Did you know? Companies that use search data based on trends are 6 times more likely to be profitable year on year.

As a marketer, there are tons of data sources you can tap into, ranging from Google Analytics to your SEO tool of choice. But one overlooked (and insightful) tool is Google Trends - a tool that can tell you how the demand for a topic (or keyword) has changed over the last few years.

So, how can you make the most out of the data Google Trends has to offer? My team and I bring you 7 tips that can allow you to effectively align your content marketing strategy using Google Trends:

• Investigate changes to your site traffic: Use Google Trends to investigate a sudden drop or increase in your traffic. If Google Trends also shows a drop, your drop in traffic was likely related to the same.
• Find topic cluster ideas: Google Trends could also help you create SEO-focused, niche content by offering industry-specific insights. Find what content topics to tackle to stay relevant, and then create content that your targeted audience wants to read.
• Use related queries to find opportunities to beat competitors: By using the “related queries” section, you can find new keyword ideas, see what your competitors are doing and try to advance them. Optimize your content or campaigns using best practices from your industry/competitors.
• Look for (and avoid) downward trends: Keyword research isn’t foolproof - your keyword research may have identified some good potential keyword targets, but it’s vital to use Google Trends to check whether searches for these terms are on a long-term downward trend line.
• Find the most popular synonym for a keyword: You might find that some states refer to one term exclusively while other states prefer the other search term. It’s a good way to not only see seasonality trends, but also different vocabulary used across the country.
• Plan seasonal advertising budgets: Use Google Trends to help identify seasonal market trends for paid search. Knowing when demand is going to be high for a product or service allows you to 1) plan your PPC budgets accordingly to maximize exposure and 2) capture intent when it’s at its peak.
• Use real-time data: Take advantage of the real-time aspect of the data presented to you. See what your potential customers are searching for down to the day, the typical questions asked, pain points they are facing, and then convert those questions into topics for your blog or website.

If you’d like to know how Techmagnate can support you with your digital performance or for any other query, we’d love to hear from you, as always. Until then, I wish you hope, success, and lots of digital excellence in 2022.