Using Google Trends for B2B Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide

What is Google Trends?

Google Trends is a free tool from Google. It allows users to examine popular search queries among Google users. What can you search? Any topic or keyword. You can choose a specific country. Google Trends shows you interest over time. You’ll also see a breakdown of interest by region and related search queries for your chosen keyword.

Why should I use Google Trends for B2B marketing?

Google Trends offers unique insights into the search behaviour of your target audience. But why is this data important? It reveals valuable information about your audience’s wants and needs. Additionally, it highlights the geographical distribution of your audience’s interests. For instance, if your customers are predominantly from a specific region, you can tailor your marketing efforts there. Targeted marketing leads to a higher return on investment. Understanding these insights is crucial for effective B2B marketing strategies.

How to use Google Trends for SEO?

1. Getting started

How do you start using Google Trends? First, access the tool online. You don’t need an account. Simply visit trends.google.com. Next, think about your keywords or topics related to your product or service. For this example, let’s consider a fictional travel company called “TravelFree.”

For TravelFree, it’s essential to know what potential customers are searching for. This knowledge can help tailor offerings. I’ll input the keyword “travel” for this demonstration, focusing on the United States market.

When you type a word into the search bar, optionally choose between a search term or topic. Choosing the right option can guide your analysis. Since I lack precise details on a travel type, I’ll go with the general search term.

2. Adjust your search settings

What’s next? Once you choose your search term, you will have options to adjust your search settings. Start by selecting a country to target. If your company targets a global audience, you can choose the “worldwide” option. In this case, I’m selecting the United States, as shown in the next image.

Next, determine the time range for your data. A longer time frames are helpful for spotting trends. I prefer data from the last five years, which greatly changes the graphs shown.

You can also select a relevant category. While keeping all categories can be beneficial, if you have a specific target group, choose a category. Lastly, select a data source: Web Search, Image Search, News Search, Google Shopping, or YouTube Search. For TravelFree, I’m focusing on what travel enthusiasts seek. Thus, I’ll select Web Search.

3. Analyse your data

What do you do after setting up your search? Now, it’s time to analyse the data Google Trends provides. The first key metric to explore is interest over time. This metric reveals when your audience is most interested in your search term.

For instance, interest in travel peaked in March 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Interestingly, travel interest rebounded after the pandemic. This indicates an opportune moment for TravelFree to promote trips again.

Scrolling down, you’ll find the interest by region. Currently, the highest search volume for the term travel is from Hawaii, followed closely by D.C. and Alaska. Given this data, it may make sense to start trips from these regions.

Conversely, states with low interest include Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi. This data tells us that our target audience is underrepresented in these states. Starting group trips from these locations would be challenging.

Also, explore the related topics section. Here, you’ll find what topics and search terms are gaining traction among users interested in your keyword. For example, there’s rising interest in “Hawaii travel Covid” and “Hawaii travel restrictions.” This signals our audience’s desire to visit Hawaii while considering current safety regulations.

Based on this insight, a strategy for TravelFree would be to offer trips from D.C. to Hawaii. Highlighting fun experiences while ensuring compliance with restrictions could attract customers eager to travel safely.

In conclusion, using Google Trends, I identified market trends, pinpointed target audiences, and understood their primary concerns. This data is valuable for tailoring services and enhancing SEO. Consider writing a blog or crafting social media posts based on these insights to attract organic traffic.