Google annual review: what was Austria looking for?
The ranking of the most popular Google search queries gives information about topics that occupy, interest and polarize. In 2021 it was the pandemic again, but also sport and the climate.
The Google ranking of the country’s most popular search terms also shows in 2021 what particularly moved Austrians. On the basis of over a billion search queries, Google compiles a list of the most searched terms on the web every year. In the “News & International” category, the discussion on the time change is clearly ahead, the risk of the upheavals in Afghanistan. The worldwide Facebook and WhatsApp disruption, which lasted for several hours, even made it to third place. The corona pandemic and the European championship are strongly represented in the top 10 most frequent search queries in Austria.
Overall, the three most frequent search queries in Austria this year were “Corona” and “Alles gurgelt”. The questions “What is a PCR test?” And “How long does a PCR test last? Top the list of W- The pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding current regulations, travel regulations and the risk of infection run like a red thread through all categories of the Rankings. Search terms such as “lockdown”, “3G”, “FFP2 mask” or “antigen test” keep coming up.
Testing and vaccination are very popular
Wolfgang Fasching-Kapfenberger, press spokesman for Google Austria, says: “It was hardly surprising that the coronavirus was strongly represented in the trending search terms of the year, as it was in 2020. The main focus of user interest this year was on the subjects of testing and vaccination. It was particularly interesting for us that in 2021, for the first time, climate and environmental events recorded a sharp increase in search queries. A sign of the increasing importance these issues have gained in our lives. “
The European Championship replaced “Corona” as the search term from the previous year, but only moved it down one place. Nevertheless: “The wish that the virus is now under control has not come true. Corona continues to frequent search queries this year like no other topic, “says Fasching-Kapfenberger. The information requirements of Austrians in 2021 ranged from the validity of the PCR test to the green passport, the lockdown for unvaccinated persons to AstraZeneca.
Climate and environmental issues on the advance
Fortunately, the year also had a few other topics to offer: The ABBA comeback, the song contest, major sporting events, but also the federal election in Germany and the question of the age of the most important queen attracted great interest among users . In the same way, topics such as climate, nature and the environment have moved the population. Thunderstorm and heat warnings were googled exceptionally often, but there was also a great need for information about the climate ticket.
In the area of chronicle, the people in Austria were primarily interested in the practicable. For example, there was a lot of research into where to buy FFP2 masks or what the current regulations for entering and leaving the country are like. Questions about the vaccination quota in Austria or the 3G regulation in the workplace as well as the lockdown for unvaccinated people have occupied the population. Political issues such as the MFG party or the election in Upper Austria are also very popular with search queries.
Great interest in politicians and athletes
When searching for international public figures, athletes in particular recorded a sharp increase in search queries. At the top is Danish footballer Christian Eriksen, who suffered cardiac arrest at this year’s European Championship and shocked fans around the world. Olympian Annika Schleu, who made a controversial riding appearance in the modern pentathlon, also made it into the top 10. The tragic events surrounding the actor Alec Baldwin also moved the users very much, the Hollywood star reached second place in the ranking.
In Austria, politics and sport in particular reserve interest in public figures. Former Chancellors Sebastian Kurz and Alexander Schallenberg, but also the plagiarism affair of ex-labor minister Christine Aschbacher or the statements of FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl and Salzburg governor Wilfried Haslauer occupy the population. In addition to politicians, the internet was mainly looking for athletes. Dominic Thiem, Marko Arnautović and Marcel Hirscher, for example, were very popular with Google.
The year 2021 was also marked by the loss of some known and cherished people. Hugo Portisch, one of Austria’s most important journalists, died this year, and Arik Brauer, a great artist and contemporary witness. The surprising death of the German entertainer Willi Herren raises many questions and concerns – this can be seen from the sharp rise in the search. Likewise the life of Prince Philip.
Focus on tennis during sport
Despite the pandemic, 2021 was a year of major sporting events. In addition to the Olympic Games, the European Championship arouses the most search interest. The European Championship soccer game with the greatest thrill for domestic fans – Austria versus Italy – was also very interesting online. Four tennis tournaments can also be found in the top 10 of this category and show that Austrian users are not only football fans but also big tennis fans: Australian Open, US Open, the French Open and the Rome Masters retrieved again and again.
“How many genders are there?”
In the case of the waters mainly clear – with a corona reference. Among other things, the search was for answers to what a PCR test was or what the 2G rule meant. One of the Austrians’ classic questions about what to cook in “Jahr in der Suche” now makes it into the top 3. Apparently, many users are still wondering what a podcast is. This question was already in the top 10 last year.
For search queries that begin with “How”, the topic of Covid-19 was also right at the front. “How long is a PCR test valid?” Heads the list, but there are also questions about the Green Pass or the duration of the lockdown. In addition to meta-topics like these, the Austrians in 2021, according to the search engine, were also interested in how “Tom & Jerry” ends or “how the weather will be tomorrow”.
Five of the W question categories made it into the best of list. First and foremost the almost philosophical question, “Where am I?” When users search for dinosaur sounds or what “I love you” means in this language, “What does rawr mean? in second place. Even how many there are today, it makes it into the ranking of 2021 in view of current topics.
>> Google trends
Google’s trending tools are available to the public to learn, research, or try out. The data can be filtered in different ways: by subject, time, place and by language.
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