Google search data is a powerful tool for any business. To see how powerful it can be, let’s use the packaging industry as an example, and explore how Google search data can not only reveal customer trends and seasonality, but can predict future events up to 12 months in advance.

It’s no surprise that thousands of businesses use Google to find products and services. In Australia, more than 73,790 people per month search Google for packaging themes, for example, with people specifying their problems, needs, and requirements in more than 2,890 unique ways.

Let’s first look at some of the key trends in packaging, then see how a rise in Google searches for beekeeping led to a corresponding rise in honey packaging demand a year later.

Demand for natural, high-quality packaging continues to grow year on year, with demand for molded packaging seeing enormous growth throughout 2025:

Wholesale, eco-friendly packaging experienced a surge in demand post-COVID, before dropping off significantly in 2023 and 2024, then rising again in 2025:

Biodegradable packaging also saw signs of recovery in 2025, perhaps somewhat influenced by the UK’s new 2026 packaging legislation:

Christmas, it seems, it not the time for sustainability:

Nor is it the time for package innovation:

Small business ecommerce seems to have stagnated, while demand for wholesale packaging suppliers has exploded:

For businesses looking to advertise on Google Ads, there is huge variance in costings across this sector. Average cost per click (CPC) for packaging keywords in 2025 was $5.31, and assuming a click through rate (CTR) of 3.20%, the average medium-visibility packaging advertiser in Australia is receving approx 2,361 clicks/month for an average Google click spend of $12,529/month.

With a highly-targeted Google Ads strategy, average cost per click (CPC) is signifciantly lower ($1.75), with a similar volume of clicks (2,361) from aimilar high-intent keywords possible at a lower Google Ads budget of $4,134/month, representing a potential saving of approx $8,395/month, or $100,740 per year for no meaningful reduction in traffic volume or quality.

Costings also vary by theme. Packaging manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand appear to be competing heavily for ‘pet packaging’ keywords in 2025, with an average cost per click (CPC) of $25.04.

This is over 30x higher than the cost per click (CPC) for ‘skincare packaging’ and ‘cosmetic packaging’, both of which have almost no competition, and an average cost per click (CPC) of $0.61 and $0.96 respectively.

There is also almost minimal competition for ‘HDPE bottle manufacturers’ on Google Ads, with an average cost per click (CPC) of only $0.37, despite a surge in demand for HDPE packaging in 2025:

The biggest packaging trend, however, was honey, with Google searches for honey packaging surging 14,000% over the last two years:

Interestingly, hobby beekeeping spiked in January 2024, so it seems that 12 months is the average lag time from setting up a beehive to requiring packaging for honey storage or sale:

Isn’t it great to see such an enterpising group of beekeepers! However the big winner here is clearly Google. Almost all custom packaging manufacturers currently advertising on Google are broad-matching to ‘honey packaging’ keywords, and paying an average cost per click (CPC) of $2.31.

However since many packaging manufactuers do not offer honey packaging for sale, most of these clicks are irrelevant. Assuming an average CPC of $2.31, the average packaging company advertising on Google is wasting $1,338/month, or $16,056 per year!

That’s a lot of honey!