Things I wish I hadn’t learned at Google Trends
Everybody’s talking about Google Trends so I decided to put it through its paces. After a few queries later it told me the following:
All kidding aside, the point I’m trying to make is if you intend to use Google Trends for research be careful with the analysis. It’s not really meant to be a serious research tool. As Google says:
Google Trends aims to provide insights into broad search patterns. It is based upon just a portion of our searches, and several approximations are used when computing your results. Please keep this in mind when using it.
I’m not certain know how much intrinsic value Google Trends will really have for bloggers. Anyone who programs or processes data will tell you that information is only as good as what is put into it, the method in which information is queried, as well as how the results are interpreted. GIGO.
But it certainly is an interesting toy to play around with for general information, especially niche bloggers who are on the lookout for new trends. Or then again, at least it makes for good conversation in our blogs that even the likes of Cliff Clavin would envy. For example, did you know that there are more than…
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You are absolutely right. Garbage In, Garbage Out.
GIGO (Garbage in. Garbage Out) is valid, however, so is the fact that a tool used correctly, usually has a benefit.
Here is an example:
While doing research for a Music Article I kept seeing a name I did not recognize, I put that name in Google Trends along with who I was writing about and reallized this new name was very, very popular and searched for a lot more than the artist I was working on. I finished my article, and then did my homework on the new artist. Not only did I find new music I like, the article has been very popular and continues to drive traffic.