How to Use Google Search Trends Report to Generate Content

Today, Google is perhaps the most powerful tool in any content creator or marketer’s arsenal. The platform includes tools like Google AdWords and Google Analytics that can always help businesses do keyword and market research, and gain valuable insights. At the final stretch, you can use those findings to build stronger and smarter marketing and business strategies.

However, way too many marketers tend to ignore another fantastic Google tool that can help from market research to sparking new and well-ranking content ideas, Google Trends. In today’s article, we’ll explain all about it.

In short, how to search for trends, what to look out for and how you can use it to generate fresh and exciting content ideas.

About Google Trends

Google Trends is a helpful tool that gives you information on the number of Google searches for specific topics or search phrases, as well as the most popular geographic locations for these inquiries. As you can already tell just by this brief introduction, Google trends can be a powerful tool in a writer’s arsenal.

What else can Google Trends be used for?

• Comparative and in-depth keyword research
• Politics, entertainment, wildlife, science, business, travel and leisure, and other global topics
• Popular searches divided by country on any given day
• Top performing content and more detailed information on any given topic or keyword you’ve chosen

When looking for content ideas, in particular, there are two things you should vary of – the difference between long-term and short-term trends. Both can be extremely useful, but they will impact your content differently depending on how you use them, so let’s see what they are.

Long-Term Trends

Google Trends is a fantastic tool for measuring long-term interest in a topic, and it’s beneficial for making direct comparisons. For example, the comparison between MySpace and Facebook: there is a distinct tipping point around the year 2008 when searches for MySpace began to fall while searches for Facebook skyrocketed.

Of course, this follows a nationwide trend in which individuals abandon MySpace and other early social networks in favor of Facebook. By looking at long-term trends, you can find “evergreen” topics and predict if there will be any interest in what you’re planning to write. Content ideas based on long-term trends tend to do very well and are a good indicator of your blog’s direction.

Short-Term Trends

At the other end of the scale, Google Trends can be used to determine which topics have grown hot in the recent 24 hours. When you go to the site, you’ll find a breakdown of the top search topics, followed by a list of discussion topics that have gained traction that day.

It can be a great way to produce hot content that’ll get a lot of hits immediately after publication. It is important to note that if you take this route, you have to be fast – it’s a winner who takes all kinds of games.

Using Google Search Trends to Spark New Content Ideas

Research Seasonal Trends

More often than not, seasons can impact the performance of certain content. For example, during the summer months, searches for the best holiday spots and what to do there become increasingly popular. If you’re writing about something you suspect may be affected by seasonal popularity, always make sure that it’s in right now.

When it comes to cooking blogs, soups and heartier foods are always a more popular topic in the winter months. That’s why it is also essential to know where most of your readers are from so that you can match up what you’ll be writing based on their geo-location. It’s more important than you think.

You can plan your publications around the seasonal popularity of a specific topic. If you cover, for example, entertainment, it’s worth knowing that fantasy series usually always become more popular around holidays.

So, if you want to cover something from that realm, the holidays are probably the best time to do it. Using seasonal trends can also spark content ideas by researching other popular searches similar to what you had in mind.

Search for Related Inquiries to Outsmart the Competition

Sometimes there’s too much competition for newcomers on the market. That’s why some top marketing experts advise simply using “related searches.” Here you’ll be able to find topics that are still in your niche but have way less competition. Browse through and find something you’re genuinely interested in.

After all, is said and done, you’ll be writing about a topic you’re passionate about with less competition and thus a better chance of success and higher SEO ranking.

You can also take this one step further and search for related searches of those related searches. It’s an in-depth analysis that’s simply waiting to inspire. While you’re at it, make sure also to pick up some keywords that are still popular but have less competition – it does work.

Don’t Write About Failing Trends

You can notice when terms become less popular by using Google Trends. You can avoid writing about dropping trends because there are more important topics to write about to obtain the best return on your effort. It can save you a lot of time and effort that would otherwise be spent on ineffective content.

If you’re hellbound to write about a topic that seems to be a failing trend, either try something similar or gather ideas using keywords that are still popular and relate to the topic at hand. That way, you not only boost your chances of success but might also discover a way to expand the original idea and write an even better article.

Find a New Niche and Expand

If you’re looking to broaden your horizons and set sail into uncharted waters, Google Search Trends can help you. This is one area where you’ll always utilize long-term trends. Select a period you’re interested in, let’s say 2012, to present and analyze the search growth of a specific topic.

This way, you’ll be able to find growing topics that haven’t been done to death and have content gaps you can now fill. This tactic can also help you find seasonal trends as well. So, you can not only get inspired to grow your current topic repository but plan the release of certain pieces better and smarter.

Over to You

Writing quality content is more than just being handy with words. It has to be trending and popular if you want to get anywhere and build SEO. Google Trends is a great tool to utilize while on this journey.

You can use it to get inspired and write about fresh new ideas, as well as make sure the content will rank well, and while research might take a hot minute, it’s well worth it in the end.