Google Trends is one of the most recommended tools for finding a keyword that aligns with your brand. It works similarly to a standard Google search, but it is specifically designed to provide insights that end-users typically don’t need. In simple terms, Google Trends allows you to see the search volume of a specific keyword or a set of keywords over a particular time period.
If you’re undecided between multiple keywords, you can compare them and receive graphs, maps, and a list of related queries to your chosen keywords. It’s an incredibly useful tool for building an effective SEO strategy or even for finding inspiration if you’re unsure which topics to cover in your site’s content.
Using Google Trends wisely can also help identify keywords to exclude from your strategy. But are you sure you know how to use it effectively?
How to Make the Most of Google Trends: Tips from Google
Who better to explain how to use Google Trends than Google itself? That’s why a recent video on the Google Search Central YouTube account is so insightful, offering advanced tips for getting the most out of Google Trends. Here are the key suggestions and why you should incorporate these tricks into your regular routine with Google’s tool.
1. Utilize Punctuation for Better Search Results
The first tip, shared by Omri Weisman, is to use punctuation marks. This might seem like the simplest trick because it’s what you already do when using Google Search as a user. But you might not know that the same techniques can be applied when using Google Trends. For example, you can enhance your advanced search by using the plus (+) or minus (-) signs or quotation marks (“”).
As Weisman explains, this helps the tool understand what you specifically want to examine in user searches, removing irrelevant noise. For example, using quotation marks tells Google Trends to show results only for instances where your chosen keywords are used as a single search, not where they appear in conjunction with other terms.
This helps narrow down the field, especially when you’re looking for those long-tail keywords that are crucial for finding your audience and potential customers. To understand their value, try performing the same search with and without quotation marks and compare the results.
The plus (+) sign tells the tool that you want to know how often certain terms are used interchangeably, while the minus (-) sign helps exclude instances where a search term is accompanied by a specific other term. The plus (+) sign always yields results with the highest search volume, so keep that in mind: the total volume increases when considering all searches for both terms.
2. Conduct Multilingual Searches
Another useful trick is to use Google Trends for multilingual searches. Weisman gives the example of the Japanese word for “cat.” If you use the term in Japanese, the search volume will clearly concentrate on instances where that specific term is used. However, to get a broader view, you can use the plus (+) sign and add the generic term “cat.” Multilingual searches are incredibly helpful for content on a multilingual website.
3. Advanced Comparison Systems
The second tip, provided by Daniel Waisberg, involves creating advanced comparison systems. For example, if you want to determine whether a keyword has seasonal interest, try adjusting the time frame for which you want search volumes to be displayed.
If you notice that the graph shows a regular curve, it’s clear that you’re dealing with a seasonal keyword that peaks at certain times, which you can then analyze, and periods when the search volume drops significantly. This is a valuable indicator for crafting your content and ensuring it matches what users are searching for and when they are searching.
In addition to determining if a search term is seasonal, you should also know if it is still relevant. To do this, compare the same search terms by adjusting the settings to include previous years, such as the last year or two years prior, and so on.
To change the settings, simply click on the tab related to the search term and modify the start and end dates for search volume tracking. This will give you a graph showing the keyword’s interest, allowing you to see whether there is a growing trend or if, despite the seasonality, the keyword is losing traction among potential audiences.
The same trick can also be used not only to change the time period but also the location filter. For instance, if you’re starting with an Italian keyword and want to move beyond Italy, you should compare the Italian keyword with its equivalent in the language of the country you’re interested in. Changing the geographic location of the data you want to analyze allows you to compare up to 5 different countries simultaneously with a single click.
4. Save and Export Your Data
The third tip, again from Weisman, might not seem essential but is actually crucial: always export and save the data you’ve collected when using Google Trends.
While you search for the most relevant trends in your target market, you might lose track of important elements and ideas. All graphs generated by searches through Google Trends can be shared, embedded in a website, and downloaded as a spreadsheet.
This means you can share your analysis with colleagues without having to recreate the search from scratch or save your comparisons progressively to build an even more comprehensive comparison system beyond the five total options provided by Google Trends.
By applying these advanced techniques, you can maximize the potential of Google Trends to refine your SEO strategy, find new opportunities, and enhance your content planning.
