Google Insights:Web Searches in Iowa past 30 days for Paul,Romney,Cain,and Gingrich

[RDM]

http://p.twimg.com/AetuDHjCMAAwIkn.png:large

[sailingaway]

thanks.

[InTradePro]

Excellent

[wstrucke]

this would be more accurate:

http://i.imgur.com/CFzty.png

[TwoJ]

What about "ron paul"? Paul is a much much more common name than the other 3

[TwoJ]

this would be more accurate:

http://i.imgur.com/CFzty.png

^ This. Thanks!

[IndianaPolitico]

Matches the polling. Paul is holding steady, and going up slightly. Cain is dropping, and Gingrich is rising. Romney is also losing his grip on Iowa.

[NeoconTea]

Great idea. I think I improved it by adding first names (A search for Paul can mean anything)

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9603/googletrend.png

[wstrucke]

Great idea. I think I improved it by adding first names (A search for Paul can mean anything)

you need to include all variations with "or". using one or the other is misleading. take a look at what I posted above.

[NeoconTea]

Nope. Searching for Paul alone could mean any damn person named Paul.

[gerryb]

Nope. Searching for Paul alone could mean any damn person named Paul.

Yes, but it is completely inaccurate to do the same for the other candidates.

[wstrucke]

Nope. Searching for Paul alone could mean any damn person named Paul.

I would argue that at this point in time if you search google for the name "Paul" by itself you are *most likely* looking for Ron Paul. I'm sure there are also a lot of people and places named "Perry" or with the last name "Romney" or even Raising Cain's chicken. Simply comparing one form of someone's name is not going to accurately represent the search volume which is what you are trying to show. Don't blame the messenger here.

If you really want to capture what's going on you should also include common misspellings.

[NeoconTea]

Thats why you search for both names and then only results containing both names show up.

[wgadget]

Wow. Perry got a big boost around November 10 when he had his brain freeze. LoL