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This year, we searched for ways to rediscover, remix, and rethink what’s possible. See how people reimagined their worlds in 2025. #YearInSearch
What do “bunnies on a trampoline,” “labubu clothing,” and “jorts” have in common? They’re among the breakout Google searches of 2025 — terms that saw a whopping +5,000% increase in search interest compared to the previous year.
While we see over 5 trillion searches around the world annually,1 these are the ones that managed to stand out and define the year. From the viral success of Nano Banana (“how to create nano banana image”) to the increase in queries starting with “‘can AI …” and “how to + AI” (such as, “can ai create a video for me” and “how to use agentic ai”), in 2025 the data tells a bigger story about how people are using a more intelligent, visual, and conversational Search.
This year, the world searched for ways to reimagine, rebuild, renew, and reconnect. You can explore more of the trends on our Year in Search website. But the crucial question is: What do people’s search habits in 2025 mean for your marketing strategy in 2026? Here are the biggest takeaways for marketers.
Search is moving from keywords to conversations
The way people are interacting with Search continues to evolve. With the reasoning power of our Gemini models built into Search, people can ask their most complex and nuanced questions, and Search can understand them and help them discover more of the web. This means users are coming to Google to ask longer, more open-ended questions.
Searches are getting more open-ended and exploratory. Your challenge is to capture all that broad intent.
This shift is powerful for the purchase journey. People aren’t just typing in a product name. They’re exploring broader trends and concepts, like “y2k shirts graphic” or “fisherman aesthetic.” In fact, this year we saw that over 60% of all Shopping and Apparel searches show broad intent, where users explore a variety of products and styles.2
The takeaway: Searches are getting more open-ended and exploratory. This is a massive opportunity to show up, not just when a customer is ready to buy but when they are open to discovery. Your challenge is to capture all that broad intent. Learn how AI-powered campaigns can help you respond to a world that asks anything.
Visual Search is redefining how we see the world
The days of carefully picking keywords are behind us. Now people can search with their cameras, images, or simply by circling what they see.
Last year, our trends team found that people used Lens and Circle to Search for translation, shopping, and identifying things. This year, the behavior deepened. Lens queries are one of the fastest growing types of Search, with more than 25 billion queries per month,3 and 1 in 5 Google Lens Searches shows commercial intent.4 For marketers, these are new, real-world opportunities to meet your customers exactly where they are.
The takeaway: If they can see it, they should be able to buy it. High-quality visuals are now as important as descriptive text. Keep your product feeds up to date with stunning imagery, so you can easily bridge the gap between a moment of visual discovery and the final purchase. Nano Banana Pro in Google Ads is essential here, helping you create studio-quality creative instantly.
Fan culture is culture
Every year, breakout searches across entertainment, music, sports, and gaming provide a pulse check on what fans are talking about. But, while Search shows us what people are interested in, YouTube shows us how they engage. A search for a new album, sports highlights, or major podcast interview often leads directly to YouTube, where billions of passionate fans and millions of creators amplify cultural moments.
Fan-driven conversations surrounding the most-searched moments are as important as the moments themselves.
In fact, 60% of people would prefer to watch creators breaking down a major event, like the Oscars or Grammy’s, rather than the event itself.5 Creators are holding the mic, and the fan-driven conversations surrounding the most-searched moments of the year are as important as the moments themselves.
The takeaway: Partnering with YouTube creators is the most effective way to engage with fandoms and cultural conversations authentically. Whether you’re launching a flagship product or trying to catch the tailwind of the latest shopping trend, creators are your bridge to the audiences that matter most. See how a creator like HopeScope captures fans’ attention while seamlessly integrating brands into her storytelling.
People aren’t just using AI. They’re searching about AI in entirely new ways
2025 was the year people explored what AI could do for their careers, their creativity, and their daily habits, with breakout searches like, “what is the most capable ai model for writing code,” and “can ai create a video for me.”
This signals a more sophisticated, empowered consumer. And the same technology your customers are searching for is the key to reaching them.
The takeaway: Just as people use AI to cut through the noise and find exactly what they need, you need those same capabilities to cut through market complexity and deliver it. Need some inspiration? See how L’Oréal is using AI to tackle an ambitious goal: reaching 2 billion customers by 2030.
The best ads are just answers
Looking back on another year of breakout Search trends, one thing is clear: AI is transforming how people explore the world and fuel their curiosity. The same intelligence that’s making Search smarter for users is also making your ads more relevant and personalized than ever.
In this new era of a more intelligent Search, the best ads are just answers. Your ability to deliver them will define your brand’s success in 2026.
