Domain Names in Google Trends
I check Google Trends for most search phrases and domaining opportunities and use it as at least one data point when considering whether or not to invest.
But I have never actually put the search term ‘domain names’ in until today. Here’s what I saw:
It wasn’t what I expected to see. This is the result for all regions and all years. I left the news volume graph in at the bottom to show that, contrary to many other searches, more news stories hasn’t increased the number of searches, there aren’t even any real peaks.
So does this mean that the public at large are even less interested in domain names than they once were?
I was thinking of showing the graph for the UK and the US in isolation, but they’re almost exactly the same.
My thoughts about the falling graph instead of a rising one are that Godaddy and the other main registrars have done such a good job of promoting domain names to the public and where they can get them, that less people need to search using that term in Google, Godaddy in particular is perhaps becoming as synonymous with domains as Google is with search.
Just my incredibly humble opinion, but Google Trends normally, for me at least, gives a more global, mainstream view of interest in an industry.
’til next time.
Marcus
4 Comments | Tags: Trends
12 Aug 2008 - 19:48
Internet users are more educated everyday.
Most of these searches was probably done by people that wanted to register a domain. Once you have register a name through a registrar you generally continue using the same.
Look at “domains, domain registration, create site”, you will see the searches for site creation is stable (and one need a domain to create a site) while domain registration searches are falling done.
So these trands ilustrate very well the above.
12 Aug 2008 - 22:00
Good Point Francois
13 Aug 2008 - 2:41
I use Google Trends as well. Every now and again I run into a similar situation where I look at a keyword or phrase and it shows a steady decline over the past 5 years. Even if it was obvious to me that the keyword has grown huge.
I have yet to be able to figure out why this is. I guess it’s just one of those hiccups in the system; a glitch in the matrix, if you will.
It’s proof that Google Trends is helpful if used as one tool of many to make informed decisions, and not a sole source.
13 Aug 2008 - 8:51
@Francois, WeBuyThe.com, Scott: Thanks for taking the time to comment, it’s one of those apparently strange anomalies that need explanation and who better to explain than you guys!