We use Google Insights and Google Trends to test phrases when other data doesn’t provide us with the clear results we were hoping for. So I wondered, does the all knowing Google - the barometer of life as we know it, the voyeur into our wants and needs - know what’s on America’s mind? Can Google provide us with the “real poll” of who people are leaning towards in the November elections?

So I took a look…and interesting results came through.

The above image shows the search volume since 2004. Blue indicates searches for Barack Obama, red indicates John McCain. There’s an interesting peak in 2004 for Obama - likely around the time of the Democratic convention. The pattern throughout shows a higher level of results for Obama than McCain, up until this month… Click for current results.

Zooming in to 2008, we see another story emerging.

The trends are looking much more similar, with both peaking to similar levels between the end of August and the beginning of September. Current trends show them both dipping and coming to a point very close together at the current date. Which is what most current polls say, post debate.
Click for current results.

We will continue to watch this, and in a future installment, look at search terms and news events that reflect similar patterns.

There’s a huge value to this, and something we at Single Throw discuss all the time. Google - and search in general - provides real insight into people. It allows us to look over a person’s shoulder and gain quantitative data into what they want and need. We’re not asking the questions - they are.