Comments on: Number of Searches as an Indicator http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/08/31/number-of-searches-as-an-indicator/ The usability blog of John S. Rhodes Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:20:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Yarone http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/08/31/number-of-searches-as-an-indicator/#comment-25384 Tue, 05 Sep 2006 07:48:23 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/08/31/number-of-searches-as-an-indicator/#comment-25384 Hey guys, I find this all very interesting - I have been thinking about this for years. See this article I wrote a while back: http://www.yarone.com/articles/BuzzTrendsWebdataovertime.html Best, Yarone Hey guys,

I find this all very interesting - I have been thinking about this for years.

See this article I wrote a while back:
http://www.yarone.com/articles/BuzzTrendsWebdataovertime.html

Best,
Yarone

]]> by: Jason Coleman http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/08/31/number-of-searches-as-an-indicator/#comment-24347 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:12:35 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/08/31/number-of-searches-as-an-indicator/#comment-24347 I too am tempted to start using search data for non-search related analysis. In fact, I've written two articles about how one might use Google Trends data to make investment decisions. http://www.investorgeeks.com/articles/2006/08/28/google-trends-can-it-help-me-in-the-stock-market/ http://www.investorgeeks.com/articles/2006/08/30/google-trends-on-sp-bbby-and-amzn/ In my analysis, I've been struggling with what it actually means that more people are searching for "new home sales" or "books" or "texas roadhouse". Does the fact that no less than 3 real estate search engines have been released in the past 3 months have anything to do with the increased "interest"? Could Google's release of Google Books which requires you search for " book" account for an increase in searches with the word "book" in it? Why have searches for "book" gone down over the past year despite this? Is there some use of "texas roadhouse" that isn't attributed to the new restaurant chain? The data is out there. It can obviously be used for a lot of useful purposes. Of course it can also be abused. We should be careful. I too am tempted to start using search data for non-search related analysis. In fact, I’ve written two articles about how one might use Google Trends data to make investment decisions.

http://www.investorgeeks.com/articles/2006/08/28/google-trends-can-it-help-me-in-the-stock-market/

http://www.investorgeeks.com/articles/2006/08/30/google-trends-on-sp-bbby-and-amzn/

In my analysis, I’ve been struggling with what it actually means that more people are searching for “new home sales” or “books” or “texas roadhouse”.

Does the fact that no less than 3 real estate search engines have been released in the past 3 months have anything to do with the increased “interest”? Could Google’s release of Google Books which requires you search for ” book” account for an increase in searches with the word “book” in it? Why have searches for “book” gone down over the past year despite this? Is there some use of “texas roadhouse” that isn’t attributed to the new restaurant chain?

The data is out there. It can obviously be used for a lot of useful purposes. Of course it can also be abused. We should be careful.

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