How do you estimate brand awareness and interest?

In lieu of engaging a research agency to determine the answer to this, you can DIY do it yourself and get a surprisingly accurate result. Use Google Trends!

This blogpost was triggered by an inquiry by Jag Guanco, a student from my brand management class, who was doing his Strama, and wanted an opinion on how he can measure brand reputation.

Morning Prof, thank you! I’m currently doing STRAMA paper about Flawless Ph – a beauty clinic here in ph but I’m stuck with the Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM). This is what I have so far. I have metrics for all else but for Brand Reputation – not sure how to measure this. Will a brand ranking from a marketing company suffice? https://starngage.com/plus/en-us/brand/ranking/singapore/philippines/beauty

– Jag Guanco, v94

Here was my reply: “It can. Or you can create your own matrix with weights on what will make a brand reputation and use the ranking above as one of the parameters. You can also add your own like number of branches, followers in instagram, facebook, tiktok, etc. so your own brand reputation matrix. Also try to see how they are in google trends- that is another factor you can add in your matrix. Hope this helps!”

I went further as to actually run Google Trends for the topic. And the professor and engineer in me pushed me to make a video and blog about it.

Google Trends allows us to delve into the world of search queries and gain valuable insights into collective interests and topics searched by a brand’s target market.

Google Trends was unveiled by Google in May 2006 and has since become an invaluable resource for a wide range of professionals, including researchers, marketers, analysts, and individuals seeking to understand and analyze search trends and user behavior. By offering the ability to view and compare search volume data over time and across different regions, it has revolutionized how we perceive user interests.

Filters on time, regions and industries allow the results to be more precise.

Google Trends is most often used for

1. Market Research: Companies and businesses utilize Google Trends to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and preferences. By identifying trending topics and popular search queries, marketing strategies can be tailored to align with customer interests.

2. Content Creation: Content creators, such as bloggers, journalists, and media professionals, can harness Google Trends to identify trending topics and create relevant and engaging content for their audience.

3. SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Webmasters and SEO experts rely on Google Trends to identify popular keywords and search terms, thereby optimizing their websites and content for higher search engine rankings.

4.Forecasting Trends: Google Trends allows users to predict future trends and potential shifts in consumer behavior, providing valuable insights for businesses and investors.

5. Public Opinion Analysis: Researchers and political analysts utilize Google Trends to gauge public interest and sentiment on various political and social issues.

6. Competitor Analysis: Businesses can use Google Trends to compare search interest for their products or services against competitors, thereby gaining a competitive edge and identifying potential opportunities.

Despite its numerous benefits, Google Trends is not without its limitations such as:

1. Sample Bias: Google Trends data is based on a sample of searches, which may not fully represent the entire population. As a result, it may not accurately reflect certain niche topics or demographics.

2. Privacy Concerns: While Google Trends does not reveal individual user data, some may still have concerns about privacy regarding aggregated search data.

3. Limited Context: Google Trends provides search data, but it does not offer the context or reasons behind search queries, necessitating careful interpretation.

4.Data Granularity: The granularity of data may be limited, particularly for low-volume search queries, making it challenging to draw precise conclusions.

In conclusion, Google Trends is an exceptional tool that empowers us to comprehend search behavior and trends in an unprecedented manner. By exercising prudence and recognizing its limitations, professionals can gain valuable insights to make informed decisions in the dynamic digital landscape.

I hope you have found this discussion enlightening. Feel free to explore Google Trends further and apply its insights to your respective fields of interest. As always, happy learning and may your knowledge flourish!