Trends Data Beyond Content

Google Trends is a handy tool that can be utilised in many more ways than just creating and optimising content. Below are some suggestions on how to make the most out of Google Trends data for SEO and digital marketing:

Discovering Untapped Markets or Niches

One way to find untapped markets or niches is by comparing regional search interests between locations. This can help identify areas where there might be less competition but still significant demand for your products/services.

For example, suppose you run an online store that sells outdoor gear and apparel. Through analysis of Google Trends information, it may become apparent that certain cities/states have an unusually high level of interest in specific outdoor activities like rock climbing, kayaking, or winter sports; this presents itself as a chance to create specialised marketing campaigns, product lines or articles targeted towards those narrow interests give you an upper hand over other sellers within those markets.

Informing Product Development & Launch Strategies

Another way in which Google Trends can come in handy is through its ability to give insights into what types of products should be developed based on current trends/demand. By keeping tabs on search interests about particular categories/features of goods (and associated queries), businesses can detect emerging consumer needs/want so as not to miss out on any opportunity during these rapidly changing times.

For instance, if searches related to “smart home devices” or “voice-controlled assistants” suddenly spike upwards – companies could take advantage by creating new items inspired by this growing fascination with home automation systems controlled through voice recognition software applications.

Boosting Social Media & PR Efforts

The usefulness of social media platforms such as Facebook cannot be overstated when promoting brands; however, one has to know what people want before posting anything. This is where Google Trends becomes relevant again. Marketers require first-hand knowledge regarding subjects that will grab their target audience’s attention, thus making them shareable and increasing visibility for their campaigns.

For instance, if searches relating to a particular industry event or news story suddenly shoot up, companies could capitalise by creating posts/articles/videos around the same. This would position them as leaders within that sector and increase their chances of being part of conversations about those matters.

Measuring Campaign Performance & ROI

Digital marketing campaigns can be costly, thus making it imperative for marketers to know whether they are working; fortunately, Google Trends provides a way through which such information can easily be obtained. By monitoring search interest levels vis-à-vis specific keywords/topics/branded terms before, during and after running a campaign – one can tell how well the latter performed and use these findings in planning future endeavours backed by solid figures.

For example, if branded searches begin surging coupled with high engagement rates following the introduction of a new product/service into the market – then some credit should go towards successfully implementing promotional activities. On the other hand, failure to see anticipated lifts in either search volume or interactions might necessitate a rethinking strategy employed during the promotion stage.

Conclusion

Google Trends is a tool that can change the game for you in terms of SEO and digital marketing. The idea is to understand what your target audience is looking for and use rising trends to create relevant content, drive more organic traffic to your website, and stay ahead of competitors.

The secret to succeeding with Google Trends lies in treating it strategically. Don’t chase every shiny new trend; instead, identify the ones that align with your brand, audience and business objectives.

Keep a close eye on search interests – never be complacent. Study data patterns regularly, then adapt content or marketing plans appropriately. Try out various forms of content, optimise for search intent, or even use Google trends data other than creating only new content to discover different avenues for growth and success.

Whoever can best utilise data while adapting to changes in the search landscape will win at SEO & Digital Marketing in this ever-changing world. So why wait? Start using all features within Google Trends today! Watch your rankings shoot up like never before!!

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