In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, staying on top of trending keywords is crucial for optimizing your website’s search engine rankings and driving organic traffic. Knowing how to find these keywords can give you a competitive edge, allowing you to create content that resonates with current search queries and user interests. This guide will walk you through 10 effective steps for uncovering trending keywords to boost your SEO efforts.
General Information About the Importance of Keywords for SEO
Keywords are the foundations of any successful SEO strategy. They serve as the bridge between what people are searching for and the content you provide to meet those needs. When you use the right keywords, engines like Google can easily understand the relevance of your content, leading to higher rankings in the results of the search. However, it’s not just about using any keywords; it’s about using the right ones, particularly trending keywords. These are the terms that are gaining popularity in search queries, reflecting current interests, events, and needs. By targeting trending keywords, you can attract more organic traffic, stay ahead of your competitors, and ensure that your content remains relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape.
10 Steps to Find Trending Keywords for SEO
Now that we’ve established the importance of keywords in SEO, let’s dive into the practical steps you can take to find keywords that are currently in trend.
1. Use Google Trends and Google Keyword Planner
Google Trends and Google Keyword Planner are indispensable tools that help to discover trending keywords (including the main trending keyword and keywords related to it). Namely, the first one is a free tool that allows you to see how search interest for a keyword changes over time, making it easy to spot emerging trends. To use it, simply enter a keyword related to your niche and explore the data provided. Pay special attention to the “Rising” section in the Related Queries to discover terms that are currently gaining momentum. You can also compare multiple keywords to determine which ones are on the rise. Complementing this, the second one is another powerful keyword research tool that helps you find keywords and see their search volume, competition, and potential performance. While it is typically used for paid search campaigns, it’s equally valuable for organic SEO. After identifying trending keywords using Trends, you can plug these targeted keywords into Keyword Planner to get more detailed data on their search volume and competition. This allows you to refine your keyword list, ensuring that you target terms that are not only trending but also have a strong potential to drive traffic to your site.
By using both Trends and Keyword Planner together, you can build a more robust SEO strategy, effectively identifying and capitalizing on keywords that are currently in trend. Please note that you have to be logged in to your Google Ads account to take advantage of each above-mentioned keyword tool.
2. Monitor Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms are a hotbed of topic trends and keyword trends. In other words, they are always full of trending topics and keywords. Twitter, for instance, highlights trending hashtags and topics with the help of real-time data. Instagram and TikTok also showcase what’s currently popular. By keeping an eye on these platforms, you can quickly identify trending keywords that are capturing public interest and incorporate them into your content strategy.
3. Analyze Competitor Content
Competitors can be a great source of inspiration for identifying keywords that are currently in trend. Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz in your keyword research process to analyze the keywords that are driving traffic to your competitors’ sites. Focus on recently published content that ranks well, as this often targets trending keywords (or, in other words, sets a keyword trend). By understanding what works for your competitors, you can create even better content that targets these trends.
4. Leverage Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest are essential for discovering trending keywords. These tools provide data on search volume, competition, and trends over time. Many of them have features specifically designed to help you find trending or emerging keywords. Use these tools to identify keywords that have high search volumes and low competition, ensuring your content targets terms that are both relevant and easier to rank for.
5. Explore Google Search Console and Other Search Engines
Google search console (or, in other words, Google search bar) provides insights into the keywords that are already bringing traffic to your site. By analyzing Google’s search results and similar data, you can identify which new keywords are starting to trend (as well as analyze trending searches). Look for terms with increasing impressions and clicks over time, and consider updating your content or creating new content that focuses more heavily on these trending keywords.
6. Participate in Industry Forums and Communities
Forums like Reddit and specialized industry communities are excellent sources for finding trending keywords. These platforms reflect the questions, concerns, and interests of your target audience in real time. By participating in discussions and observing recurring themes, you can identify keywords that are likely to trend and create content that addresses these emerging topics.
7. Capitalize on Seasonal Trends
Seasonal trends offer a predictable opportunity to target trending keywords. Holidays, special events, and even seasons themselves lead to spikes in specific search queries. By planning your content around these seasonal trends and incorporating relevant keywords, you can drive significant traffic during peak times. Tools like Google Trends can help you identify when these seasonal trends start to gain traction.
8. Utilize Google Suggest and Related Searches
Google Suggest, the autocomplete feature in the search bar, and the “Related Searches” section at the bottom of result pages are simple yet effective tools for finding trending keywords. As you start typing a query into Google, the autocomplete feature will suggest popular searches related to your input. Similarly, the “Related Searches” section offers additional keyword ideas that are associated with your query, which often include trending terms.
9. Stay Informed with Industry News and Blogs
Staying up-to-date with the latest industry news and blogs is crucial for identifying emerging trends and keywords. By regularly reading industry-specific publications, subscribing to newsletters, and following key influencers on social media, you can spot new trends early. This allows you to create content that taps into trending keywords before they become widely known, giving you a competitive edge.
10. Experiment with Different Content Formats
Different content formats, such as videos, infographics, or podcasts, often have their own sets of trending keywords. For example, YouTube has its own trending section that highlights popular video topics, which can reveal keywords that may not be as prominent in text-based content. Experimenting with various formats allows you to capture trending keywords across multiple channels, broadening your reach and appeal.
Please note that you should be actively searching for keywords of various formats. By means of applying SEO tools (such as a keyword gap tool or a keyword magic tool), pay attention to keywords of both low and high search volume. Include both general and specific keywords (as well as both short-tail and long-tail keywords) into your keyword strategy. While conducting keyword research, take keyword difficulty into account. Moreover, use not only popular keywords but also find related keywords (since such keywords will maximize the results of your efforts. At the same time, however, remember to prioritize keywords in the process of your research. This way, you will be able to create the most useful keyword rankings by using your search engine results (such as Google search results).
Final Words
Finding trending keywords is an ongoing process that requires a combination of tools, techniques, and creativity. By regularly monitoring trends, staying informed about industry developments, and experimenting with different content formats, you can keep your SEO strategy fresh and effective. Remember, the goal is not just to chase trends but to create valuable content that resonates with your audience while capitalizing on keywords that are currently in trend. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your search engine rankings but also establish your website as a go-to resource in your niche.
