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In December each year, Google releases its Year in Search report, a data-rich summary of the search terms that captured the world’s interest during the past 12 months. The 2025 edition reveals not just pop culture moments and viral trends, but meaningful shifts in the way people seek information online. For business owners, this annual snapshot offers valuable insight into how search behavior continues to evolve and what that means for how customers discover, evaluate and engage with brands online. 

At its core, the Year in Search report is more than a list of quirky searches and trending names. It reflects the questions people ask, the problems they try to solve and the topics they care about most. In 2025, one of the most significant patterns was the growing use of conversational search. People increasingly used natural language, asking questions as if they were talking to a knowledgeable friend or assistant. Queries beginning with “How do I…” reached an all-time high, and searches that started with “Tell me about…” rose sharply compared with 2024. This shift highlights a broader change in customer expectations. Searchers want deeper understanding and not just quick facts.

What does this mean for businesses? It suggests that today’s consumers expect more from online content than ever before. They want helpful, informative responses that answer their questions fully. Content that merely lists features or offers short blurbs is less likely to satisfy searchers or be favored by modern search algorithms. Instead, businesses that provide thorough explanations, educational resources and context around their products or services are better positioned to meet customer needs and capture organic search interest.

Impact of AI

Another important takeaway from this year’s data is the prominence of artificial intelligence in search trends. AI-related terms dominated global search lists, with Google’s own Gemini appearing at the top of many charts and AI tools like DeepSeek also gaining significant attention. This reflects not just curiosity about AI itself, but the growing role that AI is playing in daily lives, from information discovery to productivity and creativity.

For businesses, AI’s emergence as a mainstream subject has practical implications. First, it underscores the importance of understanding how AI influences search experiences. Search engines are increasingly using AI to interpret user intent, personalize results and answer queries more conversationally. That means businesses must adapt their SEO and content strategies to align with these AI-driven behaviors. Optimizing for natural language and long-tail questions is no longer optional. It has become essential to remain visible in a crowded digital landscape.

Consumer Interest Changes

The Year in Search data also highlights the diversity of topics that can drive engagement. Beyond AI and core information queries, searches in categories such as entertainment, culture, technology, and even specific products or phenomena reflect where public attention clustered throughout the year. While not all of these trends are directly related to business operations, they serve as a reminder that consumer interest is dynamic. Small business owners can benefit from keeping an eye on broader cultural movements and search patterns, using them to inform content ideas, seasonal campaigns and customer engagement strategies.

Another insight from the report is the increased sophistication of search queries. Rather than simply typing basic keywords, users entered more layered questions and longer phrases. This change aligns with broader advancements in search engine capabilities and suggests that users are becoming more comfortable expressing curiosity in nuanced ways. For businesses, this reinforces the value of content that anticipates customer intent and provides clear, well-structured answers.

For example, instead of hoping to rank for a generic term like “digital marketing tips,” a business might focus on a richer query such as “how can small businesses improve local search rankings in 2025.” Content that directly addresses these conversational patterns is more likely to match the way users think and search.

In addition to helping business owners understand trends in user behavior, the Year in Search report offers a mirror for reflecting on your own online presence. Consider the questions your customers routinely ask. Are you providing content that answers those questions in a helpful and accessible way? Are your digital assets optimized to capture interest from searches that resemble natural conversation? Do you use data insights to shape your content and engagement strategies?

As search evolves, so too must the strategies businesses use to connect with customers. There is no single blueprint for success, but observing and learning from broader search trends can help guide decisions about content creation, SEO priorities and customer communication.

Understanding how and why people search is a powerful advantage. It can inform everything from blog topics and FAQ pages to product descriptions and customer support scripts. When your business aligns more closely with the ways customers seek information, you build trust and authority in your market.

If exploring search trends like these has sparked questions about your own digital strategy, we would be glad to help. At CKREU, we enjoy working with small business owners to interpret data and translate it into effective online tactics. Feel free to schedule a free consultation to discuss how your business can leverage search insights to grow your reach and better serve your customers.