Google Trends for Websites unveiled

23/06/2008

Google has announced a new version of its Trends tool that allows users to analyse search patterns across different sites - something that could help search optimisation efforts.

The Google Trends for Websites application lets users track popular searches on specific websites, including their own sites, building on the original Trends tool's purpose of allowing people to see the most common searches being made on Google.

Users utilising Google Trends for Websites can now compare and rank site visits across different geographical regions, as well as on related sites and searches, Google director of product management for consumer search properties R J Pittman said on the Webmaster Central blog.

The announcement came shortly after Google revealed that it now allows users to export Trends data and a year after it launched the Hot Trends tool to display current search patterns updated every hour.

According to Josh Lowensohn of Webware.com, the new tool represents "a notable openness" on the part of Google and can help webmasters to compare search patterns on their own sites with those on competitor web properties.