Have you heard of Google Trends? Do you realize you can use it to benefit your business, no matter your industry? And did you realize you can do this yourself, for free, and help move your small business marketing in the right direction?
First, let’s give a short explanation of Google Trends. This tool enables a user to see what in trending in Google search engines now or for a set period of time, worldwide or in a specific country. Users can enter up to 5 search terms and the tool will return a line graph with comparison information over time. The category drop-down box allows users to drill down into a specific industry or area of interest. To the right of each numbered trending story are external links to news articles that best match the topic. In June of 2015, Google announced new features to its Google Trends tool: real-time data results. Real-time data use within the Google Trends tool tells us “who we are and what we care about.” This means users can track the most relevant stories most people are searching for, right now. Now let’s examine how you can use that information to help market your business.
First and foremost, Google Trends is a terrific tool to help you determine what keywords are trending in Google search right now. Proper and strategic use of keywords will help you in website content creation, paid advertising, and especially PPC advertising . There are a lot of keyword planners out there, but the advantage of Google Trends is that it provides better visuals and is easier to understand than a black and white spreadsheet of numbers.
Business owners can use Google Trends to see how their brand popularity is stacking up against their competitors. To do this, select your industry in the category drop-down box, then enter up to 5 brands in the search criteria. Google Trends will provide you with a color-coded line graph, like the following example:
From this graph, it is clear that Verizon is the most consistently searched-for wireless company in the US. However, between 2007 and 2009, AT&T made a comeback and went from a 4th place ranking to 2nd. It would be interesting to know what caused AT&T to jump in their rankings: a new advertising campaign or offering a new product or service? For business owners and managers, this type of information is vital to monitoring the health of their brand.
Another way a business owner might use Google Trends is to be aware of predictable patterns of activity due to seasonality. If you know that your business dips each year in September, you can choose how to respond so your business doesn’t experience a financial setback. Knowing the patterns of market demand might help you decide to increase your advertising or paid search budget for a time. The tool can also show you what search terms are trending up during a set period of time, so you could use those to your business’s advantage during a slow season.
At Morris Marketing, we regularly use Google Trends to help our clients achieve the best business outcomes, such as higher organic search ranking and on-trend advertising campaigns that bring in new customers. Let us help you with your business marketing goals. Call us today at 919-424-8314.
