Our changing relationship with the internet and what it means for retailers 

Since the emergence of Covid-19 we’ve been tracking key trends and themes using our Search and YouTube data - both fantastic barometers of consumer sentiment and behaviour. After two years of upheaval and change we’re now able to understand which trends were short term reactions and which of those are enduring.  

Over the course of the pandemic something fundamental happened - we went through a collective experience of upheaval and shock and this led to economic, personal, and social anxiety. To understand the human response to this we need to borrow from psychology. When people are anxious, or when they lack power, they typically respond in one of two ways: with fight or flight.  We’re either driven to flee danger or feel compelled to stay and combat it. We can see these same sorts of responses playing out in digital behaviours over the past two years: 

1) Fight: we looked for more control over different aspects of our lives. People did this in two ways, by seeking understanding of the world around them and by seeking order over their finances, careers, and personal lives.  

2) Flight: we looked for escapism, to distance ourselves from uncertainty. People did this by accessing more digital experiences and more entertainment than ever before.

1.   SEEKING UNDERSTANDING 

As the pandemic hit we saw huge increases in the volume of questions - primarily related to the virus and the new restrictions. As we became more familiar with our new contexts this flurry of questioning naturally died down.  

But, the urge to understand big complex topics and their impact on our lives is enduring. We’re seeing more and more questions around a number of areas including the economy, climate change, and social issues.  

In the chart below we can see the continued rise in the volume of questions starting with ‘what does’ that people are asking in Google Search. 

Though the volume toward the end of 2021 dips below that of 2020, it still remains higher than in previous years.  

Taking a closer look at the specific types of questions people are asking, we can see they’re related to the big issues of the day. For example: 

• ‘What can I do about climate change’  up by 4,500% YoY 
• ‘If inflation rises, what happens to interest rates’  up by 3,700% YoY 

We can also see that searching for understanding is closely correlated to how confident people feel. We can see in the chart below that when anxiety occurs (when the red line goes down), the number of questions people ask about money and finance in Search, goes up.

2.   SEEKING ORDER  

Responding to anxiety through fight is also about doing. Over the past two years we saw this manifest in different ways: getting on top of finances, exploring new careers, and accessing services that help us get things done. 

Work 

Searches for ‘writing a resignation letter’ rose significantly (+200%) in the last year as people sought to implement changes in their working lives. 

Finances 

In these times of acute uncertainty people have been galvanized to get on top of their finances and take their banking into their own hands.  Through 2021 we saw significant increases in searches for banking apps and contact numbers for banks.  

Accessing services  

Similarly, people have been looking for local services that help them get things done. ‘Near me’ has in the last few months overtaken ‘best’ as a key modifier - a clear indication of the surge in interest in people trying to do something or take action.  

3.   SEEKING ESCAPISM  

Finally, we sought flight through escapism. Whether we wanted to be immersed in shopping or transported through entertainment, the desire for escape was universal and we found that digital was able to satisfy us in a number of ways. 

Entertainment  

The demand for online entertainment was, and still remains, in high growth. Nowhere is this better seen than on YouTube where people looked to escape by exploring ideas, watching entertaining content, and learning how to do new things. 

We can see below the growth in searches for ideas on YouTube in 2020 and still in 2021 versus 2019. While there was a decline in these searches at the end of last year, overall the volume was significantly higher than in 2019.  

Shopping

With stores shut through lockdowns, browsing exploded online. In 2020, 73% of retail query growth came from new or rarely used terms. That tells us that the growth is coming from new behaviours, new ways of searching, and more browsing online.  

This hunger for inspiration can be seen in the growing use of visual formats as part of consumers’ exploration - we can see this in the elevated use of Google Image searches and the Google Shopping Tab to find products.   

SUMMARY 

So, what are the questions retailers should be asking themselves in light of these insights? 

• How is your brand helping customers navigate through complexity?
• Does your brand have a clear position on the key issues your customers care about

• Do your brand experiences and services give your customers control?
• Does your brand have easy to use services?

• Does your brand offer engaging experiences?
• Is your brand present in all the moments your customers are looking for inspiration with the right content and messaging?

To find out more about Google and the services they provide to the retail industry, click here.

This article was also published in The Retailer, our quarterly online magazine providing thought-leading insights from BRC experts and Associate Members.

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