Google Shares the Top Search Trends of 2024

As 2024 wraps up, Google has released its annual “Year in Search” report, highlighting the trends that captured global attention. This comprehensive snapshot offers insights into the events, people, and cultural moments that dominated online searches, along with shifts in how people are using Google’s evolving search tools.

Here’s a breakdown of the major trends from 2024 and their implications for marketers looking to stay ahead.

Global Search Highlights

The top global searches reflect the year’s most significant events, with world sports dominating the list:

• Copa América and UEFA European Championship were the most searched global sports events.
• The U.S. elections captured the top spot in news searches, with names like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris trending heavily in the “People” category.
• Interest in climate change and its impacts also ranked high in global news searches, signaling its importance as a conversation driver.

Marketing Insight:
Capitalize on the widespread interest in major events by aligning your campaigns with real-time moments. For example, brands could create content around environmental issues or leverage the popularity of international sports to engage a broader audience.

Entertainment Trends

In pop culture, key trends include:

• "Inside Out 2" emerged as the top movie of the year.
• Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” topped global music searches.
• A viral video from August spurred searches for the phrase “demure meaning,” showcasing the power of unexpected cultural moments to drive interest.

Marketing Insight:
Monitor trending movies, songs, and viral moments to create timely, relevant content. Brands can use these cultural touchpoints for creative campaigns, such as referencing popular movies in social media ads or creating playlists around trending music.

The Rise of New Search Behaviors

Google highlighted how users are increasingly using tools like Lens and Circle to Search to enhance their search experiences:

• Visual searches often focused on translation, shopping, and object identification.
• Queries combining text and images became more common, helping users understand or learn about complex subjects.

Marketing Insight:
Adapt your content for multimodal search experiences. Ensure your visuals are optimized for tools like Lens by including relevant metadata and high-quality images. For product-based businesses, make sure your items are easily discoverable in visual search scenarios.

Google Maps Trends

Searches on Google Maps showcased a growing interest in unique travel destinations:

• Italy’s Arena di Verona became the top-searched stadium globally.
• The Sphere in Las Vegas led U.S. searches for visitor attractions.

Marketing Insight:
Travel and tourism brands should optimize their Google Maps listings with updated photos, reviews, and detailed descriptions. Highlight nearby attractions and create location-based promotions to capture the attention of users exploring these destinations.

Sports and Viral Crossovers

Sports events had a notable crossover with cultural trends:

• Usher, the top-trending musician in the U.S., gained attention following his Super Bowl halftime show.
• The quirky “Olympics chocolate muffins” recipe trended globally after a viral moment involving Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen.

Marketing Insight:
Look for intersections between sports and culture to create unique, engaging content. For instance, food brands could highlight recipes tied to popular sporting moments, while entertainment brands can align campaigns with halftime shows or viral trends.

A Shift in Search Methods

Google noted a continued evolution in how people search, with more users relying on alternative methods like:

• Voice Search (though official adoption stats remain sparse).
• Hum to Search, which highlights songs stuck in users’ heads.

Marketing Insight:
As search behaviors diversify, marketers should ensure their content is adaptable to non-traditional search methods. Create engaging audio assets for voice search optimization and tap into music-related trends by aligning with popular tracks or artists.

Localized Insights

Google’s report also dives into specific data for over 200 U.S. metropolitan areas, offering marketers a chance to tailor campaigns to local trends and interests.

Marketing Insight:
Leverage regional insights to refine location-based marketing strategies. Use Google’s data to identify the most relevant cultural moments and adjust your messaging to resonate with local audiences.

Key Takeaways for Marketers

Google’s 2024 “Year in Search” serves as both a reflection of the year’s big moments and a guide for future marketing strategies. Here are three actionable steps for marketers:

1. Embrace Timely Trends: Align campaigns with major global and cultural events to remain relevant.
2. Prepare for Multimodal Searches: Optimize your content for text, image, and voice searches to cater to evolving user behaviors.
3. Capitalize on Localized Data: Use Google’s regional insights to craft hyper-targeted campaigns for specific markets.

Google’s “Year in Search 2024” highlights the cultural moments, technological shifts, and evolving behaviors shaping how people engage with content online. For marketers, these insights aren’t just a retrospective—they’re a roadmap for understanding what resonates with audiences and how to craft campaigns that connect in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

For more details, check out Google’s Year in Search 2024 hub.