It is towards the end of the year. Time to reflect and time for Google to release the top search terms from Singapore. Surprisingly, Dawn Yang is in the Top 10 list of People of the Year. News release after the break.
A Year in Singapore Search: Google’s Top Searches of 2010
- Singaporeans are techies at heart: iPad and iPhone 4 topped Singapore’s list of fastest rising search terms of 2010, even beating teen heartthrob Justin Bieber
- The biggest sporting event on earth, the 2010 World Cup, dribbled its way to the top spot of 2010’s hottest events
- Hokkaido – Japan’s land of snowboarding and hot springs – topped this year’s list of holiday destinations, followed by Tibet and Taiwan
- Singaporeans are intrigued by Dan Brown’s Angel & Demons and the most common questions asked was “What is Illuminati”
Singapore, 9 December 2010 – Today, Google announced its annual Zeitgeist, a look at 2010 through the collective eyes of the world on the web. The 2010 Year-End Zeitgeist offers a unique perspective on the year’s major events and hottest trends based on global searches, as well as searches conducted in Singapore.
What are on Singaporeans’ minds?
A look at the fastest-rising search terms for 2010 reveals that Singaporeans were extremely keen on entertainment (Glee, Justin Bieber, inception), tech gadgets (iPad, iPhone 4), sports events (World Cup 2010, YOG),and latest hotspots (Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa).
Local film director Jack Neo beat teen hearthrob Justin Bieber to clinch the top spot on the fastest-rising people list as the local public kept a close eye on his controversial love affair. Amongst several international entertainment figures, a few other Singaporeans created buzz online, including Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and blogger Dawn Yang who made the top 10 list.
With one of the world’s most impressive smartphone penetration, it is no surprise that the latest mobile phones ruled Singapore’s gadget list – from the iPhone 4 to the HTC Desire. Besides food and technology, Singaporeans also love travelling. Throughout 2010, they opted for more adventurous holidays – be it snowboarding in Hokkaido or scaling the mountains in Tibet.
Take a look below to get a sense of the Zeitgeist, or spirit of the times, in Singapore in 2010!
Uniquely Singapore!
(Disclaimer: All lists are fastest-rising (or hottest) search terms. Also, all duplicates, as well as the country name “Singapore” have been removed from the list)
Battle of the IRs
Since the concept of the Integrated Resorts (IR) was locally introduced in 2005, Singaporeans have been waiting in keen anticipation for two of the world’s biggest casino brands setting up shop here. This year, we saw the opening of Resorts World Singapore (RWS) and Marina Bay Sands (MBS), and while each has its own unique concepts – be it top restaurants or theme parks – both have been at war to attract the crowds. While RWS and Universal Studios Singapore hit the our fastest rising search terms of 2010, MBS currently has a 20% lead in online searches. Watch this space to see who wins this battle!
Smart Singaporeans
2010 has indeed been the year of the smartphones and saw the worldwide launch of several devices including the iPhone 4, Nexus One and Windows 7 phone. Even as Singapore’s population surged past five million, the number of mobile phones rose even faster to reach over seven million – an average of 1.4 phones per person. Forty percent are smartphones, making its penetration rate one of the highest globally. Compared to 2009, we saw search queries for ‘smartphone’ increase by over 15% in 2010. What will be the trend in 2011?
In addition to telling us what people are curious about in Singapore, Google Zeitgeist tools also offer insight into which topics were of interest across the globe. Top search terms from over fifty countries appear on our Google Zeitgeist webpage, www.google.com.sg/zeitgeist2010 — from political candidates in the United States, to online games in South Korea.
This year’s global fastest rising searches show interest in new tech trends with chatroulette at the top, followed by the iPad; pop culture (with Justin Bieber, a bonafide worldwide sensation), and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Global Fastest Rising Queries
1. chatroulette
2. ipad
3. justin bieber
4. nicky minaj
5. friv
6. myxer
7. katy perry
8. twitter
9. gamezer
10. facebook
To see more information about Google Zeitgeist across the globe, take a look at the site: www.google.com.sg/zeitgeist2010
Zeitgeist Explained
Google reveals the internet “Zeitgeist” (German for “the spirit of the times”) through an exploration of the billions of search queries we receive each year. In addition to the Year-end Zeitgeist, which highlights the top trends of 2010, we also have several tools that give insight into global, regional, past and present search trends. Google Zeitgeist tools can never be used to identify individual users because we rely on anonymized, aggregated counts of how often certain search queries occur over time. These tools are available year-round for you to play with, explore, and learn from: www.google.com/zeitgeist
About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.google.com.sg.
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