Google Trends can help you compare search interest in topics such as “boiler service”, “garden fencing” or “bathroom renovation” over a chosen time and region. It is a research aid for content planning, not a forecast of how many jobs you will win.

Google explains that Trends uses an anonymised, categorised and aggregated sample of searches. It normalises results to the time and location selected and scales them from 0 to 100. A score of 100 is not 100 searches, and two regions with similar scores may have different search volumes.

Compare like with like

Start with two or three topics you can genuinely serve. Set the same date range and geography for each term. If the chart suggests a seasonal pattern, repeat the comparison over multiple years rather than treating one short spike as a permanent trend.

Try these checks:

  1. Compare a service name with a common customer phrase.
  2. Check related queries for wording customers may use.
  3. Look at regional interest, but do not infer exact town-level demand from a small data sample.
  4. Repeat with a broader date range to see whether a result is a one-off.
  5. Compare the pattern with your own enquiries, completed jobs and available capacity.

Google says low-volume searches may appear as zero, while sampled and normalised data is not a perfect mirror of all search activity. Treat a quiet chart as inconclusive, not proof that nobody needs the service.

Turn a signal into useful content

If interest in a seasonal service appears to rise before a particular time of year, prepare a practical post before customers start asking: what to check, what affects a quote, or how to book an inspection. Avoid claiming that a chart proves demand in your exact service area.

Read Google's FAQ about Trends data and its guide to exploring results by region. For building a realistic publishing plan, see our monthly marketing plan for tradespeople.