Top 10 Insights from Google Search Behaviour Part 1: Consumer Interests

Google search behaviour can reveal a wealth of information about consumers, from what the trending interest is to what they're curious about a brand's products and services. With a whopping 2 trillion searches and more made every year, marketers definitely do not want to miss out on this treasure trove of insights about their customers online.

But how does one begin to unpack and leverage data from Google search behaviour?

1. Finding out interests by country, region, or state. 

Customised content is a huge trend in marketing this year. And it will continue to grow as an important aspect of it as brands try to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

One way of creating customised experiences for customers is to sift through data by locality. Marketing teams can extract information about their target audience's interests in a particular location and tweak their campaigns based on this information. Doing so shows the brand's ability to listen and participate in online conversations, as opposed to a "one size fits all" strategy.

2. Gauging the political climate. 

In this digitally connected age, consumers are more socially conscious. And brands have to keep up to avoid accidentally provoking outrage from thousands of existing and potential customers.

https://twitter.com/smfrogers/status/704897416756137984

For example, if there is a surge in Google searches about political campaigns or past national tragedies, brands should all the more avoid launching politically charged marketing campaigns or content. Engage, don't provoke!

3. Monitor what's trending 

With so much buzz out there, brands need a way to cut through the clutter and connect with their audience. This starts with finding the right conversation opportunities.

Google searches are one way of finding out what's piquing the consumers' interest. After all, the higher the volume of Google searches for a topic, event or person, the higher the interest. This is essential for marketers to understand who their customers are as people. Only then can they infiltrate the right conversations with the relevant content.

4. Finding out what your customer needs  

As they say, the customer's journey starts at Google. Customers searching for a product to serve their needs, for example, life insurance, will turn to Google to find the answers for them, such as forums or peer reviews before heading to the next step of their buying decision.

Google search behaviour around a product, service, or even a brand can clue marketers in on what consumers really need. Are they curious about a new promotion, or are they really searching for employment opportunities?  By finding out what customers need, based on what they are searching for on top of their posts on social media, marketers can better position their content to answer these questions.

5. Benchmarking your competition 

Of course, you don't want to ignore your competitors! Monitoring Google search behaviour around your competition will give you a clearer picture of where you stand, and even your industry.

Check back next week for the top 5 Google search insights on online reputation!