Understanding Google Trends for SEO: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

• Perception of Search Volume Trends
• Identifying Related Keywords
• Recognizing “Breakout” Keywords
• Exploring Related Topics for Content Creation
• Uncovering Keywords for YouTube Videos
• Local Search Trends
• Discovering New Keyword Ideas
• LSI Keywords for On-page SEO

Google Trends, a tool offered by Google, has become an indispensable resource for SEO practitioners and digital marketers worldwide since its inception in 2006. With its recent update in 2018, Google Trends now offers additional features that make it even more beneficial for tracking search volume trends and identifying breakout keywords. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to leverage Google Trends to enhance your SEO strategy and increase the visibility of your blog.

Perception of Search Volume Trends

At its core, Google Trends is an excellent tool for keyword research. By simply entering your chosen keyword into the search bar, you can observe its trend over the past year. This provides invaluable insights into how the popularity of the keyword is changing over time. For example, let’s consider the term “OMAD” (an acronym for ‘one meal a day’). While traditional keyword research tools might only provide raw search volume data, Google Trends can enlighten us about the trend direction. It indicates if the keyword is becoming more popular, potentially increasing to higher search volumes in the coming months.

Simultaneously, Google Trends can guide you away from keywords that are dwindling in popularity. By extending the timeframe for data analysis to 2-3 years instead of the default 12 months, you can differentiate between true trends and seasonal fluctuations. This allows you to focus on keywords that have a consistent upward trajectory and avoid those that are declining in popularity.

Identifying Related Keywords

One of the exceptional features of Google Trends is its ability to highlight new, trending keywords related to your initial search term. After conducting a search, scroll down to the ‘Related Queries’ table. Here, Google lists keywords closely associated with your searched term. These are not random search terms; they are trending keywords, each detailed with the exact percentage increase in search volume.

Recognizing “Breakout” Keywords

In certain cases, Google may replace a percentage growth with the word “breakout”. This signifies a growth exceeding 5000%, making it challenging to accurately represent the “before” and “after” percentage difference. These breakout keywords can be goldmines as their competitiveness is still low, providing opportunities to rank high on Google’s first page before they become mainstream.

However, it is important to note that not all breakout keywords maintain their growth. Some could be short-lived fads that decline rapidly after a few months. Therefore, it is advisable not to base your entire business strategy on a breakout keyword. Instead, use them strategically to gain short-term traffic boosts and supplement your overall SEO efforts.

Exploring Related Topics for Content Creation

Google Trends not only helps identify related search queries but also aids in finding related topics. In the ‘Related Topics’ table adjacent to ‘Related Queries’, you can explore broader topics that people are interested in. These topics can inspire a whole series of blog posts, videos, or social media content. By leveraging these related topics, you can expand your content strategy and cater to a wider audience.

Uncovering Keywords for YouTube Videos

Google Trends is not limited to tracking trends on Google’s search engine; it is equally potent for YouTube keyword research. By switching from ‘Web Search’ to ‘YouTube Search’, you can evaluate whether your chosen keyword is trending on YouTube. This allows you to optimize your video content and increase its visibility on the platform.

Local Search Trends

If your business caters to a specific area within the United States, the ‘Interest by Subregion’ feature in Google Trends can be integral to your local SEO strategy. It displays keyword trends across different states, cities, and subregions, which can be crucial for businesses targeting local markets. By understanding the search behavior of your target audience in specific locations, you can tailor your content and optimize your website accordingly.

Discovering New Keyword Ideas

The ‘Trending Searches’ feature in Google Trends provides real-time data for searches that have spiked over the last 24 hours. While many of these keywords might be short-lived trends not worth pursuing, occasionally you may stumble upon a keyword or topic with long-term potential. By keeping an eye on trending searches, you can stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on emerging trends in your industry.

LSI Keywords for On-page SEO

Lastly, Google Trends can assist with on-page SEO by introducing LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords. It shows terms closely tied to your target keyword that you could incorporate into your content as deemed appropriate. By including these LSI keywords in your blog posts, you can improve the relevance and visibility of your content in search engine results.

In conclusion, Google Trends is an invaluable asset for SEO practitioners and digital marketers alike. Its ability to track keyword trends, identify breakout and LSI keywords, and discover new keyword ideas makes it an essential part of any comprehensive SEO strategy. By leveraging the insights provided by Google Trends, you can optimize your website, create compelling content, and increase your online visibility, ultimately driving more organic traffic to your blog. So, start exploring Google Trends today and unlock the full potential of your SEO efforts.

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