How To Use Google Trends For Profitable Video Ideas

Why Google Trends Is A Goldmine For Short-Form Creators

Most creators guess what to post. The successful ones prove what will work before they hit record.

Google Trends is perfect for that. It's free, easy to use, and shows you what people are already searching for. That means:

You waste less time on ideas nobody wants
You spot trends early, before they’re saturated
You create content around topics that have built-in demand

For ShortsFire creators, this is ideal. Short-form content lives on speed and timing. If you align your videos with what interest is rising right now, you give every clip a better chance to go viral and earn more.

You just need a simple system for using Google Trends the right way.

Let’s build one.

Step 1: Set Up Google Trends For Short-Form Research

Go to trends.google.com. Before you do anything else, adjust three settings so the data matches how short-form content behaves.

1. Choose the right location

At the top, pick:

Worldwide: if your content is global or in English
A specific country: if you create in a local language or for a local market

If you’re not sure, start with Worldwide and later compare it to one or two main countries where your audience lives.

2. Adjust the time range

Short-form trends move fast. Use these time frames:

Past 7 days: for ultra-current, reactive content
Past 30 days: for rising topics that still have time to grow
Past 90 days: for “durable” trends that you can build a series around

For monetization, the sweet spot is usually 30 to 90 days. It gives you enough interest to matter, without being gone by the time you post.

3. Pick the right category and search type

Click on:

Category: Choose a broad category like “Gaming”, “Finance”, “Beauty & Fitness”, “Entertainment”
Search type: Switch from Web Search to YouTube Search if you focus on video first

YouTube Search is especially useful if most of your Shorts are on YouTube, since it reflects what people type directly into YouTube’s search bar.

Step 2: Turn Broad Topics Into Profitable Angles

Now you need starter ideas that match your niche and can earn.

Think about what you can realistically monetize:

Ad revenue from YouTube Shorts
Brand deals
Affiliate offers (Amazon, software, courses, etc.)
Your own products or services

Here are a few niche examples with strong monetization potential:

Finance: side hustles, investing, budgeting, credit cards
Fitness: home workouts, weight loss, meal prep
Beauty: skincare routines, makeup hacks, product comparisons
Tech: new gadgets, apps, AI tools, creator tools
Online business: digital products, freelancing, marketing tips

Type a broad topic into Google Trends, for example:

“side hustle”
“AI tools”
“skincare routine”
“YouTube Shorts tips”

You’ll see a line graph. Ignore minor bumps. You’re looking for:

Topics that trend up or stay consistently high
Sudden spikes that might be news related (good for fast Shorts)

If interest is flat and low, move on. Your time is better spent where demand is proven.

Step 3: Use “Related Topics” And “Related Queries” For Video Ideas

Scroll down. This is where Google Trends gets exciting for creators.

You’ll see two sections:

Related topics
Related queries

Change the dropdown from “Top” to “Rising”. This shows what’s growing right now.

How to read the data

You’ll see numbers like 70, 100, or “Breakout”.

100: relative peak interest in your time range
50: about half as popular as the top result
Breakout: search volume is exploding compared to the previous period

“Breakout” is your best friend. That’s where viral opportunities often live.

Turn rising queries into short-form scripts

Take a “Rising” or “Breakout” query and turn it into short-form content formats:

Template 1: Quick explainer

Query: “AI tools for YouTube”
Short idea: “3 AI Tools That Make YouTube Shorts For You”

Template 2: Mistake or warning

Query: “beginner investing mistakes”
Short idea: “Stop Doing This With Your First $100 Investment”

Template 3: “X vs Y” comparison

Query: “Notion vs Obsidian”
Short idea: “Notion vs Obsidian: Which One For Content Creators?”

Template 4: Hack or trick

Query: “TikTok growth tips”
Short idea: “Use This TikTok Growth Trick Before They Patch It”

Write down at least 20 ideas from one main topic by combining:

5 to 10 “Rising” queries
2 to 3 formats per query

You just created a short-form content calendar from one Google Trends search.

Step 4: Validate Ideas With Trend Patterns

Not every “Breakout” is worth your time. Some trends die fast, others keep paying you for months.

Check each idea’s long-term potential.

1. Plug each query back into Google Trends

Click a rising query, or manually type it as a new search. Check:

90 days: Is it growing or just spiking?
12 months: Has it appeared in waves before?

