Keyword Research

How do I Use Google Trends for Local Keyword Research?

As an SEO, you probably already know how important it is to pick the right keywords to boost a website’s SEO.

But here’s the catch: if you don’t identify the right keywords people are using for industry-specific searches, your SEO efforts will miss the mark.

I’m sure you don’t want that to happen. So, let’s talk about how you can avoid it.

The answer? Research. More specifically, focused keyword research is the key. But how do you go about it?

Keyword research can actually be pretty simple with the right tools—and that’s where Google Trends comes in.

Let me explain what Google Trends is and how you can use it to nail your keyword research effectively.

Table of Contents

What Is Google Trends?

Google Trends is a free tool that helps you gather data from Google searches. It lets you compare how often certain search terms show up, based on things like frequency, location, and more.

**Use Google Trends for Local Keyword Research**

It started out as a way to track what people were interested in, but it didn’t stop there. Over time, Google Trends has become a powerful tool for understanding public reactions to real-time events or trending topics.

With Google Trends, you can easily zoom in on industry-specific keywords by adjusting the time frame—whether it’s the past week or comparing the last year to the current one.

Why Use Google Trends?

Google Trends is a great tool for analyzing how popular a search term or topic is, and it’s super easy to use.

With this tool, you can track how people search for things, compare search volumes for different queries, and check historical data to see when a topic was most popular. Plus, it’s free, up-to-date, and relevant.

Using Google Trends is a breeze. When you search for a term, it gives you a graph with a scale from 0 to 100.

A score of 0 means there’s not much search data, showing low search volume, while 100 means the topic is at its peak popularity. The higher the number, the more people are searching for that keyword. So, if a keyword is close to or at 100, it’s definitely worth your attention.

It really makes keyword research simple and effective!

Free SEO check. Unlock your website's full potential.

Also Read: How do I Perform Keyword Research for a Specific Location?

How to Use Google Trends for Keyword Research

Let’s dive into how to actually use Google Trends for keyword research. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to get you started.

Go to the Google Trends website.
At the top right, choose a location—let’s say the United States. You can change this later if you want.
After selecting the location, type in your keyword. For example, I’ll use “SEO.”
Hit Enter, and Google Trends will create a graph for you.

You’ll see four tabs that help you get more detailed data. Let me walk you through them.

The first tab shows the geographic location where your keyword is popular. If you want a broader view, choose “Worldwide.”
The second tab lets you pick the time frame for your search—anything from the past hour to all the way back to 2004.

Once you set the time and location, the graph updates accordingly.

The third tab lets you choose a specific category if you want to narrow down your search.
The fourth tab helps you select a channel (like web search, news, etc.) to track keyword popularity.

Next, scroll down to the “Interest by Region” section. Here, you’ll see a list of countries where your keyword is most popular, with a score between 0 and 100 showing how often people are searching for it.

If you want even more details, click on the “region” option at the top right, then click “city” to get a city-level breakdown. Every time you adjust the location, you’ll get fresh data from Google Trends.

At the bottom of the page, you’ll find “Related Topics” and “Related Queries.” This is where Google suggests more keywords based on your search.

You can also click on the “Breakout” option for each query to dig deeper.

If you click the “rising” tab, you can choose “top” to see the most popular topics and queries right now. This will show you keywords that have been trending during your selected time frame.

And, if you want, you can download, embed, or share any of these reports.

Keyword Trend Comparison

Now, let’s compare some keywords. We’ve already got data for “SEO.”

At the top of the page, click on “Compare” and add a new term, like “Link Building,” then hit Enter.

Now, you’ll see a graph with two different colors, each showing data for one keyword.

Scroll down to view the region-specific reports. And if you want to compare more keywords, just click “Compare” again and keep adding terms. You can do a big analysis based on whatever you need!

That’s it! You now know how to use Google Trends to research and compare keywords effectively.

Also Read: How do I Target Keywords with Low Competition?

How Google Trends Complements Effective Keyword Research

I hope the demo above gave you a clear idea of how to use Google Trends for keyword research. Now, let’s take a closer look at how the tool can help you improve your keyword strategy.

Keyword Search Volume

Keyword search volume shows how often a keyword has been searched over a set period. The higher the search volume, the more popular that keyword is.

By including high-volume keywords naturally in your content, you increase your chances of ranking higher on search engines. Google Trends helps you track how interest in a keyword changes over time, so you can focus on the most relevant keywords for your niche.

Seasonal Trends

Keyword research isn’t just about finding popular terms—it’s also about knowing when to use them. For example, the search volume for the word “hats” is high year-round, but “Christmas hats” only peaks at the end of the year. This is a seasonal trend, and Google Trends can help you spot these patterns.

You can use Google Trends to identify seasonal keywords for your products or services, then plan your promotional campaigns around them. If your site already has landing pages for seasonal trends, you can optimize them with the right keywords to boost visibility and attract customers at the perfect time.

Keyword Popularity Phase

Not all keywords maintain their popularity forever. Some rise and fall in search interest over time. Google Trends allows you to track a keyword’s performance over the years, so you can tell if it’s a short-lived trend or if it’s building lasting interest. Understanding these phases helps you make smarter decisions and avoid wasting time on keywords that are losing their appeal.

Unicorn Keywords

Watch out for “unicorn keywords”—these may seem like they’re performing well, but they don’t actually move the needle for your website traffic. Keywords with high search volume but low competition often fall into this category. Google Trends can help you spot these misleading keywords so you can avoid wasting time on them.

Local SEO

If you’re targeting a specific location, local keyword research is essential. Use Google Trends to find out which keywords perform well in certain locations, then incorporate them naturally into your content. This can help you attract more local customers and improve your rankings in your target area.

Google Trends Predictions

Google Trends doesn’t just show you what’s happening now—it can also give you a glimpse into future trends. By analyzing current data, Google Trends helps you predict what keywords will be important in the coming months. This allows you to plan ahead and stay ahead of your competitors.

Also Read: How do I Find Local SEO Keywords for My Business?

Video SEO

Video content is huge—86% of businesses use videos to promote their products and services. To make sure your videos reach their full potential, you need to optimize them with the right keywords. Keep in mind that video search keywords can be different from web search keywords.

With Google Trends, you can switch from “Web Search” to “YouTube Search” and see which keywords are trending for video content. This helps you optimize your videos to attract more views and engagement.

Now that you know how to use Google Trends for keyword research, it’s time to start gathering insights and using them to improve your website’s SEO!