Google is indisputably seated at the throne in the free internet app kingdom. With 45+ tools in its arsenal, most marketers only use and are familiar with a few of them. One slightly lesser-known tool your marketing campaign should not live without is Google Insights for Search. This application, though still in beta, provides an array of incredibly helpful information about nearly any search term you might be targeting, going back to 2004. The graph and statistics generated by the tool give you valuable insights (pun intended) into the trends of search terms, and this is important data in the age of “Google first, ask questions later.” Here are six of the ways Google Insights can help fine-tune your keyword strategy:
Comparing search terms
Here, we compare by search terms to determine trends for a video rental store. Around January 2011, we see that “video” surpasses the term “dvd” in search engine popularity. We also see a steady decline of both terms, which is a less-than-subtle indication of the status of the video rental industry as a whole. When we look back all the way to 2006, we see a clear downward trend, with the term “video rental” passing “dvd rental” only because its decline has been more gradual.
How to view this report: Just enter multiple search terms, comma-separated like this:
Observing search cycles
Wondering when most people search for a new diet book? It doesn't take much guesswork after looking at this chart, which demonstrates a clear spike just after the new year, every year since 2004.
Less expected is the smaller, but still noticeable spike of searches each year around August. Perhaps all of those summer barbecues are catching up with us? Regardless, someone seeking to market a diet book might consider taking advantage of this lesser-known search trend and promote at a time when there's less competition. My blog post Why You Should Use Google Trends To Pinpoint Search Trends shows just how dramatic seasonal trends can be.
How to view this report: Shown as default report. (Color coded circles added to screenshot above for clarity.)
Incorporating news trends
Adding another dimension to the data is the integration of related news headlines into the graphs. As we see here, the popularity of the search term “child safety seat” soared the day that an article about new regulations ran on the ABC News website.
This feature is interesting, but analyzers should be cautious of making assumptions that graph changes are related to the news articles, and not other factors like time of year. Also, the news articles brought up are restricted to articles with headlines containing the same search term, so the rise of a “food safety” search may not show the news story about a national e-coli outbreak that prompted the search.
How to view this report: After performing a search, check the “News headlines” box.
Search popularity by region
Another impressive feature by Google Insights for Search is the ability to narrow search term popularity by region. When searching worldwide, Google gives us a map and bar graph showing where the heaviest usage is. For example, we see that the iPhone is most heavily searched in southeastern Asia, with Singapore at the lead.
If we were to narrow our search to the United States, a more detailed map would show that California leads the searches, followed by four southern states. Knowing where your searches are coming from helps you target your marketing where you will have the most interest (or, conversely, you can find out which areas need more marketing).
How to view this report: Displayed by default, under “Regional interest”.
Popularity by location and time range
Speaking of location, you can also find out what terms a specific region is searching for during a specific timeframe. For instance, the United Kingdom's top searches for 2011 (so far) are Facebook, BBC, and YouTube.
Searches can even be narrowed down to subregions, but overall, searches over a year seem to be very general and don't change drastically from region to region. More differences can be revealed by narrowing the timeframe to say, 7 days, and looking at the rising searches. Now, we see that in the United Kingdom, the term “kindle fire” has increased to the point of breakout, or in excess of 5,000%. The same is true for searching by time range, which has the same search parameters but in a different order.
How to view this report: Select “Compare by: Locations” then set the location and timeframe you want to view data for.
Storing the Data
A final feature that can't be left out is the ability to download the data you find as a CSV, or Comma-Separated Value file. This can be imported into a spreadsheet, which you can use to store your data or even show it in a different format, like a pie chart. This would make for easy, professional integration into presentations. Note that not all programs import the data as effectively – a quick test found that Google Docs Spreadsheet had the most success with appropriately grouping and separating the data.
Thanks adamjthompson for this easy to follow and readable post regarding Google insights! Google insights gives us lots of ways to think about the right time for the action and marketing e.g. Usually in the month period of October to November and december to january, the selling of fireworks gets more because of the Popular celebrations of diwali in india and Christmas worldwide, that's how we get to know the right time for making ourselves more visible in the world. The main feature of the Google insights(for which it stands different than other tools) is that It provides the Time period with Locations graph.
If find the popularity by region especially useful. Wonder how long g still leaves us this tool.
Hopefully they leave it up for us. :-) The Adwords keyword tool could be used to get most of this data, but it would be a lot more difficult.
Adam thanks for adding this post.
There are few points which was not known to me.
Would love to read more about Google insights and other tools which you are using.
Thumbs up to this post and tweeted as well.
Great post, Adam.
Search cycles and seasonality is a very handy thing to be able to see and to show, especially when you work with clients who are affected by it. I've worked with a couple of clients who have panicked the moment they have started to receive less traffic than normal, but if it's a seasonal thing then Insights can show that things quieten down in their industry around that time (December/Christmas is a great example).
