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Google trends in COVID-19 times and how to use them in your content strategy

Google trends in COVID-19 times and how to use them in your content strategy

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30-second summary: Google Trends can be an invaluable tool, as it helps to uncover opportunities for ecommerce brands, publishers, and local businesses. The real benefit to Google Trends is that it can help us understand and predict consumer behaviour post-pandemic. Additionally, we can see how categories are evolving. Some […]

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Google Trends can help understand and predict consumer behaviour post-pandemic. Director of SEO at Stella Rising, John Morabito takes a closer look at these and suggests how businesses can use it in their content strategy.AuthorJohn MorabitoDate publishedApril 29, 2020Categories

COVID-19 search trends - Moisturizer

30-second summary:

  • Google Trends can be an invaluable tool, as it helps to uncover opportunities for ecommerce brands, publishers, and local businesses.
  • The real benefit to Google Trends is that it can help us understand and predict consumer behaviour post-pandemic. Additionally, we can see how categories are evolving.
  • Some things the search trends have shown is that consumers need help finding resources they often rely on salons for.
  • leisurewear is king and we have seen an abnormal increase in demand for sweatpants over the last month.
  • Consumers also want to know “how to look good on zoom”. That term has increased from 0 to 100 from March 14th onward.
  • As a “topic”, interest in instrument playing tutorials has increased by 72%.
  • Small business loans are seeing more search demand than ever before, with an increase of 2111%.
  • Director of SEO at Stella Rising, John Morabito shares lots of insights and shines a light on how businesses can use these trends in their content creation.

With the coronavirus pandemic now nearing its peak in many parts of the U.S., search trends are rapidly evolving in ways many search marketers have never seen before. Changes are happening almost daily, and traditional search volume as a monthly average metric has become practically useless. Google Trends, however, offers useful, daily analysis of what’s trending in search. At present, Google Trends can be an invaluable tool, as it helps to uncover opportunities for e-commerce brands, publishers, and local businesses.

In this post, we’ll cover ways that search marketers can use Google Trends and other tools to discover opportunities in today’s fast-moving landscape, and review how the team at Stella Rising has been using Google Trends to inform our strategy during the pandemic. 

The obvious Google Trends

Medical suppliers will be aware that, amidst the overall demand for masks, behaviours have shifted from favouring N95 masks to surgical masks. The CDC recently revised their recommendation. In this case, we see that search demand for masks is already starting to decrease.

Surgical Masks (7 Day View) – Down 68% (April 5-11th vs Feb 16th-22)

COVID-19 Google Trends

Full Year View

 The less obvious: Search evolution in unexpected places

Google Trends - Peel masks search

The real benefit to Google Trends is that it can help us understand and predict consumer behaviour post-pandemic. Additionally, we can see how categories are evolving. For example, at first glance, one might not think that the beauty segment would find success in a pandemic. However, social distancers are turning to self-care. “Peel masks” are seeing a huge increase in interest with a 58% increase in over the last few weeks. 

Searches for skincare are skyrocketing, as are those for foot care. Consumers need help finding resources they often rely on salons for. Note the following trends from Spate:

Search trends - Foot care search graph by Spate

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Source: Spate.nyc

Hand moisturizer has similarly seen an even larger increase, jumping up 156% since February (April 5-11th vs Feb 16th-22). 

Leveraging the trend

When it comes to the growth in demand for skincare products, skincare brands have a number of options at their disposal when it comes to their content efforts. Make sure your product pages are being listed in Google shopping’s new free listings, and ensure that you have robust on-page content for each of your skincare product or category pages. Lastly, in a time where making returns is not an easy task, and consumers want to minimize contact with the outside world, content that helps guide users to the right product selections can be extremely valuable.

For example, this article from Bucklers Remedy, a skincare brand ranks top three for “choosing the right hand lotion”. In another example, we see a Vaseline article about how to deal with dry cracked hands ranking for a total of 1,100 keywords.

Example - Vaseline hand moisturizer search trend

For apparel companies

Apparel companies should shift their messaging as consumers browse for clothing on their devices. Right now, leisurewear is king and we have seen an abnormal increase in demand for sweatpants over the last month. 

COVID-19 Google Trends - leisurewear is the king

Consumers also want to know “how to look good on zoom”. That term has increased from 0 to 100 from March 14th onward. 

"how to look good on zoom" search trend in COVID-19 times

Leveraging the trend

Everyone from publishers to apparel and beauty brands can get in on the need for Zoom/video conferencing related content. If you fall into one of those categories, consider producing looks and tutorials for your captive audience.

For instrument makers

For instrument makers like Fender and Les Paul, there has never been more interest than now in learning how to play the guitar. 

instrument related search trends

Leveraging the trend

Fender and Les Paul both offer instructional content, but now is the perfect time for them to ramp-up efforts and even consider partnering with musicians who are out of work and can easily produce tutorial content on their behalf. 

People are also interested in learning about all sorts of topics. As a “topic”, interest in tutorials has increased by 72%.

