Gemini can now help you identify and compare hot topics with Google Trends

Google Search data is paramount in determining what topics, people, and questions users find important. Google hosts a tool called Google Trends that anyone can use to discover the search queries and topics that are currently trending. It’s especially useful for researchers, content creators, and journalists, but there are a handful of ways the average Google user can tap into these metrics, too. Google announced today, January 14, that it is redesigning the Trends Explore page — and the new look adds a Gemini sidebar for the first time.

The upgraded Trends Explore page uses Gemini to help users compare data across multiple related search terms. Instead of combing through similar search queries manually, users can have Gemini identify and compare topical trends. These are compiled automatically based on your area of interest, and Gemini also generates suggested search terms related to the trend you’re exploring.

Google Trends users can manually enter an area of interest in the Gemini sidebar on the Explore page. Clicking the Find search terms button will populate a graph with up to eight relevant search terms. The graph shows a search term’s interest over time in comparison to related search terms, accounting for location and timeframe.

Google uses a simple, open-ended interest area like “dog breeds” as an example. Gemini can take that general topic and analyze the Google Search interest for the most popular dog breeds on the Trends Explore page. From there, users can optionally “explore other ideas” in the Gemini sidebar. The experimental AI feature provides other suggested topics for comparison related to your main interest.

Aside from the AI features, the Google Trends Explore page also received a design and user interface boost. Google Trends now uses a dedicated icon and color for each search term for quick visibility. The Explore page can compare more terms at a single time, and it can show twice as many rising queries on each timeline.

Google is rolling out the refreshed Trends Explore page gradually, starting on desktop browsers. If the new-look interface isn’t available yet, users will run into a landing page that says the new version is “coming soon.” The message also instructs users to “check back in a few weeks,” giving us a rough timeline for the rollout.