Trends and Keyword Analysis

Why use trends and keyword analysis?

This experiment uses the power of tools like Google Trends and Google Ads Keyword Planner to gain insights into market dynamics, consumer interests, and competitive landscapes.

Google Trends can be used to analyze the popularity and search volume of specific keywords over time using the relative search frequency of a term against the total search volume across various regions and languages. The Google Ads Keyword Planner, on the other hand, provides data on search volume, competition, and even potential cost for specific keywords.

One of the primary uses of this experiment is to gauge the level of interest or demand in a particular product, service, or topic. By analyzing trends in search queries, companies can determine if an idea or product aligns with current user interests and market demands.

This experiment is particularly effective in catching emerging trends. This can be invaluable for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve by adapting to or capitalizing on new market opportunities.

It is also beneficial in understanding the seasonality of certain products or services and their popularity in specific geographic regions. This information can be crucial for businesses in tailoring their marketing strategies and distribution logistics.

By comparing search trends for their brand against competitors, companies can gauge their market position. It helps in understanding how competing brands or products are faring in terms of public interest and search prevalence.

By analyzing search trends and keyword data, companies can gain deeper insights into who their customers are and what interests them, aiding in the development of more accurate customer personas. By identifying what features or aspects of a product people are searching for, companies can develop new products or improve existing ones to better meet customer needs.

For new ventures or product launches, understanding the existing interest level and competition can mitigate the risk of entering a new market. It can validate the potential success of a new product or service before significant resources are invested.

Discover market trends, size and competition

Using free tools readily available, it is possible to conduct valuable initial market research quick and cheap.

• Gauge popularity over time. Using Google Trends, you can discover the popularity of your product, of your competitors’ products, and related search terms and over time. You can figure whether the trends are growing, flattening, or declining – or if they are correlating with seasonality, competing jobs, or specific customer pains.
• Discover geographic trends. With Google trends, you can discover interest in a search term by region. Is your product popular in Russia or are people using the same search terms to find the same thing in different locations?
• The size of your target segment. Using Google Keyword Planner, you can pull out amounts of monthly searches for specific search terms. Using Meta Ads Manager’s audience estimates, you can dive into the size of target segments based on geographic location and interests.
• The level of competition. Using Google Keyword planner, you can get an idea of the level of (advertising) competition for specific terms. This will indicate whether the words you chose for your value proposition are words chosen by the competition as well.

Search volume no longer tells the whole story

A growing share of people now ask AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity instead of typing keywords into a search engine, and many Google searches are answered by an AI overview without a click. Keyword volumes therefore undercount interest, especially for complex, conversational questions. Use search data to compare terms and spot direction of travel rather than to size a market in absolute numbers. It also helps to ask an AI assistant how it would answer your customers’ questions: which products does it recommend, and which sources does it cite? That shows you how your category is being presented to people who never reach a search results page.

It’s not a one-time thing

Markets evolve, consumer interests shift, and new competitors emerge. Regularly conducting this analysis helps businesses stay relevant, adapt their strategies, and continuously improve their offerings in line with market dynamics.

By effectively utilizing tools like Google Trends and Google Ads Keyword Planner, businesses can make data-driven decisions, better understand their customers, and stay ahead in competitive markets.