In 2017, Canadians searched “How” questions more than ever. In March, we asked How to make slime...and in April we asked “How to take slime out of the carpet?” We came together to witness a ...
In 2017, Canadians searched “How” questions more than ever. In March, we asked How to make slime...and in April we asked “How to take slime out of the carpet?” We came together to witness a celestial natural wonder and asked How do you make solar eclipse glasses? ...And the following day (some of us) asked: Why do my eyes hurt?
Today, we’re launching Google Canada’s 17th annual Year in Search, taking a look back at the newsmakers, defining moments and, yes, those burning questions that captured our attention as global citizens, neighbours and fans.

From What does Despacito mean? (adverb: To move slowly) to figuring out whether the Instant Pot, invented in Ottawa, is everything it’s crocked up to be, our relationship with the Search bar is more intimate and more immediate than ever before - in fact, searches for “near me” reached an all time high in 2017. The Year in Search is Google’s annual analysis of trillions of searches performed globally throughout the year. The results include everything from top trending people, sports, music, politics, news and more.

Canadians came together in 2017 searching to learn, to grow and to understand. We asked tough questions like
How do wildfires start?; What Kind of cancer did Gord Downie have?; and Why are flags at half mast? And we searched for protests and movements like Why are women marching? and #metoo. Canadians remembered past icons and searched for futures ones like Meghan Markle and Denis Shapavalov.


It was a year of quirks (how long is a giraffe pregnant), firsts (Canada’s first visible minority elected as a federal party leader) and Wonder. So, before we turn the collective page on 2017, take a moment to look back at the year that was through the lens of Google’s Year in Search.

See you in 2018… and, until then, Search on!

Posted by Alexandra Hunnings, Google Canada Trends Expert



It’s that time again, to jump into the wayback machine for #YouTube Rewind - our annual look back at the year that was through the lens of YouTube.

This year Canadians headed to YouTube to gasp as a sea lion got a bit too frisky, to giggle as a toddler stole popcorn from Prince Harry, and to fall in love with falling in love. We gathered to watch as April the Giraffe gave birth to her baby, Tajiri, live in front of an audience of 1.2 million, setting a new record for the most popular livestream on YouTube. And we held our breath as a moose and a wolf squared off in a Northern Ontario lake.

From Eminem’s blistering political cypher at the BET Awards to some perfectly executed ping pong trick shots, these were the moments that had us watching, clicking and sharing.

Canada’s Top Trending Videos of 2017
  1. Sea lion drags girl into Steveston waters
  2. Eminem Rips Donald Trump in BET Hip Hop Awards Freestyle Cypher
  3. Animal Adventure Park Giraffe Cam
  4. Ping Pong Trick Shots 3 | Dude Perfect
  5. Northern Ontario Moose vs Wolf
  6. Woman interrupted during BBC interview
  7. Sneaky toddler steals Prince Harry’s popcorn
  8. In a Heartbeat - Animated Short Film
  9. $1 donut vs. $100 donut
  10. France 24 en direct - 24 hour livestream news channel

2017 also saw some major new records broken in music, most notably by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's massive global hit. Despacito sits at the top of 2017's top music video list -- not just as the most-viewed music video for year, but as the most viewed YouTube video of all time with 4.4 billion views.

Justin Bieber set new records this year - his remix of Despacito, along with his appearance on DJ Khaled’s I’m The One mean that the Biebs can now lay claim to 4 videos that have broken the one billion view threshold. Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do set the all-time record for most views in the first 24 hours, earning 43.2 million views in its first day. Among the top ten debuts in YouTube history, seven were released in 2017.

Canada’s Top Music Videos of 2017
  1. Luis Fonsi - Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee
  2. Ed Sheeran - Shape of You [Official Video]
  3. DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne - I’m the One
  4. Bruno Mars - That’s What I Like
  5. Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE.
  6. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do
  7. The Weeknd - Reminder
  8. Zedd & Alessia Cara - Stay (Lyric Video)
  9. Cardi B - Bodak Yellow 
  10. Shawn Mendes - There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back

When it came to movies, we saw studios get even more creative with their pre-marketing campaigns, with both Thor: Ragnorok and Deadpool 2 releasing a series of short films on YouTube that played up their comedic main characters. But as we wait for the release of the next instalment of Star Wars on December 15, the teaser trailer for this highly anticipated film claims the top spot in this year’s ranking.


