Google’s Year in Search 2022

Google has released its Year in Search findings which highlights the key interests and trends throughout the year, based on Google Search activity. The mini-website provides a snapshot of data from a global and country perspective.

The report, published every December for the last nine years, breaks down the top ten search terms by topic category including most Googled actors, musicians and even recipes. The website uses Google Trends to compile the data, and provides a great visual to understand user behaviour. Whether you’re a digital marketer interested in market research insights, or you’re just curious about what people were searching for this year, read on to find out Google’s findings.

This year, global records were broken for the number of times we searched for what day it was – which is equally interesting as it is worrying. Whilst Google’s Year In Search reveals a lot about what we have in common, every country showed what made them unique too.

So, what were this year’s top yearly trends in the UK?

Wordle was the most searched term both in the UK and globally, with Google commenting: “Wordle was the top trending search globally, as guessing five-letter words every day became a way of life. We also saw pop culture continue to leave its mark as we searched for “how to become a fighter pilot” thanks to “Top Gun: Maverick,” and how to learn new languages, specifically Minion, High Valyrian and Klingon.”

Digging into Google Trends a little further, we can see similar puzzle games including Worldle, Quordle and Heardle all saw a spike in interest and searches in February/March 2022 and have seen steady declines throughout the year. Quordle also made it into Google’s top ten list as well as various sporting and political news topics.

People sought to learn more about everything from complex global issues to the latest pop culture news. Four of the ten most searched questions surrounded the Queen’s funeral, whilst others looked for Diana Ross’s age or the date of Father’s Day (19 June, FYI). 2022 marked the first year in three years Covid questions didn’t appear in UK top searches; searches like ‘When will I get the vaccine?’ and ‘How many cases in my area?’ dropping in position from the previous year.

Two of the most searched ‘How’ questions were ‘How many doors are there in the world?’ and ‘How many wheels are there in the world?’, largely popularised through social media videos and polls. Both questions hit peak interest in March 2022, with more queries on wheels than doors.

Searches for the Queen were prevalent with her passing being the most searched news event in the UK, whilst Ukraine news stories had the most searches globally.

According to Google Trends, the most searched film in 2022 was Disney’s Encanto, followed by a range of superhero films including The Batman, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Adam. Meanwhile, the most searched for series was Stranger Things having returned to the screen for the first time since 2019.

Football’s golden child Mason Greenwood was Google’s most searched celebrity, with other top ten contenders including Johnny Depp and Amber Heard with their infamous court battle, and both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder appeared in the most searched musicians, along with Mika, Boy George, and Kate Bush as her 1985 track ‘Running Up That Hill’ gained renewed popularity after featuring on Stranger Things.

Google’s data also suggested that the way we find information is evolving beyond just typing into a search box, and new technology is impacting how we search. People were more likely to use Siri or Google Assistant to dictate their searches, or by taking a photo with Lens to help ask visual questions such as distinguishing between pet breeds or naming types of fauna.

Google Maps showed that the top three global searches were all in London, including tourist hotspots Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, and the scenic Sky Gardens. Iconic monuments such as France’s Louvre Museum and Christ the Redeemer in Brazil also made the list.

Ever the foodie, I was intrigued by the most searched global recipes which included a range of sweet and sour dishes. From cinnamon rolls and pancakes, to Paneer pasanda and Baba Ganoush – Google’s search results pages were a melting pot of cultural delights.Curious to learn more about what the world was searching for in 2022?

Watch Google’s official video for their global annual review here:

New Year, New Goals

Google’s Year in Search is undeniably an interesting overview of user behaviour and offers valuable insight into market research by pinpointing the topics that drive the most interest. All this can help you guide your own business’ promotional strategy for the next year.

Why not contact Embryo to find out how our digital marketing specialists can help you grow your business in 2023? Our Manchester based team can create PPC, SEO, Social, and Web campaigns specifically tailored to your KPIs, allowing you to achieve your own version of success. We would love to hear from you!