12.3 How Marketers can use Google Trends

How can marketers make use of Google Trends?

Suppose we wanted to launch a new line of yogurt in the United States. An assessment of Google Trends could supplement our market research, provide us with ideas for social media content and our website, and assist us with keyword research for search engine optimization. Here’s how:

1. Market research – A quick search of the word ‘yogurt’ tells us that its popularity is very much cyclical – popular in summer, less so in the colder months. 

We also get a sense of where our yogurt is likely to find success as the regional breakout section tells us where most of the searches are coming from. When we zoom in on the search trends over the past five years, it is clear the demand for information about yogurt is being driven by the coastal states. The darker the color on the map, the higher the demand for the term relative to other searches.

2. Content ideas – A look at the related topics and queries section tells us yogurt plays an increasingly important role in a ketogenic diet, and that people are increasingly interested in making their own yogurt at home given the rising popularity of ‘instant pot’ and ‘oui yogurt lids’. So if we were designing a content calendar for our blog or social media, we could include recipes containing yogurt, recipes compatible with a ketogenic diet, healthy living tips etc. Since we know that yogurt searches are seasonal, we can time our advertising to coincide with the summer months.

3. Keyword research – The terms in the ‘related queries’ section serves as a launchpad to find more keywords for your search engine optimization strategy. Look what happens when we perform a separate search for ‘ratio keto yogurt’. When this list of keywords is plugged into a specialized keyword planner, you will gain granular detail about their search volume, pricing, and competition for the keyword.