Top Internet Searches and Topics of 2009

December has barely begun but Microsoft's Bing search engine and Yahoo have already announced their top ten most searched topics of 2009.

Bing, Microsoft's new "decision engine" has only been in service since June, has apparently analyzed billions of search queries in order to create a list of the ten most searched topics of the year, Bing's version of "trending topics." Six of the top ten searches referred to specific individuals while only one search term referred to a website or company.

As you've probably guessed, that website is Twitter, whose rapid ascent into the mainstream garnered it the honor of being the #2 most searched topic on Bing.

Yahoo published their top 10 overall searches, as well as a top lists across a number of different categories like mobile, the economy, and Obama-specific searches.

While Yahoo's top searches definitely depict some hot individuals and internet sensations- think Michael Jackson, Megan Fox, Twilight - Twitter is surprisingly absent from the lists. Clearly, Yahoo searchers are a very different bunch when it comes to their curiosity around the micro medium that made such a macro impact on pop culture and mainstream media this year.

In general, Yahoo searchers seem driven more by pop culture than world news and information. Yahoo's top searches did not include hot topics such as Swine Flu, Stock Market or Cash for Clunkers.

Bing's Top 10 Searched Topics for 2009

1. Michael Jackson
2. Twitter
3. Swine Flu
4. Stock Market
5. Farah Fawcett
6. Patrick Swayze
7. Cash for Clunkers
8. Jon & Kate Gosselin
9. Billy Mays (famous pitchman who passed away in June)
10. Jaycee Dugard (kidnapped in 1991 and finally found in August of this year, the story was national news)

Yahoo's Top 10 Overall Searches for 2009

1. Michael Jackson
2. Twilight
3. WWE
4. Megan Fox
5. Britney Spears
6. Naruto (Japanese anime)
7. American Idol
8. Kim Kardashian
9. NASCAR
10. Runescape (A massive online 3-D multiplayer adventure)

Yahoo's Top 10 Mobile Searches for 2009

1. Megan Fox
2. Mobile Games
3. Michael Jackson
4. Movies
5. Rihanna
6. Mail
7. Lady Gaga
8. NFL
9. Ringtones
10.  iPhone

  posted by The Mindless Man