Knowledge Base

What is Google Trends and What Does It Do?

Google Trends is a free web tool offered by Google. This tool shows the popularity of a specific term or topic in Google Search within a specific time period. Basically, it helps to visualize what people are searching for and how these searches change over time. Google Trends allows you to analyze not only search data but also YouTube searches, Google News searches, and Google Shopping searches.

Key Functions of Google Trends:

• Tracking Search Trends: You can track the popularity of a specific term over time.
• Identifying Regional Interests: You can see in which regions a term is searched more.
• Discovering Related Topics: You can find trending and popular topics related to a term.
• Understanding Seasonal Changes: You can analyze how a term changes seasonally (for example, the term "swimming pool" is more popular in the summer).
• Comparing Competitors: You can compare multiple terms to see their relative popularity.

Usage Areas of Google Trends:

• Marketing: You can follow trends to optimize your marketing strategies. For example, you can shape your SEO efforts by determining which keywords are more popular.
• Content Creation: You can create engaging content by identifying popular topics. You can determine the subject of your content such as blog posts, videos, social media posts according to trends.
• News and Journalism: You can identify newsworthy events by following the topics on the agenda.
• Academic Research: You can provide data for conducting research in fields such as social sciences, economics, and political science.
• Investment: You can shape your investment decisions by following trends. For example, you can adjust your investment portfolio by determining which sectors are on the rise.

How to Use Google Trends? Step-by-Step Guide

Using Google Trends is quite simple. Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Access Google Trends: First, go to Google Trends.
2. Enter Your Search Term: Type the term or topic you want to analyze into the search bar.
3. Select Region and Time Range: To filter search results, select a region (country, city, etc.) and a time range (last hour, last day, last month, last year, custom range, etc.).
4. Select a Category (Optional): You can select a category to further narrow down the search results. For example, "Sports", "News", "Entertainment", etc.
5. Review Search Results: Google Trends will provide a graph and related data showing the popularity of the term you selected.
6. Discover Related Topics and Queries: At the bottom of the page, you can see trending and most popular topics and queries related to your search term.
7. Make Comparisons: Use the "Compare" option to compare multiple terms.

Example: To examine the popularity of the term "Coffee" in Turkey for the last 12 months:

1. Go to Google Trends.
2. Type "Coffee" in the search bar.
3. Select "Turkey" as the location.
4. Select "Last 12 months" as the time range.

By following these steps, you can see how the popularity of the term "Coffee" has changed over time in Turkey, in which regions it is searched more, and related topics.

What are the Different Data Types in Google Trends?

Google Trends offers different data types, allowing users to perform more comprehensive analyses. Here are the basic data types in Google Trends:

• Search Interest: A relative measure that shows the popularity of a specific term in Google Search for the selected region and time period. This value is expressed on a scale from 0 to 100. 100 represents the time when the term was most popular, while 0 means there is not enough data.
• Regional Interest: Shows the popularity of a term in different regions (country, city, region). This data helps you understand which regions are more interested in that term.
• Related Topics: Shows other topics related to your search term that users frequently search for. This is a valuable resource for content creation and marketing strategies.
• Related Queries: Shows the most frequently searched queries along with your search term. This is important for keyword research and SEO efforts.
• Rising Queries: Shows the queries that have recently increased the most in popularity related to your search term. This is useful for catching trends and focusing on current topics.

Importance of Data Types:

• Search Interest: Helps you understand the overall popularity of a term and track its change over time.
• Regional Interest: Allows you to tailor your marketing and advertising strategies to regional differences.
• Related Topics and Queries: Helps you find new ideas for content creation and optimize your SEO efforts.
• Rising Queries: Allows you to catch trends and focus on current topics.

How to Interpret Google Trends Data?

Interpreting Google Trends data correctly increases the value of the information you obtain. Here are some important points to consider when interpreting Google Trends data:

• Focus on Relative Values: Google Trends shows relative search interest, not absolute search counts. Therefore, focus on relative values rather than absolute numbers when interpreting the data.
• Consider the Time Range: The time range you select affects the interpretation of the data. Short time ranges (e.g., last hour, last day) show instant trends, while long time ranges (e.g., last 5 years) show general trends.
• Consider Regional Differences: Search trends may differ in different regions. Therefore, consider regional differences when interpreting the data.
• Understand Seasonal Variations: The popularity of some terms may change seasonally (e.g., the term "swimming pool" is more popular in the summer). Therefore, consider seasonal variations when interpreting the data.
• Examine Related Topics and Queries: You can conduct a more comprehensive analysis by examining other topics and queries related to your search term that users frequently search for.
• Compare Data with Other Sources: You can perform a more accurate and comprehensive analysis by comparing Google Trends data with other sources (e.g., Google Analytics, social media analytics tools).

