The Year in Search: Google Data Shows Public Interest Shifts

Each day, Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second – or 3.5 billion queries each day on average.

This search data is a valuable indicator of public interest and societal trends, offering insights into collective behaviour patterns and shifting cultural priorities across global markets.

Now, the search giant has released its Year in Search 2024 data, revealing shifts in public interest across politics, sports and entertainment sectors from the year. The data – which analyses search volume and patterns throughout the year – provides a snapshot of public attention during a period marked by political transitions, sporting achievements and cultural revivals.

The company's analysis methodology focuses on identifying ‘trending’ queries – search terms that showed sustained increases in traffic compared to the previous year. This approach aims to highlight emerging topics rather than consistently popular searches, offering insights into changing public interests rather than established patterns.

Global political engagement through search data

The data indicates significant user engagement with political content, as searches related to elections worldwide increased. Questions about voting procedures and election timing featured prominently in search patterns, while queries about the US Presidential Election generated substantial search volume across multiple regions.

Matt Cooke, Head of Ecosystem Investment Programs, AI & Misinformation – Global News Programs at Google says: “2024 has been a year of comebacks, curiosity and community. Whether it's fans reuniting for Oasis, young sports players like Luke Littler making waves, or Brits voting in everything from elections to Eurovision, these searches show a nation full of passion and interest.”

Sports figures drive international search patterns

In the sports sector, emerging athletes gained prominence in search rankings alongside established names. Seventeen-year-old darts player Luke Littler was Google’s most searched athlete in the UK, surpassing established names from the Olympics and Premier League football. The data shows Littler also ranked third in overall personality searches, following Kate Middleton and Donald Trump.

The European Championship football tournament and Olympics generated substantial search traffic, with timing-related queries showing sustained interest. The data revealed users seeking information about viewing options and following athletes including Simone Biles, who placed high in athlete-related searches.

Littler addresses his placement in the rankings: “To be recognised in two of Google's Year in Search lists is a huge honour. It's been an amazing year for me personally, and for the sport of darts as a whole. I can’t quite believe I'm trending higher than both political leaders and royalty.”

Entertainment industry search patterns show digital shift

The search data also reveals evolving patterns in entertainment consumption, with streaming content generating substantial search volume. Queries about series including ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,’ ‘Fool Me Once,’ and ‘Baby Reindeer’ dominated television-related searches.

In cinema-related searches, sequel productions attracted significant interest. Users searched for information about upcoming releases including ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and literary adaptations, indicating sustained interest in established franchises across markets.

Music industry trends reflect digital age

In music-related searches, tour announcements and concert tickets generated high search volumes, with legacy acts and emerging artists showing similar patterns of interest. The data shows newer artists gaining search prominence alongside established performers, reflecting the evolving music landscape.

The search data reveals diversity in entertainment preferences, with users seeking information about both contemporary and nostalgic content. This pattern extends across television, with true crime series generating high search volumes alongside adaptations of established properties.

Matt Cooke from Google reflects: “It’s amazing to see what captivated global audiences, and it's always a privilege to highlight these moments in Google’s Year in Search.”

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