Google Trends is a powerful tool for understanding search interest, but it doesn't show absolute search volume (i.e. the number of searches) by default.
To see actual search volume numbers in Google Trends, you'll need to install the Glimpse Chrome extension, which adds the number of searches, the growth rate, and other insights.
This can help you quickly grasp a topic's scale and rate of growth so you can make better-informed decisions. If you prefer to not install an extension, then read below to better understand Google's use of normalized search interest and its implications.
What does 0-100 mean in Google Trends?
Google Trends' Y-axis shows relative search interest on a 0-100 scale, where a value of 100 represents the peak search interest for a keyword, and all other values reflect interest relative to that peak. This is not a percentage value.
For example, in the graph below, “Bitcoin” reached maximum interest (100) during the week of May 16, 2021. A month later, interest dropped to 38, indicating search volume was only 38% of the May peak. Last week, interest was at 17, or 17% of the peak.
While this relative scale is helpful for visualizing changes in interest, it doesn’t show the raw data, i.e. how many total searches were made for that query. The Glimpse Chrome extension enhances Google Trends by displaying absolute search volume. For instance, the “100” peak for “Bitcoin” translates to 147 million searches worldwide between May 8–June 4, 2021:
What does "search interest" mean in Google Trends mean?
Google uses the term "search interest" instead of "search volume" because the default Y-axis shows normalized (0-100) volume rather than the real number of searches. This relative scale allows for simple comparison of search trends over time, but limits our understanding of a trend's true size.
To get the real number of searches for a keyword, simply use the Glimpse Chrome extension, which enhances Google Trends with absolute monthly search volume and other useful insights.
What is the Y-axis on Google Trends?
The Y axis on Google Trends shows a keyword's search interest on a 0-100 (normalized) scale. 100 represents the maximum search interest for the keyword in the selected time frame, while 50 represents half of that peak, and 0 indicates insufficient data.
To translate the Y-axis on Google Trends from relative search interest to absolute volume, use Glimpse: a Chrome extension that enhances Google Trends by providing the real number of monthly searches and other useful insights.