5 best ways to use Google Trends in SEO

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Jan 28, 2022 / by
5 best ways to use Google Trends in SEO

If you’re working in SEO and are not already using Google Trends then either you know something we don’t know or you’re a serious outlier. As the only keyword research tool that officially provides insights based on genuine Google data, it’s a necessity for anyone that wants their pages to rank on the world’s most popular search engine.

The free tool has been invaluable for most of us since it launched in 2006 and it continues to be updated with new features and upgrades almost every year. But while you might be using it to find trends and topics, are you truly making the most of it? Here, we’ll be taking you through a few of the best ways to get the best value from Google Trends.

1. Use other tools too

Yes, Google Trends is an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to getting metrics for keyword search volume but if you use it in a siloed approach, you’re only getting half the picture. While most paid SEO tools can only provide estimates, when they are used in conjunction with Google Trends you’ll be presented with an almost accurate picture of genuine keyword search volume.

2. Compare keywords

To ensure the data you’re seeing is as accurate as possible, compare every new keyword with one that you already know you have genuine figures for. If you know the amounts for one keyword are real and exact then the traffic levels of other keywords will start to make more sense. It doesn’t even have to be a related keyword as long as you have a general idea of the keyword volume.

3. Jump on short term trends

While we’re always being told to “think in the long term” there is also some wisdom to be found in refusing to ignore short term trends too. We live, after all, in a continually fluctuating culture where something can be trending one week and then irrelevant the next. Catch these “lightning in a bottle” moments by scaling down to 90-day and even 30-day views to see which specific days of the week yield the best results for certain searches and you can sharpen your efforts.

4. Match data to geography

Tailored content for specific regions can sometimes yield incredibly powerful results but you need to understand each region first. Focus some of your research around keyword popularity by region so you can localise content to specific areas. If you start including geographic nuances into your content you might start to see some serious ranking gains.

5. Don’t neglect the categories

The “categories” tab is perhaps one of the most useful aspects of Google Trends, particularly if your site is quite large and varied. By narrowing keywords by category, you’ll get much more accurate data and will be able to create segregated strategies for each category rather than rely on one blanket strategy for everything.

Of course, there are dozens of other tips and features that we haven’t touched upon here. The common denominator, however, is always going to be finding a balance between studying the wood and the individual trees. Thankfully, Google Trends is wonderful at both approaches but if you’re relying on it to do all of your strategic planning for you without putting a little effort in then you’ll be very disappointed.