Google provides a regular summary of past search trends, posted at what they call ‘Google Zeitgeist’ – referring to the spirit of the times. 2005 Year-End Google Zeitgeist provides three lists for watchers of popular culture, along with some analysis of patterns of public interest in world affairs, nature, movies, celebrities and phenomena.
I must admit that I’ve paid some notice to Google trends in the choice of posts at Duncan’s TV Ad Land and the newly emerging Music Videos blog, not to mention the development of the Da Vinci Code Onlineblog. You have to draw the line somewhere though. I posted an article on the Britney Spears Perfume television ads but won’t be writing up the Paris Hilton Carls Jr Burger Car Wash commercial.
Top Gainers of 2005 from Google.com
1. Myspace – an online community
2. Ares – the open source file sharing program
3. Baidu – Chinese search engine with mp3 feature
4. Wikipedia – the collaborative free online encyclopaedia
5. Orkut – an online community launched by Google
6. iTunes – Apple software with an online store
7. Sky News – UK site
8. World of Warcraft – online role-playing experience set in the Warcraft universe.
9. Green Day – Californian Pop Punk Band
10. Leonardo da Vinci – renaissance artist whose work has been popularised by Dan Brown’s novel, Da Vinci Code. As clever as he was, he wasn’t able to put together his web site before he died.
Top Searches from Google News
1. Janet Jackson – the Superbowl Wardrobe Malfunction, February 5
2. Hurricane Katrina – August 29
3. Tsunami – December 26
4. Xbox 360 – November 22
5. Brad Pitt – Mr Smith
6. Michael Jackson
7. American Idol – Fox show
8. Britney Spears – expectant mother
9. Angelina Jolie – Mrs Smith
10. Harry Potter – book launch and movie
Top Product Searches from Froogle
1. iPod
2. Digital camera
3. mp3 player
4. iPod mini
5. PSP – Playstation Portable
6. Laptop
7. Xbox
8. iPod shuffle
9. Computer desk
10. iPod nano