If you see repeated waves, that’s a strong sign you can:

Create a series
Repost improved versions later
Monetize with better offers over time

If the spike is short and already falling, you can still do reaction content, but don’t build your whole strategy around it.

2. Compare multiple queries

Click “Compare” and add up to 4 more phrases. For example:

“side hustle”
“print on demand”
“drop shipping”
“affiliate marketing”

This tells you which concept has more overall interest. Use that to decide where to double down.

Tip for monetization:
If two topics are similar in interest, pick the one with better offers or higher payouts. For example, “credit card points” often has stronger affiliate deals than general “budgeting tips”.

Step 5: Turn Trends Into Scroll-Stopping Hooks

Google Trends gives you what people care about. Your hook decides if they stop scrolling.

Take a query and build 3 to 5 hook variations:

Example query: “high-yield savings account”

“Your Bank Hates That You Know This Savings Account Exists”
“If Your Savings Rate Is Under 4%, Watch This”
“The Easiest Way To Make Free Money Off Your Savings”

Example query: “YouTube automation”

“Make Money On YouTube Without Showing Your Face”
“How People Use ‘YouTube Automation’ To Earn While They Sleep”
“The Truth About YouTube Automation No One Talks About”

Once you have hooks, outline the rest of the Short:

Hook (0 to 3 seconds)
Main value or story (3 to 20 seconds)
Soft CTA or payoff (20 to 40 seconds)

Use the exact wording from Trends when possible. The closer you are to how people think and search, the more likely they are to watch and search for your content.

Step 6: Map Trends To Monetization Paths

Views alone don’t pay much. You need a plan for how each trend can turn into money.

For each trend-based video idea, ask:

What can I promote here that actually helps viewers?
Is there a natural link between the topic and a product or service?

Some examples:

Trend: “AI tools for content creators”
- Monetization: affiliate links to AI tools, ShortsFire-style content tools, or editing software
Trend: “home workout no equipment”
- Monetization: fitness app affiliate, workout program, nutrition guide, or habit-tracking app
Trend: “how to grow on TikTok”
- Monetization: premium course, consulting, paid community, channel audit services

Tie every trend-based idea to at least one monetization angle upfront. Then mention it naturally:

In the on-screen text
In the caption
In a pinned comment
In your profile bio link

You don’t need to hard sell. Just attach a clear “next step” for people who want more help.

Step 7: Build Repeatable Short-Form Series From Winning Trends

Once a trend works, repeat it on purpose.

Use this simple system:

Create 3 to 5 Shorts around one strong query or trend
Watch which one gets the best:
- Views
- Watch time
- Clicks or followers
Take the winner and create a series variation:
- Part 2, part 3, part 4
- “Do this, not that” edition
- “Beginner vs advanced” edition
- “My results after 30 days” edition

This is where ShortsFire-style content thrives. Short, punchy, iterative.

You’re not guessing new topics every day. You’re milking proven topics with fresh angles, while Google Trends feeds you the next wave of ideas.

Step 8: Use Google Trends To Ride Seasonal Money Waves

Some niches explode at certain times of year:

January: fitness, money, self improvement
February to April: taxes, budgeting, side hustles
Summer: travel, fashion, body goals
November to December: Black Friday deals, gift ideas, investing, planning for next year

In Google Trends, change the time range to “Past 5 years” and type in topics like:

“Black Friday deals”
“holiday gifts for men”
“new year resolutions”
“summer workout”

You’ll see clear seasonal spikes. Plan your Shorts, TikToks, and Reels so you’re posting before the peak, not after it.

If you pair seasonal timing with strong monetization (for example, affiliate offers during Black Friday), you can massively boost your earnings in a short window.

Final Checklist: Using Google Trends For Profitable Shorts

Here’s a quick workflow you can reuse:

Pick a niche that has clear ways to make money
Set Google Trends to:
- Your main countries
- Past 30 or 90 days
- YouTube Search if you focus on video
Type in a broad topic related to your niche
Scroll to Related topics and Related queries
Switch to “Rising” and look for “Breakout” terms
Turn each rising query into 3 to 5 short-form hooks
Check 90-day and 12-month charts to avoid dead spikes
Attach one monetization angle to each idea
Publish multiple videos per winning trend and build series
Repeat weekly, and watch for seasonal patterns you can pre-plan content around

If you use Google Trends consistently, you stop guessing and start creating videos that line up with what people already want to watch and buy. That’s how you turn short-form content into a real, predictable income stream.