The most popular searches in 2020

© Google.

Google has just released its list of top search terms used in its search engine in 2020. Interestingly, you can break down the searches by country. The world’s top search word is, not surprisingly, “coronavirus”, followed by “election results”, “Kobe Bryant” (the American basketball player who died in a helicopter crash in January), “Zoom” (the defining application of the year) and IPL (Indian Premier League (i.e. cricket)). Canadians were also interested in the American elections, Coronavirus, Zoom and Bryant, but the Toronto Raptors beat out cricket. Still in Canada, Kim Jong Un attracted more interest than Joe Biden, and the most popular TV show was, as elsewhere, Tiger King. Canadians asked their favorite search engine some practical questions: why is everyone buying toilet paper, how to apply for employment insurance, and how to cut your own hair. Quebeckers’ favorite recipe was Ricardo’s bread, while the rest of Canadians wanted easy cookie recipes. Another noteworthy, if woeful, question was “What to do when you’re bored”. Google Search reflects a year that we’d rather forget, and that we can’t wait to see the end of.

⇨ YouTube, “Google — Year In Search 2020.”

⇨ Google, “Year in Search 2020.”