Watched dancing with the stars winner show and also noticed it on the new Google HotTrends, thanks to B.L. Ochman's tip :
"…This is proof positive that Google's online domination is firmly based in its understanding of the online culture and the tools we need to stay in the race. There are a host of other services, paid and unpaid, that offer some combination of this data bonanza, but Google Hot Trends beings it all together. Bravo!"
I was thinking about just how Hot Trends is tonight - I personally experienced watching the Dancing with The Stars (which I never watch, was exhausted and did not feel like blogging - and enjoyed Dancing with The Stars show - but then.. to see it on Google right away - as a Hot Trend it makes sense that it peaked 2 hours ago as that's right after when Dancing with The Stars show ended.
BTW, I like how discussion groups are tied in with Hot Trends and also, the geolocation of the largest segment of audience for the Hot Trends are listed with each one.
Peak:
2 hours ago
Location:
6% - Los Angeles, CA
As a blog writer - I'd keep my eye on Google HotTrends which is an improvement over Google Trends - which tends to be behind, somewhat, what's actually happening. What's nice about Google HotTrends - you can catch "The Wave", or the story as it's developing - just like a waiting surfer catches "The Wave" that develops off shore and rides it in.
It's also great that I can pick a day in the past and see what was hot then - I went back one week, to May 15th, and the biggest Hot Trend then, was the Death of Jerry Falwell … and of course, giving the related terms is even better, as you can use those terms in your writings (if …say, you wanted to write about this story..as it was happening …which, of course, you can't, because it already happened).
"…Related searches:
jerry falwell s death, jerry falwell news, jerry falwell dead, jerry falwell dies, jerry falwell died "
But let's take a song that is happening right now - "this is my now" - I could write a story about this (if I had something to say here) and mix in the related terms
"…scott krippayne, this is my now song, this is my now american idol, this is my now lyrics, that was then this is my now"
And … because 5% of the traffic is coming from NYC, were I advertising something related, I could immediately target my PPC campaign.
In fact, the next step would be to develop a way to query the API of Google HotTrends, figure out hot topics and where they are "hottest" in geolocation, and then automatically re-target existing campaigns that are related to target the "hottest" geo-locations where the trend is happening.
Well, all of that seems very calculated, automated and cold - but I will say this - Google HotTrends also improves the quality of search results, both paid and organic but enabling advertisers to target what people really are interested in at the very moment they are "hot" about the topic - sorta like an instant on-demand buzz campaign that's easy to roll out at a moment's notice.
Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with that.
In fact, if we carry it one step further - Google HotTrends may be one of the technologies that will swing the next Presidential Election one way or the other - as we can bet that around Election Day 2008 - what's Hot is going to be news about the Presidential Candidates - and the campaign that can react the quickest to mobilize around the news and Hot Trends - may have the best shot at winning.
