This week, we investigated Google Trends in our groups. It's an interesting tool but I am bothered by the statement I found in the About pages of Trends which said: "hope you find the service interesting and entertaining." It's unreal how many people and companies use Trends to make their company profitable. Although, if you're interested in using Trends for this to try to corner the market on a particular product, for instance, you have to have time to follow the trends and analyze the data. You have to monitor the graphs and watch for peaks and valleys, etc. Bloggers can use Trends to identify key terms they should use to draw attention to their blogs. Although Google seems to be a household name, web searchers using Yahoo or Bing and news stories from these search engines are not accounted for in Trends. YouTube hosts more than 500 videos for "Google Trends" ranging from how to use Trends as a research tool to making a Hollywood blockbuster to boosting income. Using Google Trends to Make a Hollywood Blockbuster by Ashley Ringrose, Ep7 provides a unique look at Google Trends. (Beware of language and content!!)
