3 Search Trends Since Covid-19: What are People Searching for?

The pandemic has changed many things – a clear shift to digital, but also how we use the internet, online resources, and SEO. But what are people searching for since COVID-19? In this article, we take a look at 3 search trends induced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Trend #1: People do investigation

The search interest for research-based terms has grown considerably in 2020 and will continue to grow in 2021. Especially the search interest around “ideas” and “how-to” has grown considerably. For example, the keywords “simple ideas” and “ideas at home” have grown 200-300% from 2019. Notably, many of these ideas have been in the DIY, Home, and Garden categories. Many people shifted to home upgrading, house modernization, and house refurbishment. That is understandable – lots of people were suddenly working from home and had nowhere to go. Vacation was also less of a given, compared to the previous years. As a result of this extra free time, people have started to spend more time in their homes.

Working from home also led to a digital shift. Meetings often take place online through programs such as Zoom. Therefore, the keyword “Zoom” was in the top 5 of most used keywords on Google during 2020.

Trend #2: Online shopping

People who were not shopping online before probably started doing so in the past year. During the lockdowns, shops and restaurants had to close. People went online looking for a digital alternative. For the catering industry, takeout was a means of survival. Search interest for the keywords takeaways and deliveries increased worldwide. Takeaway searches were especially popular during holiday periods. According to the Global Connected Consumer Index, 28% more consumers are shopping online weekly than before the pandemic.

Another interesting development is the search behavior for discount codes. In the first months of the lockdown, people worldwide searched for discount codes more often.

Trend #3: Buying local becomes important

There is a greater interest in local businesses and more people are searching for local businesses. During the first lockdown, a lot of attention was paid to actions such as “support local businesses” or #supportyourlocalbusiness. Many people are still looking to support small businesses in their area. As a result, the search interest for the search term “near me” is important.

Wouter Maatman

Digital Marketing Manager at Icecat N.V.