Example: You see a Google Trends graph showing that the popularity of the term "electric car" has increased in the last 5 years. This indicates that interest in electric cars has generally increased. However, there may also be seasonal fluctuations in the graph (e.g., fewer searches in the summer). Also, there may be different search trends in different regions (e.g., Europe, USA, Asia). Therefore, you need to consider all these factors when interpreting the data.

How to Do Keyword Research with Google Trends?

Google Trends is a powerful tool for keyword research. Here are some ways to do keyword research using Google Trends:

• Discover Related Queries: Discover other queries related to your search term that users frequently search for. This helps you find new keyword ideas.
• Track Rising Queries: Track the queries that have recently increased in popularity the most related to your search term. This allows you to catch trends and focus on current keywords.
• Analyze Your Competitors' Keywords: You can use Google Trends to identify the keywords your competitors are using. Analyze your competitors' websites and content to determine which keywords they are using, and then examine the popularity of these keywords in Google Trends.
• Find Long-Tail Keywords: In the related topics and queries section, you can find longer and more specific keywords (long-tail keywords). These types of keywords may be less competitive and can help you attract more targeted traffic.
• Examine Regional Keyword Trends: Different regions may have different keyword trends. By using Google Trends, you can examine keyword trends in the regions where your target audience is located and tailor your marketing strategies accordingly.

Example: You are doing keyword research for the keyword "Vegan recipes". By using Google Trends, you can discover other queries related to "Vegan recipes" that users frequently search for (e.g., "vegan cake recipes", "vegan dinner recipes", "vegan breakfast recipes"). You can also track the queries that have recently increased in popularity the most related to "Vegan recipes" (e.g., "gluten-free vegan recipes", "low-calorie vegan recipes"). This information will help you create your content strategy and optimize your SEO efforts.

How Can I Use Google Trends for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Google Trends provides valuable information to optimize your SEO efforts. Here are some ways to use Google Trends for SEO:

• Keyword Research: You can identify popular and trending keywords using Google Trends. By using these keywords on your website, in your blog posts, and in other content, you can improve your search engine rankings.
• Content Strategy Creation: Google Trends shows which topics are popular and what users are searching for. Using this information, you can create content that will attract your target audience and rank higher in search engines.
• Seasonal SEO: The popularity of some keywords may change seasonally. You can track these seasonal changes using Google Trends and adapt your content and SEO strategy accordingly. For example, the keyword "summer vacation" is more popular in the summer months, while the keyword "winter vacation" is more popular in the winter months.
• Regional SEO: Google Trends shows search trends in different regions. Using this information, you can examine keyword trends in the regions where your target audience is located and adapt your SEO strategy accordingly.
• Analyzing Competitors: You can use Google Trends to identify the keywords your competitors are using. Analyze your competitors' websites and content to determine which keywords they are using, and then examine the popularity of these keywords in Google Trends.

Example: You have an e-commerce site and sell sportswear. Using Google Trends, you can examine the popularity of the keyword "sports shoes" in Turkey over the last 12 months. You can also discover other queries related to "sports shoes" that users frequently search for (e.g., "running shoes", "basketball shoes", "casual sports shoes"). This information will help you optimize the keywords on your website and create content that will attract your target audience.

Does Google Trends have an API (Application Programming Interface)?

Yes, Google Trends does not have an official API. However, there are some unofficial APIs and libraries developed by the community. These APIs and libraries allow you to programmatically retrieve and analyze Google Trends data.

Unofficial Google Trends APIs and Libraries:

• pytrends (Python): A popular Google Trends API library written for the Python programming language. pytrends offers various functions for retrieving, analyzing, and visualizing Google Trends data.

pytrends Usage Example:

from pytrends.request import TrendReq

# Connect to Google Trends
pytrends = TrendReq(hl='en-US', tz=360)

# Define search terms
kw_list = ["Python", "Java", "C++"]

# Define the time range
timeframe = 'today 5-y'

# Fetch data from Google Trends
pytrends.build_payload(kw_list, cat=0, timeframe=timeframe, geo='US', gprop='')

# Get search interest data
trend_data = pytrends.interest_over_time()

# Print the data
print(trend_data)

This code example uses the pytrends library to fetch and print the search interest data for the search terms "Python", "Java", and "C++" in the United States over the last 5 years.

Important Note: The use of unofficial APIs and libraries may violate Google's terms of service and may stop working in the future. Therefore, be careful when using such tools and check Google's terms of service.

Which Tools Can Be Used to Visualize Google Trends Data?

