As we begin 2021 in a third national lockdown, is the new year how we initially hoped it would be?

2020 was a year full of lockdowns, Zoom quizzes, TikTok's and learning how to create a face mask out of a pair of old socks, and we relied on Google more than ever before to find out the answers!

Let's take a look back on the disaster of the year 2020 in the world of Google! So what weird, wacky and wonderful things did we search for when the world came to a complete standstill, and can these help us get through the current lockdown?

Digital Marketing Agency, Absolute Digital Media, conducted an in-depth analysis on the 2020 Google Search trends, and the results are fascinating to say the least.

We Had More Time On Our Hands:

In a time of furlough and schools being closed, as a nation we had more time on our hands than ever before. It was a time to enjoy the simple things life had to offer and to start new hobbies. With all the extra time on our hands and the extra long queues for supermarkets. The nation resorted to making food from scratch to pass the time. One of the most popular recipes searched for was “banana bread” along with “how to make chocolate”, “how to make pasta”, we even went as far asking Google how to make our own butter!

It wasn’t just food that we decided to make from scratch, with homes filled with restless children wanting to be entertained while parents attempt to work from home, as well as finding themselves in a new job role as teacher. The top searched “How to make…” term to keep the children happy and quiet while you answered your Zoom meetings was “how to make slime”, because what child doesn't love making a mess and covering the living room in slime?

Did We Discover Ourselves?

In the year we swapped going ‘out out’ for staying ‘in in’ we switched from jeans and heels, to joggers and slippers. We took the time to find ourselves, develop our style and experiment with new trends. With ‘’how to...’’ being another popular term searched: ‘‘how to find my style’’, ‘’how to style mom jeans’’, ‘’How to style sweatpants’’ and ‘’how to style an oversized shirt’’ were a selection of styles we were intrigued to know.

With our beloved hairdressers being closed we attempted to cut and style our own hair, with the assistance of Google. So what did we search? ‘’How to style bangs’’, ‘’how to style a beard’’ and ‘’how to style your hair’’. We need to make sure we are looking fresh for Zoom quizzes and meetings!

We couldn't forget Covid-19, we even searched ‘’How to make hand sanitizer’’ and ‘’how to wash your hands’’ in the midst of the pandemic. Did no one wash their hands before 2020? We discovered the correct length to wash our hands was 20 seconds, which is the duration of singing Happy Birthday twice. Get singing!

Do We Rely on Google a Little Too Much..

During a period of worry, panic and confusion, we turned to Google more than ever before but do we use Google a little too much? With the endless amount of restrictions, tiers and being unable to attend our regular health check-ups, Google became our best friend and doctor all in one. 2020 was the year we asked more questions than ever before, with the phrase ‘Why...’ becoming one of our most searched terms. But what did we actually want to know; ‘’Why is my poop green?’’, ‘‘Why is my hair falling out?’’, ‘‘Why is my tongue sore?’’, ‘‘Why is my period late?’’ and many more were searched by thousands of us EVERYDAY! Lets face it, we all have turned to Google after a small health concern and dived deep into a world of panic and fear thinking we only have 24 hours left to live. Is Google reliable though and can we trust what we read? Although we worried about our health and staying safe from Covid-19 there were many more questionable phrases researched despite everything that was happening around us, such as ‘’Why is the sky blue?’’, ‘’why is my car insurance so high?’’ and ‘’why is my Alexa blinking yellow’’.

In the year 2020, we asked more questions, experimented with new trends and widened our knowledge.

Whatever the outcome of 2021 may be, Google will always be there to answer our queries. What terms will we search now? What new trends will rise? Only time will tell…