Google Trends
In one line
Google Trends is Google's free search-trend tool that shows the relative interest in a keyword over time and across regions.
Going deeper
Google Trends shows normalised interest on a 0-to-100 scale, not absolute volume. That means a claim like 'keyword A gets X times more searches than B' is not what the tool actually supports — it's better treated as a 'how has interest in this term moved over time' instrument.
Where it shines in practice is seasonality, spotting the moment a new term starts trending and comparing regional intensity. In Korea you might use it to see exactly when 'ChatGPT' broke out, or which provinces are most into 'malatang'. It's also a handy cross-check against the volume numbers your keyword tools report.
From a GEO angle, Google Trends matters because trend signals still surface in classic search before AI answers catch up. If you spot a rising topic on Trends and ship strong content fast, that content tends to become a citation source for the AI answers that follow — the lag works in your favour.
Sources
Related terms
Keyword Research
Keyword research is the practice of finding and organising the words and questions your target audience actually types into search — the starting point of any SEO or GEO content plan.
SEOSearch Volume
Search volume is the average number of times a keyword is searched in a given period — usually per month — and it's one of the basic inputs for prioritising SEO opportunities.
SEOSeed Keyword
A seed keyword is the short, core term you feed into a research tool to kick off keyword expansion — the anchor that decides which related queries you'll see next.
SEOBranded Keywords
Branded keywords are queries that include your company, product or service name — high-intent searches from people who already know your brand and are deliberately looking for you.
GEO·AEOGEO
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing content and data so that a brand gets cited and recommended inside generative AI search answers like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.