Visualizing Google Trends data helps you make the data more understandable and identify important trends more easily. Here are some tools you can use to visualize Google Trends data:

• Google Sheets: You can create various charts and tables by importing Google Trends data into Google Sheets. Google Sheets is a simple and easy-to-use tool and can meet your basic visualization needs.
• Microsoft Excel: You can create various charts and tables by importing Google Trends data into Microsoft Excel. Excel offers more advanced features than Google Sheets and allows you to create more complex visualizations.
• Tableau: Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool. You can create interactive and customizable visualizations by importing Google Trends data into Tableau. Tableau is ideal for analyzing and visualizing large datasets.
• Power BI: Power BI is a data visualization tool offered by Microsoft. You can create interactive reports and dashboards by importing Google Trends data into Power BI. Power BI offers a powerful analysis and reporting solution for businesses.
• Python Libraries (Matplotlib, Seaborn): You can use libraries such as Matplotlib and Seaborn to visualize Google Trends data using the Python programming language. These libraries allow you to create customizable and high-quality graphics.

Example: You can create a line chart by importing the search interest data of the "Bitcoin" keyword you pulled from Google Trends into Google Sheets. This chart visually shows the change in interest in Bitcoin over time.

Real-Life Examples and Case Studies

Case Study 1: A Restaurant Chain's Marketing Strategy

A restaurant chain wanted to analyze the popularity of products on their menus and optimize their marketing strategies using Google Trends. The restaurant chain examined the popularity of products on the menus of their restaurants in different regions (e.g., "hamburger", "pizza", "salad", "chicken") on Google Trends. Results:

• Products such as "hamburger" and "pizza" were found to be more popular in regions with a high concentration of young people.
• Healthier options such as "salad" and "chicken" were found to be more popular in regions with a high concentration of elderly people.
• The popularity of some products was found to change seasonally (e.g., "ice cream" is more popular in the summer).

The restaurant chain adapted its marketing strategies regionally and seasonally using this information. For example, it organized hamburger and pizza campaigns in regions with a high concentration of young people, salad and chicken campaigns in regions with a high concentration of elderly people, and ice cream promotions in the summer. This strategy significantly increased the restaurant chain's sales.

Case Study 2: A Fashion Brand's Trend Analysis

A fashion brand wanted to predict future season fashion trends and prepare its product collections accordingly using Google Trends. The fashion brand examined the popularity of general fashion terms such as "fashion", "clothing", "shoes", as well as specific clothing types (e.g., "dress", "pants", "shirt") and colors (e.g., "red", "blue", "green") on Google Trends. Results:

• Terms such as "sustainable fashion" and "recycled clothing" were found to be increasing in popularity.
• The popularity of certain colors (e.g., "pastel colors", "neon colors") was found to be increasing or decreasing.
• The popularity of certain clothing types (e.g., "wide-leg pants", "crop top") was found to be increasing or decreasing.

The fashion brand prepared its product collections for the upcoming season using this information. It emphasized clothing products made from sustainable and recycled materials, included popular colors and clothing types in its collections, and offered products that met consumer expectations. This strategy strengthened the fashion brand's sales and brand image.

Real-Life Example: Covid-19 Pandemic and Search Trends

During the Covid-19 pandemic, search trends on Google Trends changed significantly. The popularity of terms such as "hand sanitizer", "mask", "home workout", "online education", and "remote work" increased significantly. This showed how consumers reacted to the pandemic and how their needs changed. Businesses adapted their products and services to the pandemic using this information. For example, many companies started producing hand sanitizers and masks, online education platforms became popular, and sales of companies offering remote work solutions increased.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Google Trends

Advantages:

• Free: Google Trends is a tool offered by Google for free.
• Easy to Use: Google Trends is very easy to use and does not require any technical knowledge.
• Comprehensive Data: Google Trends collects data from various sources such as Google Search, YouTube Search, Google News Search, and Google Shopping Search.
• Real-Time Data: Google Trends shows real-time or near real-time search trends.
• Regional Data: Google Trends shows search trends in different regions.

Disadvantages:

• Relative Data: Google Trends shows relative search interest, not absolute search numbers.
• Limited Data: Google Trends only provides data for specific terms and does not cover all search data.
• No Official API: Google Trends does not have an official API, which makes programmatic access difficult.
• Data Privacy: Google Trends data is subject to Google's data privacy policies.

Conclusion

Google Trends is a powerful tool for tracking search trends, conducting keyword research, creating content strategy, and optimizing marketing strategies. By using Google Trends, you can understand your target audience's interests, capture trends, and gain a competitive edge. However, it is important to interpret Google Trends data correctly and compare it with other sources. Additionally, you should carefully evaluate the information you obtain, considering the disadvantages of Google Trends.