Google Trends

Google Trends provides access the usage trends/statistics of the Google search engine. It has two features that I use regularly. First, you can type a search term into the entry box to see search statistics related to that term. For example, searching for "boston red sox" produces this statistics page. You can view search trends over time and you can see how news events affects the statistics. Another interesting feature that I use regularly is "Today's Hot Trends," which is on the GT front page. This feature displays some of the day's most popular search terms, but it weeds out those terms that are regularly popular, leaving only those terms that have recently become much more active than usual. This feature is helpful because it provides a window into the constantly changing tides of pop culture and world news.