Google has quietly begun inviting a very limited set of users to try out the brand-new Google Trends API (Alpha), signaling early stages of a controlled rollout. Search Advocate John Mueller reassured the SEO community that the initial expansion will be “quite small,” so don’t expect a grand public reveal just yet .
What Early Testers Can Expect
• Consistent scaling across queries – Unlike the Google Trends website, which resizes results from 0 to 100 per query set, the API delivers data that remains reliably comparable across multiple requests .
• Up to five years of search data – The API spans a rolling window of about 1,800 days (roughly five years), with data available through two days ago .
• Flexible data formats – Aggregate data by day, week, month, or year, and slice it by regions and sub-regions for deeper insights .
• Raw and scaled metrics – Example responses include both a raw search_interest value and a scaled_search_interest score to help users understand volume context .
• “Trending Now” not included – The early alpha version excludes the “Trending Now” data component .
Why It Matters
This API marks an important shift for researchers, marketers, developers, and journalists who rely on Trends data. With stable scaling and historical context, users can now build consistent, repeatable analyses without being constrained by the limitations of the web interface—like inconsistent scaling and limited comparator sets .
Looking Ahead
Google is taking a feedback-driven approach. They’re prioritizing applicants who bring clear use cases and are prepared to test the API rigorously . If you’re eager to get in on it, keep an eye out for opportunities to apply—access will broaden gradually over time . the existing Google Trends website remains available, giving everyone the means to keep working on search insights until the API gains wider availability .
Google has introduced the Google Trends API (Alpha) to a confidential cohort of testers, delivering more scalable and flexible trend data access—minus trending features—for enhanced analytics. If you’re interested in joining the early wave, be sure to track Google Search Central updates as access expands in the coming months.