The article also discusses the influence of social media on search trends, exemplified by the viral popularity of Dubai chocolate bars, which gained traction after a TikTok video. This underscores a shift in how younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are turning to platforms like TikTok for discovering trends and news, potentially impacting Google's future search data. Despite the rise of Generative AI and social media, Google remains a dominant force in online search, though it may need to adapt by incorporating more data from platforms like YouTube to maintain its relevance.
Key takeaways:
- Google's "Year in Search" highlights trending search terms that saw significant spikes in 2024, rather than the most consistently popular terms like "weather."
- Sporting events dominated the top global search trends, with Copa América and UEFA European Championship leading the list.
- Donald Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, was a major focus in search trends, ranking higher than Kamala Harris both globally and in the U.S.
- Dubai chocolate bars became a trending search topic due to their viral popularity on TikTok, showcasing the influence of social media on search trends.