The 2020 edition of Google’s annual report of top trending searches shows that people broke records for the number of times “what day is it?” was searched for in a year.
Google’s report looks at trending topics and the most popular keywords across different categories – search, news, people, how-to’s, virtual activities, and more. The data can be viewed worldwide or filtered by 70 different countries.
Users also asked “why?” more than ever before as they searched Google for answers to all types of questions. “2020 was the year we asked “why?”” – the company said in the introduction to the report.
The top “why” questions included “Why were chainsaws invented”, “Why is there a coin shortage”, “Why was George Floyd arrested”, “Why is Nevada taking so long”, and “Why is TikTok getting banned.”
In the first place, the report shows that “Coronavirus” is the subject on top of everyone’s minds. Worldwide, top trending Google searches are Coronavirus, election results, Kobe Bryant, Zoom, and IPL.
The keyword dominated the top trends in the United States with three spots out of the top five. The overall top searches were election results, Coronavirus, Kobe Bryant, Coronavirus update, and Coronavirus symptoms.
Many of the leading searches also reflect how people are adapting to the new normals of daily life in the wake of the pandemic.
A look at the types of information users are seeking reveals that people are looking for ways to stay safe by making materials – such as hand sanitizer, a face mask with fabric, whipped coffee, a mask with a bandana, and a mask without sewing – at home.
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The top beauty how-tos also illustrate how people are adapting to doing more things at home. And a huge amount of people are searching for how to wash their hands.
As all in-person activities go virtual due to the coronavirus, people are also searching for “virtual” with top searches including virtual field trips, virtual museum tours, virtual learning, etc.
A look at the top searches in the “… during coronavirus” category shows that people were looking for ways to gain financially from the pandemic with searches such as “best stocks to buy during coronavirus”. Other users sought new ways to do ordinary things, and some were simply looking to get jobs during coronavirus.
