Searching for Sasol: Google trends paint a local picture

Former US president Bill Clinton once said: "Follow the trend lines, not the headlines."

Tracking the Google Trends for 2020 (you can try it out here – https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2020/ZA/) creates a picture of South African's online behaviour.

The lists are based on search terms that had the highest spikes in the year, and, while some may be self-explanatory, there are some that might surprise.

Like the fact that 'Sasol share price' was the third most common word typed into the Google search bar.

While the Google Trends feature can't forecast the future, it may give us a window into how people see 2021 playing out.

Best of 2020

Best read:

• Could SA by some miracle dodge worst of Covid-19 curse? – Alan Knott-Craig
• SA's Nobel prizewinning scientist Prof Michael Levitt: Lockdowns are "a huge mistake"
• Cyril, please let us smoke, drink; it's better for SA health than abstinence – academics

Most watched:

• Cyril Ramaphosa warns about coronavirus effect on the economy
• Midweek Catch-up: SA post Covid-19 recovery – Radical reform or business friendly?
• 2020 South African Budget in a nutshell

Most heard:

• PANDA's Nick Hudson: "Breathtaking failure" by scaremongering Covid-19 modellers – SA deaths to peak this month
• Best of BizNews: Meet "half pregnant" Yusuf Kajee – independent tobacco player with strong Zuma connection
• The Alec Hogg Show – Brutally honest Rob Hersov on the Ruperts, coming home – and unseating the ANC. Ep 9