What Is Google Trends?
Google Trends is a free website from Google that shows how popular certain search words are over time. It uses charts to show when people search more or less for a topic, and in which countries or regions those searches happen.
Definition
Google Trends is a data tool that shows the interest in search terms in Google Search. It does not show the exact number of searches. Instead, it gives a score from 0 to 100 that tells you how strong the interest is at different times and in different places.
Why Google Trends Matters
Google Trends is useful for many people, including students, marketers, writers, and business owners, because it helps you to:
- See if a topic is becoming more popular or less popular over time.
- Find out which topics people care about in different countries or cities.
- Compare two or more search terms to see which one people search for more.
- Plan content, videos, or products based on what people are actually searching for.
- Spot seasonal trends, for example, more searches for gifts before holidays.
How Google Trends Works
Google Trends looks at a sample of searches that people type into Google. It then:
- Counts how often a word or phrase is searched in a chosen time and place.
- Compares that count with all searches made in the same time and place.
- Turns this into a number between 0 and 100. 100 is the moment of highest interest, and lower numbers show lower interest compared to that peak.
This means a score of 100 is the most popular point for that term, not the most popular term on Google. Every search term has its own chart and scores.
Example of Google Trends
Imagine you want to start a blog about sports shoes. You are not sure whether to write more about “running shoes” or “basketball shoes”.
You can open Google Trends and type in both terms. The tool will show two lines on a graph. If the line for “running shoes” is higher most of the time, that means more people search for running shoes than for basketball shoes. You might then choose to write more articles or make more videos about running shoes first, because there is more search interest.
FAQs
Is Google Trends free to use?
Yes, Google Trends is completely free. You just visit the website and start typing search terms.
Does Google Trends show exact search numbers?
No. It shows relative interest on a scale from 0 to 100. It is meant to compare trends, not give exact counts.
Can I use Google Trends for SEO?
Yes. You can find rising topics, compare keywords, and see when people search most. This helps you choose better keywords and publish content at the right time.
What data does Google Trends use?
It uses a sample of real searches made on Google Search, and sometimes data from other Google services. The data is made anonymous and grouped, so it does not show any private information about users.
How far back does Google Trends data go?
For many topics, data goes back to 2004. You can change the time range to see interest for the past few hours, days, months, or many years.