Worldwide Market Trend for Translation Services

The graph below is interesting, but does it tell a true story? A continuing decline for Google searches on the words “translation services” is shown. What might this mean? A few possible explanations are listed below:

There are likely numerous possible explanations. To our knowledge the worldwide market for translation services has not diminished by 50% over the last few years. So what are some other possible conclusions to be drawn? We list a few here:

1) Effects of the Recession:

While demand for translation services may not be down to the extent suggested by the graph, the translation industry is affected by general economic conditions and has been affected. The decrease in searches on the phrase might reasonably indicate effects of the recession, although the extent of the effect may be less than the degree of the apparent decline illustrated in the graph.

2) Google’s Data is Suspect:

In a sampling of articles retrieved from searching “is google trends data accurate” there are various opinions expressed. Rand Fishkin of SEOMoz shares a comparison of various web tools and while data from Google Trends may fare somewhat better than other tools (when compared to verified empirical data) he concludes it’s still not that accurate.

3) Diversification of Search Terms:

Just as markets tend to divide over time, popular search phrases evolve and can become more specialized. So while a search on the words “translation services” in 2005 may have seemed reasonable, a more experienced search engine user might elect to refine search terms to something more specific such as “document translation services” or “english-to-Spanish translation services” today. If true this practice would gradually erode the number of searches on more general search terms (e.g., translation services).