Canada’s Top Movie Trailers of 2017
  1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Official Teaser
  2. IT - Official Teaser Trailer
  3. Thor: Ragnarok Teaser Trailer
  4. Black Panther Teaser Trailer
  5. DEADPOOL 2 Teaser Trailer (2018)
  6. JUSTICE LEAGUE - Official Trailer 1
  7. THE BOSS BABY “Diapers” Trailer Tease (Animation, 2017)
  8. THE EMOJI MOVIE Trailer 1 - 3 (2017)
  9. BLADE RUNNER 2049 - Official Trailer
  10. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING - Official Trailer #2 

YouTube has also changed the game when it comes to ads - in the past five years, ads have gon


It’s that time again, to jump into the wayback machine for #YouTube Rewind - our annual look back at the year that was through the lens of YouTube.

This year Canadians headed to YouTube to gasp as a sea lion got a bit too frisky, to giggle as a toddler stole popcorn from Prince Harry, and to fall in love with falling in love. We gathered to watch as April the Giraffe gave birth to her baby, Tajiri, live in front of an audience of 1.2 million, setting a new record for the most popular livestream on YouTube. And we held our breath as a moose and a wolf squared off in a Northern Ontario lake.

From Eminem’s blistering political cypher at the BET Awards to some perfectly executed ping pong trick shots, these were the moments that had us watching, clicking and sharing.

Canada’s Top Trending Videos of 2017
  1. Sea lion drags girl into Steveston waters
  2. Eminem Rips Donald Trump in BET Hip Hop Awards Freestyle Cypher
  3. Animal Adventure Park Giraffe Cam
  4. Ping Pong Trick Shots 3 | Dude Perfect
  5. Northern Ontario Moose vs Wolf
  6. Woman interrupted during BBC interview
  7. Sneaky toddler steals Prince Harry’s popcorn
  8. In a Heartbeat - Animated Short Film
  9. $1 donut vs. $100 donut
  10. France 24 en direct - 24 hour livestream news channel

2017 also saw some major new records broken in music, most notably by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's massive global hit. Despacito sits at the top of 2017's top music video list -- not just as the most-viewed music video for year, but as the most viewed YouTube video of all time with 4.4 billion views.

Justin Bieber set new records this year - his remix of Despacito, along with his appearance on DJ Khaled’s I’m The One mean that the Biebs can now lay claim to 4 videos that have broken the one billion view threshold. Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do set the all-time record for most views in the first 24 hours, earning 43.2 million views in its first day. Among the top ten debuts in YouTube history, seven were released in 2017.

Canada’s Top Music Videos of 2017
  1. Luis Fonsi - Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee
  2. Ed Sheeran - Shape of You [Official Video]
  3. DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne - I’m the One
  4. Bruno Mars - That’s What I Like
  5. Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE.
  6. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do
  7. The Weeknd - Reminder
  8. Zedd & Alessia Cara - Stay (Lyric Video)
  9. Cardi B - Bodak Yellow 
  10. Shawn Mendes - There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back

When it came to movies, we saw studios get even more creative with their pre-marketing campaigns, with both Thor: Ragnorok and Deadpool 2 releasing a series of short films on YouTube that played up their comedic main characters. But as we wait for the release of the next instalment of Star Wars on December 15, the teaser trailer for this highly anticipated film claims the top spot in this year’s ranking.


Canada’s Top Movie Trailers of 2017
  1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Official Teaser
  2. IT - Official Teaser Trailer
  3. Thor: Ragnarok Teaser Trailer
  4. Black Panther Teaser Trailer
  5. DEADPOOL 2 Teaser Trailer (2018)
  6. JUSTICE LEAGUE - Official Trailer 1
  7. THE BOSS BABY “Diapers” Trailer Tease (Animation, 2017)
  8. THE EMOJI MOVIE Trailer 1 - 3 (2017)
  9. BLADE RUNNER 2049 - Official Trailer
  10. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING - Official Trailer #2 

YouTube has also changed the game when it comes to ads - in the past five years, ads have gon