Virus and elections dominate Google’s year in search

Surprise, surprise. Coronavirus was top of everyone’s minds this year, as reflected in Google’s Year in Search results released today.

Pandemic notwithstanding, however, South Africans’ love affair with sport, celebrities and politics remained unchanged.  

From ‘how to make pineapple beer’ to ‘level 3 lockdown’, ‘Teacher’s Day’ and ‘Kamala Harris’, South Africans used Search to learn about their world.

Google’s 2020 Year in Search compiles the moments, people, topics, events, and places that captured the world’s attention this year. The results range from overall global stories to hundreds of top 10 lists of trending topics across pop culture and lifestyle, sports, music, news, and more from across almost 70 countries.

Google provided the following information:

Top ten trending searches  

1. Coronavirus
2. US elections update
3. Sasol share price
4. Level 3 lockdown South Africa
5. Children’s Day
6. Hantavirus
7. Load shedding
8. Cigarettes ban South Africa
9. Teacher’s Day
10. Leap Day

Top trending questions 

1. How to apply for an unemployment grant?
2. Who won the election?
3. What time is the President on tonight?
4. What is coronavirus?
5. What is 5G?
6. Where does vanilla flavouring come from?
7. Why were cornflakes invented?
8. Where to buy beer during lockdown?
9. Why were chainsaws invented?
10. How to make hand sanitiser?

Top trending ‘near me’ searches

1. Restaurant near me
2. Grocery stores near me
3. Builders near me
4. Midas near me
5. Virgin Active near me
6. Hardware near me
7. Mexican food delivery near me
8. Massage spa near me
9. Game stores near me
10. Hiking near me

Top trending personalities – Loss

1. Kobe Bryant
2. Mshoza
3. Genius ‘Ginimbi’ Kadungure
4. Bob Mabena
5. Naya Rivera
6. George Floyd
7. Chadwick Boseman
8. Zinzi Mandela
9. Thandeka Mdeliswa
10. Mary Twala

See more Google Search rankings on the next page.

Pages: 1 2