Google Trends vs. Exploding Topics: An In-Depth Comparison of Features, Use Cases, and Pricing for 2024.
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and trend analysis, staying ahead of the curve is crucial.
Two powerful tools, Google Trends and Exploding Topics, offer insights into what’s trending now and what’s likely to trend in the future.
This guide dives deep into these tools, comparing their features, benefits, use cases, and more to help you determine which one is the best fit for your needs.
What is Google Trends?
Google Trends is a free tool that analyzes the popularity of top search queries in Google Search across various regions and languages.
It uses real-time data to show how frequently a particular search term is entered relative to the total search volume over a specific period.
Key Features
- Search Term Comparison: Compare the search volume of up to five search terms simultaneously.
- Geographical Data: See where searches are most popular.
- Related Queries and Topics: Discover related queries and topics for your search term.
- Historical Data: Access data going back to 2004.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free to use
- Comprehensive historical data
- Real-time data availability
- Easy to use interface
Cons:
- Requires manual searching and data interpretation
- Limited to Google search data
What is Exploding Topics?
Exploding Topics identifies rapidly growing topics before they become mainstream. It was created by Josh Howarth and later acquired by SEO expert Brian Dean.
The tool uses search engine and social media data to forecast emerging trends, making it invaluable for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve.
Key Features
- Automated Trend Discovery: Automated insights into emerging trends.
- Categorized Trends: Trends are organized into specific categories.
- Historical and Current Data: Access both historical data and current trending topics.
- Trending Products Database: See trending products and their performance.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Automated trend identification
- Extensive trending products database
- Easy to use
- Free weekly newsletter
Cons:
- Limited search functionality in the starter plan
- Lack of transparency in data sources
- Trends limited to set categories
Detailed Comparison
Ease of Use
Google Trends offers a straightforward interface where users can input search terms and instantly receive data. However, users must manually interpret this data to gain insights.
Exploding Topics, on the other hand, provides a more automated experience where trends are curated and presented without needing extensive manual input.
Data Sources
Google Trends relies solely on Google search data, which makes it incredibly reliable but somewhat limited in scope.
Exploding Topics aggregates data from various sources, including social media, offering a broader view of what’s trending across different platforms.
Customization and Flexibility
Google Trends allows for high customization in search terms and comparison, making it flexible for specific needs.
Exploding Topics offers categorized trends, which can be less flexible but more targeted for users looking for insights in particular niches.
Use Cases
Google Trends
- SEO and Content Strategy: Identifying popular search terms to inform content creation.
- Market Research: Understanding geographical interest in products or services.
- Trend Analysis: Monitoring trends over time to predict future interest.
Exploding Topics
- Product Development: Identifying emerging trends to guide product innovation.
- Content Creation: Finding new topics to cover in blogs, videos, or social media.
- Investment Insights: Spotting trends early for investment opportunities.
Pricing
Google Trends is completely free, making it accessible to everyone. Exploding Topics offers a freemium model with more advanced features available in paid plans starting at $39 per month.
Accuracy and Reliability
Google Trends, backed by Google’s robust search data, is extremely reliable. Exploding Topics, while diverse in its data sources, may occasionally suffer from less transparency in where its data is coming from, impacting reliability slightly.
Perfect Use Cases
For Google Trends
- Bloggers and Content Creators: Easily find trending topics to cover.
- Digital Marketers: Track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns over time.
- Researchers: Analyze public interest in various topics over long periods.
For Exploding Topics
- Entrepreneurs and Startups: Discover emerging trends to capitalize on.
- Investors: Identify up-and-coming markets and niches.
- E-commerce Businesses: Find trending products to add to their inventory.
Alternatives to Consider
Pinterest Trends
Pinterest Trends is another free tool offering insights into trending topics on Pinterest, particularly useful for those in the direct-to-consumer space.
Glimpse
Glimpse, which integrates with Google Trends via a Chrome extension, provides additional SEO data and is aimed more at the SEO market.
TrendHunter
An established platform offering trend data across various industries, sourced from a team of trend hunters.
Treendly
Similar to Exploding Topics, Treendly offers insights into emerging trends and comes with a similar price point.
Thieve
Focuses on trending products, particularly useful for dropshippers.
Both Google Trends and Exploding Topics have their unique strengths and are powerful tools in their own right.
Google Trends is best for those looking for a free, reliable tool to track search interest over time. In contrast, Exploding Topics is ideal for users who need automated trend discovery and are willing to invest in a paid tool for deeper insights.
By understanding your specific needs and how each tool aligns with them, you can make an informed decision on which one to use.
Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, investor, or entrepreneur, both tools offer valuable insights to help you stay ahead in your field.