Google just released their 2020 year-in-review video, and even though they’re always full of emotion, inspiration, and hope every year, this year hit differently.
In the past, the top Google searches have been “educational”, in a sense, but for entertainment purposes. 2019 saw a lot of searches in sports for the Women’s World Cup and Copa America. There were searches for celebrities in music and movies, the latest fashion trends, and “farmhouse style” homes. People wanted to know where they should go for vacation, but specifically, where is Area 51? The top news searches of 2019 were tracking Hurricane Dorian, how to make donations to the Notre Dame Cathedral, and, seriously, when was the Area 51 raid happening (and were they going to stream it?)
2020 was the year of “why”, according to the Google’s Year in Search video. People were trying to understand what the Corona virus was and why it was affecting the stock of toilet paper at every store. The top searched celebrity was Tom Hanks because people were concerned about his well-being when he announced he tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of the normal beauty trend searches, people needed to know how to cut hair at home and even how to properly wash their hands. Gone are the vanity searches about surface level information, and in is finding ways to help others. Everything from virtual field trips, to unemployment resources, and how to donate blood, the way people are searching, and what they’re searching for, has officially changed.
How relevant are these trends to marketing? Enter: blogs. Blogs are often strategically used as a way to bridge two items: what people find interesting (trends, relevant news, lifestyle) and how a business’s product or service can relate to that. In past years, it was common to see blogs relating farmhouse style home trends to an interior design service or a window company promoting a new product line. But it’s important to see the shift in Google searches, and reflect that shift in your blogs. Instead of relating to materialistic items or trends, speak to the work being done in your community to help others, and how your product or service is being used to help. The world is becoming more empathetic, make sure your business is, too!
Agency Creative is a full-service Dallas advertising agency committed to creating real, authentic human connections based on brand truths. We don’t just build brands; we connect them.
