What's Hot Right Now? Find Out with Google Trends!
Ever wonder what people are searching for online—like the latest gadgets, hot topics, or even local events? Google Trends is a free, easy-to-use tool that shows you what’s trending on Google, whether it’s in your neighborhood or across the globe.
What’s Google Trends?
Think of it like a window into what everyone’s curious about. It tracks how often people search for something on Google and shows you how that interest changes over time. Want to know if people are buzzing about electric cars, new restaurants in your city, or the latest TikTok dance? Google Trends has the answers.
How Can You Use It?
It’s super simple to get started:
- Visit Google Trends and type in something you’re curious about—like “pizza shops” or “best smartphones.”
- See a graph showing how popular that search is over time.
- Compare multiple keywords or trends at once—like “iPhone” vs. “Android” or “Samsung” to see which is more popular, in what areas of the world where there’s interest and how interest shifts over time.
- Check out where trends are spiking (like your city or country) and related topics people are searching for.
- Use filters to zoom in on specific places, time periods, or categories (like food, tech, or sports).
Why Should You Care?
Google Trends isn’t just for big businesses—it’s for anyone! Here’s how it can help you:
- Stay in the know: Spot what’s trending, like the hottest new hobbies or travel destinations.
- Compare trends: Curious if “software engineering,” “data science,” or “machine learning” is more popular? Compare them side-by-side to see which field is gaining traction and when the hype started (like a spike in “machine learning” searches say around 2012—now you can see how far it’s come by 2025!). Here is a screenshot comparing searches for ‘Internet of Things’, ‘Software Engineering’, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ and ‘Data Science’
- Make smart choices: If you’re thinking of starting a side hustle, compare search terms like “coffee shops” vs. “food trucks” to see what’s hot in your area.
- Get local insights: Find out what’s popular in your town—like if everyone’s suddenly into yoga or craft beer. Here’s an example for searches for ‘recipe’
- Plan better: Hosting an event or selling something? Check when people are most interested to time it right.
Real-Life Example
Imagine you’re a barber in Chicago. You type “haircuts” into Google Trends and see that searches for “fade haircuts” are spiking in your area. You could start posting about fade styles on social media or offer a discount to attract more customers. Or maybe you’re a student picking a career path—compare “software engineering,” “data science,” and “machine learning” to see which is trending up and when the buzz started (like that machine learning spike in 2012). Or, if you’re into tech, compare “iPhone” and “Android” to see which is winning the popularity contest over time.
For some reason when I was making this post, that club Manchester United was trending.
Get Started Today!
Head over to Google Trends and start exploring what’s hot. It’s free, fun, and can help you stay one step ahead—whether you’re planning your next big move or just curious about what’s trending.