Leveraging the trend

If you’re a brand with a product that has any sort of instructions or bares any type of explanation in how to use it, I would recommend using this time to produce tutorial content for each of your products or for the things your products help people to do. For example, makeup brands can not only product tutorials on how to use a specific product which can help them to rank for both nonbrand and branded terms, but they can also target things like “zoom makeup looks” which can help them to rank for an even broader set of nonbrand terms.

Sometimes, search trends are influenced by necessity. We’ve seen more interest in “how to cut your hair” than ever before. 

The not so fun part

While there are search trends dealing with keeping consumers busy, there are also new trends around more serious subjects. Some of our clients at Stella Rising are writing about these. One of our clients in the small business formation space is writing about how their customers can get loans and stay in good corporate standing. Small business loans are seeing more search demand than ever before, with an increase of 2111%.

Estate lawyers may want to consider online-only services as “get a will online” has seen a steep rise. 

How to get started

Now that you’ve seen some of the ways that search trends are evolving—and how to check—start by inspecting your website’s most valuable target keywords and see how searches are moving for those items. You may be surprised by what you find. Finding interesting trends can be tough, so think carefully about how behaviour will evolve in the future, not simply how it has changed today. 

Bonus tool tip

Explodingtopics.com is a tool that shows exploding topics using Google Trends data and provides two key metrics: gradient and exponent. Essentially, the exponent is a mathematical expression that defines how much like a “hockey-stick” a curve is. The tool breaks up Google Trend data by category and presents which topics are “exploding” versus which have peaked in interest. This analysis is useful when wishing to stay relevant with content writing.

John Morabito is Director of SEO at Stella Rising. John has over nine years of experience in SEO, PPC, and other digital marketing channels. 

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Why these three content types are winning quarantine season

Lead digital PR strategist at Directive, Ashton Newell helps businesses create content that can help businesses reach their people. Observations, tips, and personal examples of how Directive has performed in quarantimes.AuthorAshton NewellDate publishedMay 4, 2020Categories

30-second summary:

  • In-home media consumption during the quarantine of March 2020, worldwide, shows that 35% are reading more books/listening to more audiobooks, and 44% are spending more time on social media.
  • People are looking for education without getting slumped with an information overload. For example, LinkedIn professionals are going “live” to share data-driven and real insight with their audiences.
  • On the other hand, people are looking to stay entertained and keep their minds in a good place during this time of change and are resorting to TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms.
  • How can your brand support your audience and employees? How can you test different methods to motivate and encourage, showing that we’re all in this together?
  • Lead digital PR strategist at Directive, Ashton Newell helps businesses create content types that can reach their people through.
  • Observations, tips, and personal examples of content types and how her organization has performed in quarantimes.

No one planned for a global pandemic. How could you?

However, the performance marketers who were able to adjust quickly and provide support to their audience (in various ways) are reaping the benefits.

As you know, social media is a tool for people to connect and can be used to empower your brand. Now, it’s one of the few ways to stay connected virtually and build genuine relationships with your audience.

So, what are the winners doing? Here’s a look at the content types that are winning in “quarantimes”:

1. Educating

Think virtual marketing conferences, free online training courses, TikTok dances, business leaders live on LinkedIn, etc.

For those who are interested, continued education has become a way to keep productive and sane during this extra time at home.

According to Statista, in-home media consumption during the quarantine of March 2020, worldwide, shows that 35% are reading more books/listening to more audiobooks, and 44% are spending more time on social media.

Wait, social media….learning? It’s true. Gone are the days of social media just to mindlessly scroll.

For example, LinkedIn professionals are going “live” to share data-driven and real insight with their audiences. This gives them a platform to address what’s happening, share how they’re adjusting, and be vulnerable with their followers.

For example, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, Ann Handley, puts together “a pop-up twice-weekly video show about coping with COVID-19, business, and life” on her LinkedIn profile.

content types - Education by Ann on LinkedIn

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Source: Screenshot from Ann Handley on LinkedIn

Additionally, sharing helpful content is important. However, people may not be as open to read a long whitepaper right now.

How can you provide support and empathy, without being too focused on quarantine that it bums out your reader?

Give them a game plan to succeed during this time.

Source: Screenshot from @thefuturishere on Instagram

The Instagram post above shares 10 quality design slides, actionable tips with real tools the audience can use to add to their WFH set-up, and a strong call-to-action for the reader to leave their favourite tools, so others continue to learn.

A different route

For others, they might not be looking to learn new business skills during this time. Instead, people are looking to stay entertained and keep their minds in a good place during this time of change.

According to Vox, people are turning to Instagram and TikTok to learn how to make Dalgona coffee (whipped coffee) and baking bread. The word “bread” even hit an “all-time high” on Google searches, according to Eater.

Additionally, TikTok videos are now a way that families can learn dances and bond together, according to CNN.

According to the article, TikTok offers various COVID-19 resources for families to engage in positive ways. A nightly series called #HappyAtHome features top creators who share advice, motivation, and more. Educational live streams are also available throughout the popular app.

So, as marketers, why do we care?

Key point

As you’re crafting content for social media, what can you share that is educational in some way?

How can you share easily digestible content that leaves the audience taking something new away from it?

