Snapchat has launched a new market research tool, which is essentially Google Trends, but for Snapchat specifically, which could be a huge help for marketers looking to tap into the platform.

As you can see here, the new Snapchat Trends tool enables marketers to conduct research around specific keywords and terms, based on mention volume within the app, in order to determine their relative popularity and how discussion around such changes over time.

As explained by Snapchat:

"Snapchat Trends highlights the most popular keywords shared with the Snapchat community via public Stories and My Stories that have been viewed by a large group, in addition to a searchable database of terms. With these insights, Snap is able to provide a new level of visibility into organic chatter on Snapchat, looking at what our community is talking about and showcasing popular Snaps that exemplify each trending topic."

So, Google Trends, but Snap-specific. Which is also similar to Pinterest Trends, which uses the same UI to facilitate research into keyword usage within Pins. 

Snapchat Trends incorporates a few elements. First, there's the main keyword search option, which auto-populates with search terms based on your entered text in the main field. You can then select several terms to view their comparative mention volume over time, with the graph displaying a year's worth of data.

You can also further hone your search down to specific regions:

Beneath the main graph display, Snapchat also provides a set of example Snaps relative to your search terms for context, which can further assist in your research process.

In addition to this, on the front page of the new tool, Snapchat also provides an overview of general trends for the previous week:

As well as case studies and insights to further assist in your planning and strategy:

There's a heap of ways these insights could be used, and could prove valuable in your marketing process. You can look up your brand mentions, or your competitors', and get an idea of how Snapchatters are responding to your products or campaigns, which could inform your strategy, and help you determine whether you should invest further in Snap marketing. 

Snap additionally notes that the tool can be useful for researching language trends (i.e. new terms and how they're being used by Snapchatters), understanding behaviors based on mention volume of specific activities on specific dates (mentions of 'streaming' increase on Fridays) and understanding when discussion volume rises around seasonal events and holidays.

More data is always better, and with many brands looking for a way to connect with the more enclosed, more private Snap audience, this could be a valuable assistance platform to supplement your strategy.

The only limitation is that it's not all Snap data. As Snap notes, the insights are based on "public Stories and My Stories that have been viewed by a large group". Snap doesn't provide specific data on where these mentions occur, nor does it provide all data on shared Snaps between friends.

But even so, the broader trend notes will likely be indicative enough for your planning, and like Pinterest Trends, this could be a great addition to your research efforts - even if you're not planning to use Snapchat for marketing specifically.

You can check out the new Snapchat Trends platform here.