Definately a great post. Really useful insights and guide to use the tool. Just to addon on this if someone wants to use adwords keyword tool and insights for search check Google's Global Market Finder.
https://translate.google.com/globalmarketfinder/index.html
Great post Adam, I've used GInsights regularly for SEO & PPC - I find the seasonal trend & rising searches helpful with ecommerce & services websites. Cheers!
Insights is a good idea, but I have found it to be quite unreliable (especially when it comes to less generic terms).
I agree with the comment; I wouldn't say that any of the free data from Google is "solid"
When you look at the free data Google provides (insights, keyword tool etc) and match it up to actual PPC data, the differences can be staggering.
I'm sad to say it, but I have found the only way of accurately predicting search volumes, or monitoring trends, is looking at historical PPC data.
A great none-keyword-research use is as a source for stats for PR and blog posts. For example you can look at the change in search trends since the start of the economic downturn to come up with headlines about how buying patterns change during a recession.
Good post.
Insights for Search has always been one of my favourite Google tools. It's got so many applications throughout the whole SEO process. I use it a lot for applying a seasonality factor to traffic stats, thereby giving some indication of forecasted baseline. Tie this in with CTR positional data from Webmaster Tools or similar and you have a solid SEO performance forecast process.
Totally onboard with how with how you're using it. I wouldn't say that any of the free data from Google is "solid" though.
Google's keyword data isn't 100% accurate, but its a good starting place. As a marketing campaign progresses, you can replace the free data with actual data from analytics, ad campaigns, etc.
I agree, free data is only worth what you pay for it :)
Using real-life seasonality data (from analytics or PPC historical performance etc.) is always going to be far more accurate, but for Joe Bloggs who just launched a garden tools website, it's invaluable to get some indication of seasonal demand of, say, leafblowers vs. snowblowers.
From my experience, Google Insights for Search seasonal trending has always been fairly well rooted in reality.
I agree with jmueller, the search popularity by region is pretty useful. BUt like you said, it seems to be very "a la mode" from Google to let us test and tweak their apps n'stuff, and then BAM, take then away... :(
Cool and very useful post, cheers
Insights has been around for a while now - at least 2 years I think. Actually come to think of it that isn't so long for a Google beta to last is it?
Officially announced on 5th August 2008
Great post on a great tool for approaching holistic research on trends, keywords, etc. Its what old school zeitgeist was but on steroids with customizable abilities.
I'll put some of your tips to test. Thanks for the insights. *pun intended.
Thanks for this post. I wasn't aware of Google Insights but will now start using it. I'm interested to see what I will learn.
I especially liked this article. I just came across Google Insights - and yeah, two years is a pretty long time to be still in Beta form!
admin or any one.. pls help.. I tried using google insights but not working . I guess something is wrong.. whenever I tried google.com/insights/search/# it will re-direct me https://www.google.com/trends/# , Pls why is that? some one should pls help put me through...
Google Trends is the new Google Insights.
thanks.. is there a way I can make a search in a particular location... i.e executive team of Australia company?
I am a big fan of Google Insights Search tool because it gives the exciting feature of which keyword is most searched by visitors in recent times and which related keyword is showing improvement. Country and Language and year by comparison is really good. But I see many places on WEB where everybody is talking about BEST Keywords tools google insights sees no where and another google product Google Adwords Keyword Tool is top on chart (as usual) and we all know that this adword tool always don't show 100% results.
I always include this tool in my keyword research. @adamjthompson Thanks For this useful Post
@Gravity I tried visiting google.com/insights/search so I can modify my search by specific location but It keeps directing to google.com/trends pls can you help me with this. Pls.??
I will definitely have to use some of your tips! Thanks for writing.
I think there is some problem in google insights search tool because when I am searching the keyword's traffic and searches from this tool the page is redirected to Google search result pages.
Have anybody noticed this. Is this error from google side or happending due to any browser problem.
"Comparing Search Terms" explains why my local Blockbuster brick-and-mortar is now a Rite-Aid.
Thanks for introducing me to new Google tools and how to use them. Off to do some A/B testing on a couple of client sites. Might generate some revisions.
Excellent, well-written analysis, and bye-bye, Blockbuster.
The quality of Youmoz posts just keeps improving. We're going to need a bigger blog.
Paul
Hi, I say its a great Gift From Google To the SEO Working People aroung teh Globe So keep track of and use it as much as it needs....!!!!
Thanks, Google......
Good post and thanks...The most interesting thing for me about insight is that i can play around and compare brands or products also i can do this with multiple search terms.Forecast future is also a great option to know about the future trends and work with.
Insights is such a useful bit of Google - hopefully they won't take that away from us as well. The seasonal trends are often even more obvious at this time of year too.
Google insight and Google keyword tool data are never same. Later must be more accurate as their whole business depend on it. There was also other tool called "Search-based Keyword Tool" which was discontinued long back.
Google trends is also a good tool. But again it shows different data than adwords keyword tool :)
Insight is new to me. I find the timeline features to be the most interesting, not only the seasonal aspects but the long term trends as well.
On the wish list, I would like to see data for longer tail searches that do not meet the current threshold for the required number of searches. This is especially true for the localality based long tail search terms.
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