The Google Chronicles: The Questions We Asked

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It’s not the latest Netflix show. Inspired by a BBC study about the most popular searches made during the now-lifted lockdown, we took to searching Google Trends in Malta during April-May and picked out our favourites. Percentages are drawn from the same searches made last year during the same timeframe. The real question however is: will these searches stick around now that most restrictions are being lifted?

1. Breaking B(re)ad 

If you felt you saw an increase in friends baking bread, you were right. “Maltese bread” as a topic search increased by 100%, bread recipe by 160% and the search term “how to make bread” grew by 170%. The most popular locations were Nadur and Had-Dingli, so if you need a bread fix, check your friends living there…they might be cooking something up.

2. Hair-raising stuff 

With hairdresser and barber restrictions somewhat lifted, the significant trends during the lockdown were “short hair” and “hair colour” searches, both at 100%. Things were about to get…hairy.

3. Food & Bevvie 


Onto the good stuff on a broader scale, the search term “burgers ink menu” grew by almost 2,000%, Corona Beer searches saw a 1,050% increase (coincidence? We think not). Ricotta pie saw jumped 400%, but “Kwarezimal recipe” was the highest climber at a whopping 3,500%. 

4. Love, love, love 

“Relationship quotes” and “love quotes for him” rose 250% and 110% respectively, so it would seem that time inside has stoked the flames of love after all.

5. This is the Way 

Though reaching its peak in January, the Mandalorian had another spike in search activity in late March and April (probably due to yours truly). Fantastic show too. 

6. It’s Just a Game (it never is) 

The search term “games” increased by 100% on the week of March 15th. In the same week, PlayStation 4 searches also jumped but with lockdown firmly in place across the globe, “football” searches went down by 74% as all major sporting events were stopped (relief for some, anguish for others). 

Pretty compelling, don’t you think? If there are any insights you’d like to know about, just head to Google Trends, select your country of interest and start digging!


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