Ten Years of Search Terms
Lycos looks back at 10 years of the top 50 search terms and finds Pam Anderson top of mind for Internet searchers.
With 10 years of watching Web users search under its belt, The Lycos 50 has released a recap spanning from September 1995 through the week ending September 17, 2005.
The ever-preserved Pam Anderson tops the list in the number one spot spurring Dean Tsouvalas, writer of the Lycos 50 list, to declare it, “The decade of Pam Anderson.” Other personalities have survived on the list, including Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson — though the latter’s appearance is likely due to the infamous wardrobe malfunction.
The Lycos 50 has grown into a bellwether of emerging trends, according to Tsouvalas. “From what I understand, insiders in the marketing world have all bookmarked the top 50. It’s a smart way of understanding the Web, which at times can be intangible, but this makes it tangible for real people.”
Marketers familiar with oft-used search terms can leverage their popularity in marketing campaigns. Alternatively, they could align themselves with a brand that has popped up on the list. In the case of Pam Anderson, Tsouvalas points out that PETA is very aware of its spokesperson’s brand.
Brands like Dragon Ball Z and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) both found their brands recognized by Lycos for the volume of searches and adapted marketing plans around the attention. WWE has pursued viral campaigns after learning of its online popularity, according to Tsouvalas.
“WWE fans are enthusiastic online, and that’s very powerful,” said Tsouvalas.
Over the years, many events captured the attention of Web users, but only a few made the Lycos 50 recap.
“As we looked back at the most-searched terms over the past 10 years, two stand-out news events, beyond the September 11 attacks on America, include the OJ Simpson trial, and the death of Princess Diana,” said Tsouvalas. “Other news events making the top 50 list from 1995 through 2005 include searches for JonBenet Ramsey and John Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, as people continue to search for information today based on their enormous global news appeal and conspiracy theories surrounding their deaths.”
Tsouvalas sees the Lycos 50 as a way to keep a finger on the pulse of the Web, and pop culture. “Marketers benefit, and I think they do pay attention to the list,” said Tsouvalas. “It’s an accurate pulse of what’s resonating with people today.”
| Lycos 50, September 1995-September 2005 | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Search Term |
| 1 | Pam Anderson |
| 2 | Dragonball |
| 3 | Pokemon |
| 4 | Britney Spears |
| 5 | WWE |
| 6 | Tattoos |
| 7 | Las Vegas |
| 8 | NFL |
| 9 | September 11 |
| 10 | Christmas |
| 11 | Princess Diana |
| 12 | Jennifer Lopez |
| 13 | The Bible |
| 14 | Halloween |
| 15 | The IRS |
| 16 | ‘N Sync |
| 17 | Final Fantasy |
| 18 | Star Wars |
| 19 | Backstreet Boys |
| 20 | Marijuana |
| 21 | NASCAR |
| 22 | Baseball |
| 23 | Anna Kournikova |
| 24 | Janet Jackson |
| 25 | Golf |
| 26 | OJ Simpson |
| 27 | NBA |
| 28 | Tupac |
| 29 | Harry Potter |
| 30 | The Simpsons |
| 31 | Sailor Moon |
| 32 | Eminem |
| 33 | JonBenet Ramsey |
| 34 | Selena |
| 35 | Mariah Carey |
| 36 | Carmen Electra |
| 37 | Howard Stern |
| 38 | NASA |
| 39 | Christina Aguilera |
| 40 | War in Iraq |
| 41 | KaZaA |
| 42 | Osama bin Laden |
| 43 | Madonna |
| 44 | Oprah Winfrey |
| 45 | Poker |
| 46 | Diets |
| 47 | Nostradamus |
| 48 | Napster |
| 49 | JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette |
| 50 | Star Trek |
| Source: Lycos, 2005 | |
