A year in South African search: Google’s trending searches of 2022

Google has released its Year in Search results, which capture all of the information and questions South Africans sought out in 2022.

Google’s Year in Search is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and spotlights what the world searches to see, learn and do. In a year characterised by increased load shedding, a war in Ukraine, a football World Cup and deaths of a number of high profile South Africans, the public turned to Google for more information.

For the second year in a row, the top trending search term in South Africa related to social grants as South Africans sought to find out more about the R350 Sassa Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. Wordle, the online word game that captured the world’s attention, was the second most searched term, followed by climate change. Other top trending searches were related to the war in Ukraine, load shedding, typhoid fever and monkeypox.

“The annual Year in Search results are a good example of Google’s commitment to organising the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful, in action. This year’s results show that Google is a trusted source of information when South Africans are uncertain, sad, or looking for ways to learn more or entertain themselves,” says Dr Alistair Mokoena, country director for Google South Africa.

When it comes to the people South Africans searched, American rapper Jaden Smith topped the list, followed in second place by his father Will Smith, who was searched alongside Chris Rock following the slapping incident at the Oscars. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard occupied third and fourth places after their protracted and public court case.

It was a sad year for music in South Africa, with a number of high profile deaths. Beloved rapper Riky Rick was the most searched loss. South Africans also turned to Google to find out more following the deaths of musicians Dj Sumbody, Takeoff and Dj Dimplez. 

Big Brother Mzansi was the most searched for TV show or movie in South Africa with the Addams Family adaptation, Wednesday, following in second place. Black Panther 2 and Wakanda Forever both feature in the top 10 trending searches for TV shows and movies.

It is no secret that South Africa is a sports loving nation and the 2022 Year in Search results encapsulate this perfectly. Football occupies the top three searches – with World Cup 2022 fixtures as the top trending sport search, followed by Afcon and South Africa’s women’s football team Banyana Banyana. The rest of the top 10 also features searches for tennis (Australian Open), rugby (Springboks v All Blacks) and cricket (South Africa v India).

Curiosity remained high among citizens, with a variety of questions around climate change, current affairs and pop culture being searched. Some of these searches included ‘what is global warming’, ‘what is drought’, ‘who is the new Black Panther’ and ‘how to check matric results online’.

Here are the trending searches in 2022: 

For more information on  Google’s Year in Search across the globe visit the Google’s trends site.