Great Place for a Google Trends Crash Course

While rummaging through some Google News under the "google" query I found a link to Wil Reynolds article "A Crash Course for Marketers on Google's New Trend Tool". Interested I clicked through the original link to the article. So far, so good.

Google Trends was released along with the most recent products during Google Press Day (with the exception of Google Notebook which was released the following week). Google Trends is a fun tool for novices, vanity searchers, and advertisers alike. Reynolds writes the "Crash Course" to offer some insight into the more useful techniques Google Trends can provide marketers, online commerce sites and advertisers.

To sum it up:

Here are some real-world ways you could use the data in Google Trends to help you get a jump on your competitors and assess their search penetration.

Plural vs. Singluar Searches
An interesting topic as many keyword tools default to the plural combining both singular and plural results in one. The trouble here is there's no way to decipher which is actually the power keyword. See the differences here betweenswimming pool vs. swimming pools. Note the differences and the spike in search activity. Providers of pools would want to be visible before the spike, not just during.

Real Estate Maximization
While this appears to effect ecommerce sites especially others must take heed. Featuring products, services, and information searches are looking for in predominant areas of your site are essential. Reynolds provides more insight into the retail side of this scenerio. Here's an example of political uses of the Google Trends tool. Note the spikes, note the election, then note the drop offs. The "cities" option can also help target areas for political campaigning.

Competitor Analysis
Google Trends also always insight into branding and PR campaigns. Looking at the results in the second graph you can follow news stories and their effects on the spikes and dips in the graph.

Organic Search Timing/SEO Firm Selection

Now you are armed with knowledge about when search volume picks up and when it typically spikes. You can better time when to kick off an organic search campaign. Typically, organic search can take 3-6 months to begin showing real results; if your industry is very competitive, it could take even longer!

You can read the full article at MarketingProfs.com. I would highly recommend this tool for anyone in the industry. Play around with the terms, notice trends, then put the information to good use. Of course, you could simply entertain yourself.

Another Side Project Idea: Nonprofit Discounts

Another idea I've been rolling around concerns activism and SEO. I'm planning on adding special prices, discounts, and the like to nonprofit groups needing SEO. While the technicalities are still in the works I did want to bring it up in the blog.

I am planning on making this available to most, if not all, nonprofit organizations. There may be specifications, but I will publish those in the future.

I would like to focus these efforts on humanitarian efforts or animal rights. I would like to avoid politics at this time so as not to skew efforts. Besides, politicians often have plenty of money already.

If you are a nonprofit or are in support of one and have any questions please feel free to contact Kristen about this service.

Side Business Idea

After running across a detailed article called, "Zero Dollars, a Little Talent and 30 Days" by Jennifer Laycock I thought it would be interesting to try myself.

Now this isn't an original idea and I fully respect that. But how many business ideas are truly original anyway?

I'm still delving into her adventure as I am heeding her advice and doing a little reading and research to avoid making the same mistakes or missteps. I like what she's done though, found a niche and filled it.

I'm also finding her blog to be informative for helping promote my current site
ContentWorth and client sites via free and available avenues. Hey, everything helps!

This project took place in November 2005 and I ran across it through a link in another, more current post. It appears invaluable in that it's easy-to-read, thorough, and well informed. Laycock is familiar with search engine marketing as that is her main job, this project is a side deal. The store she's set up seems to still be running smoothly. I'm interested in following it's success.

Has anyone else heard of this project? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, read through some of it. What do you think?