rankingCoach Blog

How to Use Google Trends for Keyword Research

Written by Joshua | 2/24/21 10:20 AM

Choosing the right keywords is one of the hardest parts of SEO. You know your business well, but do you really know what exact words your potential customers type into Google? Guessing isn’t enough.

That’s where Google Trends comes in. This free tool shows you how search interest evolves over time and across regions. Used correctly, it helps you create smarter content, refine your keyword list, and attract more of the right visitors to your website.

What is Google Trends?

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that shows you how often specific search terms are entered into Google Search over time. You can analyze interest in a keyword by region, time frame, or even by search type (web, image, YouTube, etc.). 

Whether you're targeting a global market or just your local area, Google Trends provides insights into what people care about—right now or historically. It’s an excellent starting point for understanding how topics and keywords evolve.

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that shows you how often specific search terms are entered into Google Search over time. You can analyze interest in a keyword by region, time frame, or even by search type (web, image, YouTube, etc.).

Whether you're targeting a global market or just your local area, Google Trends provides insights into what people care about—right now or historically. It’s an excellent starting point for understanding how topics and keywords evolve.


How Does It Work?

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that shows you how often specific search terms are entered into Google Search over time. You can analyze interest in a keyword by region, time frame, or even by search type (web, image, YouTube, etc.).

Whether you're targeting a global market or just your local area, Google Trends provides insights into what people care about—right now or historically. It’s an excellent starting point for understanding how topics and keywords evolve.

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that shows you how often specific search terms are entered into Google Search over time. You can analyze interest in a keyword by region, time frame, or even by search type (web, image, YouTube, etc.).

 

 

Whether you're targeting a global market or just your local area, Google Trends provides insights into what people care about—right now or historically. It’s an excellent starting point for understanding how topics and keywords evolve.

 

How Does It Work?

Using Google Trends is simple:

  • Type in a keyword or phrase
  • Choose a region and time range
  • View a graph of search interest over time

You can also:

  • Compare multiple terms (e.g. "ecommerce" vs. "online store")
  • Discover related queries and rising trends
  • Filter by search type (like YouTube or Google Shopping)

This helps you make more informed decisions when choosing between similar terms or evaluating seasonal interest in topics.

 

Why Should I Use It?

When building a website—especially for SEO—using the right keywords is crucial. They need to reflect your business and match what your audience actually types into Google.

Google Trends helps you:

  • Understand keyword popularity over time
  • Spot rising trends before your competitors do
  • Choose the most effective version of a term (e.g. spelling, hyphenation)

Before investing in SEO content or ad campaigns, you can use Google Trends to validate your keyword ideas. It saves you time and ensures your efforts are grounded in actual data.

 

Real-World Use: Choosing the Right Keywords

Let’s say you’re unsure whether to use “online shop” or “ecommerce” on your site. With Google Trends, you can compare both terms and see which gets more searches—and in which regions. You’ll also spot whether their popularity is growing, stable, or declining.

These insights help shape not just your website content, but also blog posts, product descriptions, headlines, and even social media messaging.

 

A Smart Addition to Your Strategy

Google Trends isn’t a full SEO tool on its own, but it’s a valuable piece of the puzzle. Pair it with:

This way, you’ll build a stronger digital presence and reach more of the right people.

 

Final thoughts

Google Trends is more than a curiosity—it’s a must-have free tool for small businesses that want smarter SEO. By basing your strategy on real search behavior, you’ll publish content that’s more relevant, improve your visibility, and attract customers who are already looking for what you offer.