Google is sharing insights into search trends on Google Maps, a rare set of search data that can help local merchants.
Local survey data for the month of January traditionally provides insight into people’s New Year’s resolution plans, with searches for gyms, healthy restaurants, winter vacations, and various ways to increase self-improvement during this month.
Unique in January 2021, this Google Maps search data set provides insight into what people are doing when they leave home at a time when travel is discouraged.
The data reveals that people are doing many of the same things they do every January, with a different approach this year.
Instead of searching for international travel destinations, people are looking for local travel. Instead of looking for the nearest gym, people are looking for exercise at home.
Advertising
Continue reading below
Here is a more in-depth analysis of Google Maps search trends in January 2021.
Google Maps search trends
Google data on search trends on Maps compares December 2019 to January 2020 with December 2020 to January 2021 to identify which queries have increased (or decreased) this year.
Local Travel
People are more focused on local travel this year than international travel.
Searches for countries outside one’s hometown remained stable in January. This can be attributed to the travel restrictions of COVID-19.
For comparison, in January 2020, Maps searches for international destinations increased 65% over the previous month.
Search by location Bed & Breakfast increased by 20% in January 2021 compared to the end of 2020, which is a sign that people’s travel habits have moved closer to home, rather than around the world.
Google notes that ski resorts are trends “in style” on Maps. Ski resort searches are twice as high as in January 2020. This is probably because skiing is a socially distant activity.
Advertising
Continue reading below
New Year’s resolutions
Research trends in January have historically represented people’s plans for New Year’s resolutions – how to drink less, eat better and exercise more.
The question “Dry January” tends to increase in January, as people promise to abstain from alcohol the month after the holiday.
It appears that far fewer people are accepting the dry January challenge this year, as searches for wine stores have dropped 11% and 6% compared to December. Last January, searches for both queries fell by almost 40% compared to the previous month.
Eat healthy remains a priority in January, as searches for “healthy” options increased 46% at the beginning of the month compared to December.
However, Google notes that people’s appetite for sweets has increased this year. Searches by ice cream shop increased 10% compared to December.
Searches for fast food restaurants tend to plummet in January, but this is not the case this year.
In January 2020, research by fast food restaurants fell 20% over the previous December. This year, searches for fast food fell 1.5% from December to January.
Research on training and exercise remained high this year. Queries for local gyms increased by about 25% from December to January.
In what may be an example of the popularity of exercise at home, Google says that searches for walking the areas did not see their usual increase this year – a 16% increase compared to last year’s 55% increase. Local restrictions can be a factor here too.
For more information on Google Maps trends, see the Google blog post here.