Year in Search: New Zealand’s Top Trending Searches for 2021 Revealed

Search can help you find a world of information – and the way people use Search can be a window into the world. 

Here’s a glimpse of the trending searches of 2021, a year we looked for ways to tie a tie, make self-raising flour and solve a Rubik’s Cube. The highs and lows of the year had us keeping updated on locations of interest, looking into crypto and stock prices and taking our measure on the latest standings of the Olympics medal table. Collectively we mourned losses, marvelled at the Met and spent a few afternoons getting the latest announcements from the Ministry of Health.

Here’s a look at some of the themes from 2021:

Comeback Queens and Kings.

2021 was a year of reunions, redemptions and triumphant releases of the musical kind. We were treated to a 90s throwback with our favourite Friends reuniting on the Central Perk couch. Tiger Woods defied odds to get back on the green and swinging; Adele graced the airwaves to teach us all about 30, and the world celebrated when Cleo Smith was returned to her family safe and sound. We searched for banana bread, scones and carrot cake with almost as much vigour as 2020 - though this year we also had guacamole and playdough on the menu.

Crises, COVID-19 and remember that blocked Canal?

Natural disasters captured our attention this year - both on our shores and farther afield. With earthquakes and tsunamis putting us on high alert, we were also shaken by news of the Kermadec Islands. Understandably we continued to seek more and more information about the pandemic, in a year where the vaccine, new variants and changing restrictions kept us on our toes. We sought answers about the crisis in Afghanistan. And remember that supply chain snafu in the Suez Canal?

Shocking absolutely no-one: Kiwis love sport!

Despite a global pandemic, Kiwis were spoiled with a number of suspenseful, powerful and history-making sporting events this year. As always we searched for games of cricket and all their stats, whether it’s us, India, Australia or Pakistan on the pitch - we’re not partial! We spent days on the water with the America’s Cup in Tāmaki Makaurau’s harbour, Lisa Carrington and the other heroic paddlers in Tokyo, and of course Sophie Pascoe’s medal winning triumph in the Paralympics. Once the Olympics medal table was in the rear view mirror, we celebrated Emma Radacanu’s title win. Because not only did our homegrown athletic heroes make us proud, but we had the NBA, Australian Open, NRL and Euros in the line up!

Understanding the oddities of our world.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. While the world battled COVID-19, we saw our own surge of RSV through the tail end of winter. We wondered when the next Blood Moon would be, and although it comes every year, we struggled to remember when daylight savings ends or even when to treat our loved ones on Valentine’s, Mother’s or Father’s Days. When seeking a little escapism from our daily lives, our searches show we found entertainment in Squid Game, Sweet Tooth and Bridgerton all bringing new perspectives on reality to our small screens. While we’re discussing fact or fiction…what really is going on with Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian?

Every day, millions of people come to Google to ask questions. Check out the top trending search lists here:

Overall

• COVID-19 NZ
• NBA
• Stuff NZ
• Australia vs India
• NRL
• Locations of interest
• Olympic medal table
• Cricinfo
• My covid record
• Australian Open

Kiwis

• Lisa Carrington
• Lydia Ko
• Judith Collins
• Brian Tamaki
• Chris Cairns
• Lorde
• Sophie Pascoe
• Joseph Parker
• Nicola Willis
• Valerie Adams

Global Figures

• Alec Baldwin
• Cleo Smith
• Travis Scott
• Kyle Rittenhouse
• Pete Davidson
• Emma Raducanu
• Adele
• Tiger Woods
• Conor McGregor
• Simone Biles

News Events (non COVID-19)

• Tsunami warning NZ
• Kermadec Islands
• RSV
• Earthquakes today
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Cleo Smith
• Afghanistan
• Kyle Rittenhouse
• Suez Canal
• Blood moon

When

• When is fathers day nz
• When is the next covid announcement nz
• When does daylight saving end
• When is valentines day
• When is the next blood moon
• When does the olympics finish
• When is auckland going to level 3
• When does lockdown end nz
• When is the next america's cup race
• When is mothers day nz

Recipes - Sweet

• Apple crumble recipe
• Carrot cake recipe
• Scones recipe
• Cinnamon rolls recipe
• Pancakes recipe
• Banana cake recipe
• Banana bread recipe
• chocolate brownie recipe
• Cheesecake recipe
• Afghan recipe

Recipes - Savoury

• Guacamole recipe
• Pumpkin soup recipe
• Pizza dough recipe
• Bread recipe
• Carbonara recipe
• Naan bread recipe
• Focaccia recipe
• Playdough recipe nz
• Cottage pie recipe
• Hash brown recipe

Loss

• Sean Wainui
• Prince Philip
• Gabby Petito
• DMX
• Sean Lock
• Olivia Podmore
• Brian Laundrie
• Sarah Everard
• Helen McCrory
• Charlie Watts

COVID-19 Related

• COVID-19 NZ
• Locations of interest
• My covid record
• Covid cases today NZ
• Ministry of Health
• My vaccine pass
• Book my vaccine
• My health account
• Traffic light system NZ
• Covid vaccine

Sports

• NBA
• Australia vs India
• NRL
• Olympic medal table
• Cricinfo
• Australian Open
• Pakistan vs New Zealand
• Euros
• America's Cup
• India vs England

TV Shows

• Squid Game
• Bridgerton
• Sweet Tooth
• Firefly Lane
• The Serpent
• Wandavision
• Clickbait
• Friends Reunion
• Maid
• Ginny and Georgia