Google’s top searches of lockdown revealed: ‘Panic attack’, ‘hug’ and ‘prayer’ peaked amid the pandemic while ‘party’, ‘travel visa’ and ‘festival’ hit an all-time low
- Google released a one off look at searches in 2020 a year on from lockdown
- They found a rise in positive terms like hope, huge and prayer through the year
- At the same time social terms like travel visa, festival and party saw a decline
Positive terms such as ‘hope’, ‘hug’ and ‘prayer’ peaked on Google search in 2020 at the expense of ‘party’ and ‘festival’ thanks to the country being in lockdown.
A year on from the start of the first coronavirus lockdown, Google has released some of the search trends spanning the past 12 months.
Searches for hope, hug and prayer were dramatically higher in 2020 than in most years, particularly hug, with people missing the opportunity to be close to family and friends.
The results paint a picture of the mood of a nation, with searches for ‘panic attack’, ‘hypochondriasis’ and ‘how to help’ also reaching a new high, according to Google.
The trends data revealed that terms related to socialising and going out saw a record low dip throughout the year, with lockdown first starting in March 2020, included terms like ‘party’, ‘festival’, and ‘travel visa’.
A surge in people looking up ‘puppy’, ‘barbecue’, ‘books’ and ‘hot tub’ gives a sense of the types of things users sought out to cope during the pandemic.
Searches for hope, hug and prayer were dramatically higher in 2020 than in most years, particularly hug, with people missing the opportunity to be close to family and friends
Positive terms such as ‘hope’, ‘hug’ and ‘prayer’ peaked on Google search in 2020 at the expense of ‘party’ and ‘festival’ thanks to the country being in lockdown
Top lockdown searches
April 2020
1. Can I drive to exercise?
2. Can I get tested for coronavirus?
3. Can I claim universal credit?
4. Can I wash my car during lockdown?
5. Can I drive to walk my dog?
November 2020
1. Can I travel to Wales?
2. Can I move house during lockdown?
3. Can I travel during lockdown?
4. Can I travel from tier 3 to tier 2?
5. Can I go fishing in lockdown?
January 2021
1. Can I move house during lockdown?
2. Can I drive to exercise?
3. Can I go fishing in lockdown?
4. Can I go on holiday?
5. Can I meet a friend for a walk?
‘Public toilet’ and ‘pub’ experienced a boost in the summer months of 2020 as the first lockdown started to ease, but with social distancing restrictions still in place.
Over the past 12 months, Google found that ‘when will lockdown end?’ was searched 165% more in the UK than ‘when will coronavirus end?’.
The data also gives an insight into what people missed most during the three lockdowns, the search giant explained.
They found ‘when will McDonald’s open again?’ came top in April, ‘when will golf courses open?’ top in November, and ‘when will hairdressers open?’ in January 2021.
Users have also found themselves searching for sleep and dream more often through 2020, particularly towards the end of the year.
Studies showed that during the early days of lockdown people were finding it harder to fall asleep, but at the same time experiencing more intense dreams.
People were experiencing more intense and longer-lasting dreams due to cabin fever, according to Professor Mark Blagrove from Swansea University.
The psychologist said this was due to a lack of stimulation caused by staying at home for days on end is changing the way people sleep and dream.
This was likely reflected in the Google search trends as people attempted to make sense of their insomnia and intense dreaming.
The trends data revealed that terms related to socialising and going out saw a record low dip throughout the year, with lockdown first starting in March 2020
Searches for party, travel visa and festival all plummeted aftere lockdown compared to previous years search history
Users were also keen to find out whether they can travel, move house and how to apply for universal credit over the course of 2020.
Other common terms, particularly in April 2020 and January 2021 related to the reopening of schools, hairdressers and non-essential shops.
Users have also found themselves searching for sleep and dream more often through 2020, particularly towards the end of the year
Studies showed that during the early days of lockdown people were finding it harder to fall asleep, but at the same time experiencing more intense dreams
Puppy and books have remained consistently high throughout the year, but after a spike in March and April, public toilets, barbecue, pup and hot tub all dropped off dramatically.
The ‘Year in Search’ data revealed that Coronavirus topped the search terms list throughout most of the world, with coronavirus symptoms also appearing.
Google also tracks searchers linked to questions, finding that ‘How to make a face mask?’ and ‘How to make hand sanitiser’ topping the list of question searches.
Other common terms, particularly in April 2020 and January 2021 related to the reopening of schools, hairdressers and non-essential shops
The results paint a picture of the mood of a nation with searches for ‘panic attack’, ‘hypochondriasis’ and ‘how to help’ also reaching a new high, according to Google
Other questions included how to make bread, get tested for coronavirus and, with barbers and hairdressers shut for most of the year, how to cut your own hair.
‘Eat out to help out’, ‘coronavirus stats’ and ‘furlough’ were also popular searches.
Google saw an upswing in supporting local communities and connecting deeper with others during lockdown, including searchers for how to support others.
People looked for companions to keep them company while working from home, with a surge in searches for puppy compared to average year figures
Puppy and books have remained consistently high throughout the year, but after a spike in March and April, public toilets, barbecue, pup and hot tub all dropped off dramatically
This included those with depression, those with mental health crises, those with small businesses and students.
There has been a dramatic shift in what people ask over the 12 months, from ‘What is coronavirus’ being the top term in January 2020, to ‘How many cases in my area’ topping the list in January 2021.
Users have also switched from asking how it started to when it will end, where is it found and how many have died to how long are you contagious and how many vaccinated so far in the UK.
TOP GOOGLE SEARCH QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19 BETWEEN JANUARY 2020 AND 2021
Top questions about coronavirus, January 2020 according to Google search trends in the UK:
- What is coronavirus?
- Is the coronavirus in the UK?
- How did coronavirus start?
- What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- Where is the coronavirus?
- Is there a cure for coronavirus?
- Is the coronavirus deadly?
- How is coronavirus spread?
- Where did the coronavirus come from?
- What caused coronavirus?
Top questions about coronavirus, January 2021
- How many coronavirus cases in my area?
- When will coronavirus end?
- When will lockdown end?
- How long are you contagious with coronavirus?
- How many are vaccinated in the UK?
- How long does coronavirus last?
- How many people have died from coronavirus?
- What is coronavirus?
- How many people have died from coronavirus today?
- When will I get the vaccine?
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