Commentary on Google Trends as a Tool for Evaluating Public Interest in Facial Cosmetic Procedures
January 2019
in “
Aesthetic Surgery Journal
”
TLDR Google Trends is useful for aesthetic surgeons to improve marketing by tracking what and when people search for facial cosmetic procedures.
The commentary supports the conclusion that Google Trends (GT) is a valuable and free tool for aesthetic surgeons to optimize their marketing strategies by analyzing public interest in various facial cosmetic procedures. The author, Karen Zupko, emphasizes the practical applications of GT data, which can provide insights into patient interests by keyword, season, state, and sometimes city. This information can help practices tailor their marketing messages and campaigns to match what potential patients are searching for, such as preferring the term "hair restoration" over "hair transplantation" if GT data indicates higher search volumes for the former. The author also notes the importance of seasonal trend data, suggesting practices could schedule events or offers based on when certain procedures are most searched for. However, Zupko cautions that while GT is free, analyzing the data requires time and expertise, and practices may need to hire a marketing agency or consultant if they lack the necessary skills in-house.