Remember:

  • The whipped coffee recipe has three ingredients, and it went viral.
  • You don’t need professional equipment to create TikTok videos.
  • To go live on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook, you don’t need any equipment. Simply hit “Go Live”.
  • You can create free infographics with impressive data using Canva.

Overall, listen to your audience. Find what they need during this time.

Give them something they can learn.

2. Motivating

Think mental health advocates going live, empathetic stories shared by brands, support for hospitals, charity work.

While your audience may be open to learning, many people are feeling low right now.

Job security may be lost, kids may be home from school, the weather may be depressing, a family member may be sick – this may not be the time your audience wants to pick up a new business book or create something new.

So, how can your brand support them? How can you test different methods to motivate and encourage, showing that we’re all in this together?

It might sound crazy, but you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars and make a brand new campaign to reach your people.

Check out this Instagram post from Hubspot that received incredible engagement (their highest of the week) by sharing motivational words that resonate with their audience of marketers and sales specialists looking to grow their businesses.

content types - motivation - example from Hubspot

Screenshot from Hubspot’s Instagram

Additionally, companies are doing big things to support mental health.

According to an article on CNN, the Disaster Distress Helpline, a federal crisis hotline operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, calls in March have gone up by more than 300%, compared to February. Compared to March of last year, the hotline has seen 891% more calls, according to the article.

At Directive, we wanted to support our team and clients during this time by providing “motivation through movement”. As an E-RYT certified yoga instructor, through YouTube Live, I was able to teach a class for our people to get moving, focus on their breath, and keep their wellness a priority through these challenging times.

It was incredibly encouraging to hear feedback that both parties enjoyed the class and felt better, and I was thankful to share my love of the yoga practice with them all.

We highlighted this on social media to encourage other companies to try something similar, as well.

Directive - Ashton Newell hosts YouTube live yoga session to encourage employee wellbeing

Screenshot from Directive on Instagram

Additionally, companies like Salesforce are utilizing social media to build a schedule around guided meditation, conversations with health and wellness experts, and being present.

Salesforce builds a campaign on guided meditation

Screenshot from Salesforce on LinkedIn

Additionally, companies like Headspace provide motivational (and educational) content on Instagram on how followers can make “no-sew masks from home”. This can help motivate people to stay healthy, even if they don’t have new income coming in.

Headspace example of no-sew masks

Source: @headspace on Instagram

Key point

While bringing in new income is essential to your business, right now, it’s imperative to put your brand and culture first. People will remember how you made them feel.

Show sentiment to your audience, and make sure it’s authentic. Your actions should be more powerful than your words.

After you find a rhythm that works for your social content, make sure that what you’re sharing is resonating with your audience. We are marketers, and our audience shows us what they like and don’t like through the data.

According to Janet Balis’s article on Harvard Business Review:

“Frequent tracking of human behavioural trends will help marketers gain better insights in real-time. Marketers will want to measure sentiment and consumption trends on a regular basis to better adapt messaging, closely observing the conversation across social media platforms, community sites, and e-commerce product pages to look for opportunities and identify looming crises more quickly.”

Be there for your audience. Mean it. Track it.

3. Building a virtual community

Think Zoom happy hours, live Instagram workouts, Instagram challenges, community support, real images from working from home.

Without your community, life can seem a little duller. Luckily, technology has your back and helps you see your colleagues and loved ones as much as you’d like to.

For some, this has been the key to working remotely and showing up every day.

From experience, the Directive team has all Zoom meetings with the cameras on, to see teammates’ faces, and to have “real” conversations and connections.

building a virtual community

Source: Image from Directive

Sharing a real image (like the one above) on social media shows your team coming together and the power of your community.

Additionally, Directive was excited to participate in a #ShowUsYourWorkspace social media challenge. It was encouraging to see the team share their spaces, show their furry friends, and how they’re adapting into their everyday work lives.

They also tagged other companies to “share their spaces” to carry on the challenge as well.

Here is one of the examples

#ShowUsYourWorkspace social media challenge

Source: Image from @directiveconsulting on Instagram

Key point

Building community with your audience, adjusting to working from home, and showing how you’re sticking together behind the scenes is impactful.

Show your followers how you are doing it and continue to do it. Also, find creative ways to keep your followers engaged.

We’re all in this together

While the world continues to feel a little different, you can educate, motivate, and build your community to encourage your audience to push through and stay on their feet.

You have the tools you need, it’s your time to create winning content for your audience.

Ashton Newell is the lead digital PR strategist at Directive, a performance marketing agency specialized in the software space. When Ashton is away from her day job, she spends her time teaching yoga, cheering on the ASU Sun Devils, and drinking numerous cups of coffee. She can be found on Twitter @ashtonmeisner.Get the Latest
daily news and insights about search engine marketing, SEO and paid search.

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daily news and insights about search engine marketing, SEO and paid search.

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Resources

Most Popular

Google trends in COVID-19 times and how to use them in your content strategy

Google Trends can help understand and predict consumer behaviour post-pandemic. Director of SEO at Stella Rising, John Morabito takes a closer look at these and suggests how businesses can use it in their content strategy.

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COVID-19 and its impact on ad spend

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