“What’s better Google or Yahoo – wait, I’ll Google it! “

That’s the power of Google. It’s a word that is more commonly used than “clever”, “eggs” and fridge”, according to a research conducted by Lancaster University.  The process of “Googling” has become so natural to people that the word “Google” is now a synonym for the word “search”.

Google has become our library, our dictionary, our thesaurus and our newspaper. It processes over 40,000 search queries every second. This means that there are over 3.5 billion searches every day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide

According to recent research, 95% of people don’t even look past the first page of search results as most of them find the answers they are looking for right there. This is because of Google’s precise algorithms that allow people to find exactly what they are searching for, really fast. These statistics got us a bit curious about what exactly it is that people searched for on Google?

Our curiosity fuelled this blog.

We’ve taken a look at the world of search to find out what people really look for and also a closer look at what India looks for. Here’s a list of some of the most searched things from around the world.

(Make sure to read till the end to catch some of our favourite questions from around the world that people Googled in 2017.)

Most searched on Google 2017: Song

Despacito

Yup for all those of you haven’t heard this song; it features Luis Fonsi with a cover that features Justin Bieber too. It is a Reggaeton Pop song which means that it is a Spanish-English track. This track was a hit in countries like Denmark, Egypt, France, Kenya, Malaysia and India to name a few. It broke multiple YouTube records by becoming the ‘Most Watched YouTube Video of All Time’ with over 3 billion views and the fastest one to reach 2 billion too. If you haven’t watched it, check it out below – the groovy music and catchy lyrics are sure to get you moving.

Source: Luis Fonsi YouTube

 

Most Searched on Google 2017: Show

13 Reasons Why

Based on a book by Jay Asher, this teenage drama is about the suicide of a girl. Before her death she records a series of 13 tapes to send out to all the people who were responsible for her death. Each tape explains in detail what the person did to her. The show was popular in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), France, Singapore and South Africa too. The show received some critical acclaim as well as criticism for its portrayal of mental health, and suicidal tendencies among people who suffer from depression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebwYGn5Z3E

Source: Netflix YouTube

 

Most Searched on Google 2017: Person

Matt Lauer

It’s sort of triple tie. This was a tough battle between alleged sex offenders (Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer) and future royalty (Meghan Markle). And people were most curious about Matt Lauer, which made him the most Googled person in the entire world. Allegations against him sexually harassing the Today Show’s staff (where he was one of the talk show hosts) put him in the spotlight.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

 

Most Searched on Google 2017: Thing

Fidget Spinner

Marketed as a toy that helps relieve stress and anxiety, the fidget spinner has fascinated millennials and adults around the world, so much that it had to be banned from several schools. The Fidget creates a pleasing sensory experience and it’s become so popular that there are now multi-player games available on Google Play Store.

 

Most Searched on Google 2017:  Sporting Event

Wimbledon

The king of all tennis events won this round. And rightly so, as this was the year that Roger Federer won his eighth Wimbledon title without dropping a set. It is the first time this has happened since 1976.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

 

Most Searched on Google 2017: ‘How to’ video

How to make slime?

“Why in the world would anyone want to learn how to make slime?” Is that the question on your mind? Well that was on ours too when we saw the Google Trends list. Notably, it was most popularly asked in countries like Australia, Ireland and Sweden. Now, let’s not be too quick to judge. We too were hooked once we got a look at these how to videos. And in case you didn’t know, Slime was marketed as a stress toy in the late 70’s and it made a comeback last year. So if you need a new a new way to beat the stress, slime might be just the thing you need. See for yourself.

 

Most Searched on Google 2017:  ‘What is’ question

What is bitcoin?

A bitcoin is a form of cryptocurrency or digital currency that has taken the world by storm. People interested in the stock market have been either cursing themselves for not investing in it earlier or thanking their lucky stars for investing at the right time. This question topped the list in countries like UK, South Africa, New Zealand, Kenya and Ireland.

Source: Pexels

 

That brings us to the end of the list of most searched on Google 2017. But the fun doesn’t end here. This wouldn’t be a wholesome piece of information without a few laughs now would it?

Here are a few of our favourite Google search queries from around the world:

Why do men have nipples? (Germany)

Who would’ve thought? This is exactly why we shouldn’t stereotype people.  Germans, known for their serious demeanour and personalities, were extremely curious about this one. We are not sure what triggered this mass curiosity, but it was one of the top questions asked by the country. And for all those who are now curious after reading this, the answer is evolution.

How to stay young? (UK)

Cleopatra bathed in the milk of donkeys; the Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai drank his own urine on a regular basis. Staying young and youthful has been the concern of many a people. UK’s ageing population with 63.1% between the ages of 16 and 64, wanted to know how they could remain youthful for longer. With most of the population perhaps facing a quarter-life and mid-life crisis, it’s unsurprising that this question is on many of their minds too.
Source: ons.gov.uk

How to make Banana Banana bread? (Thailand)

It’s just banana bread. Really, we looked at the recipe and it’s plain ol’ Banana Bread, except some clever cook decided to call it Banana Banana Bread, and it’s like all of Thailand wanted to try it!

 

How to remove Holi color from face? (India)

We were particularly amused by the specificity of this question. Indians wanted to know how one could remove Holi colour from, specifically, their faces.  Amusing as it was to us, the question was one that sought useful information. And while we’re talking about Holi, it must be mentioned that colours that contain high percentages of chemicals tend to stay on your skin longer. So make sure you use organic colours in the coming years.

Source: Flickr

 

What India Googled in 2017

India has a total of over 460 million internet users, making us the second largest internet using country in the world. The surprising fact was that only 27% of India’s population had access to the internet in 2015. More men (71%) use the internet than women (29%) do. We wanted to find out what interested our country and this is what we found:

In sports

Indian Premier League

Well, there’s nothing that describes Indians more than their love for cricket. And one of the most awaited and beloved cricket experiences in India has to be the Indian Premier League (IPL). With a mix of entertainment, sports, team spirit, celebrities, music, dance and more; this heart-racing nail-biting event is one that Indians all around the world look forward to.

Source: Flickr

 

How to

How to link Aadhaar with Pan Card

The Aadhaar has been confusing our minds for a few years now. So when the government made it mandatory to link identification systems, apps, sim cards and everything else we require on a daily basis to our Aadhaar Cards, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that this question topped the list.

 

Near Me

Post Office Near Me

Just when we thought people didn’t use post offices anymore. Nope. Not in India. The post office still remains the backbone of the country’s communication systems. India has the most widely distributed postal network in the world, making it one of the most important communication national communication channel in the country.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

 

What Is

What is GST?

The GST tax was promulgated under the GST Act on July 1, 2017. It was one of the most anticipated moves on the part of the Government. It had everybody wondering with questions like “Is it compulsory? Does it mean things get cheaper or more expensive? How do we calculate it?”, etc.The GST is a tax that is levied on all goods and services and it has helped turn India into a unified common market.

Some other topics that caught the interest of fellow Indians include the UP election results, CBSE results, and the ICC Champions Trophy.

 

What Did You Search For?

That brings us to the end of to our list of “What People Searched for on Google in 2017”. Let us know what caught your interest in the comments below. Feel free to drop any suggestion for what else you would like us to write about.