2014 most trending topics as more Kenyans take to the net

Kenya: Internet, and social media has changed the way people live. In December, Google, the top online search engine released the top searched topics around the world.

In Kenya, the searches are categorised as trending, top searches, how to..., memes and top searches in the three cities, Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi. There is also trending people, what is... and symptoms.

In the trending searches, Kenyans moved with the global trend in keeping tabs of the World Cup. In the ‘A Year in Search 2014’, Google says the Fifa World Cup in Brazil with 64 games, 171 goals and 2.2 billion searches worldwide, was the most searched sporting event in history.

Second on Kenya’s trending list was the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service formally the Joint Admissions Board.

As expected, Vera Sidika, the controversial socialite whose claim to fame is skin-nips, and enhanced anatomy, was the number three most searched person in Kenya but topped in the most searched people.

Otieno Kajwang, the late Homa Bay senator came in at number four of the trending topics and number two in the most searched people.

Ebola, the viral disease that devastated West Africa was number five in Kenya, and three in the World.

Probably in fear of a possible ebola outbreak, Kenyans hit Google to search for tips on how to keep themselves safe from ebola. This topped the symptoms searches followed by the symptoms of diabetes, hypertension and depression.

On the top searches, OLX, the online platform for free ads came tops probably egged on thanks to their aggressive marketing.

Kenyans love for football is legendary but unfortunately, patriotism seems shot out of the goalpost as English Premier League comes second in the search engine.

Interestingly, Higher Education Loans Board followed at number three followed by the Kenya Revenue Authority showing how Kenyans are interested in matters money and education.

In each category, Google counts to top 10, with the Bible coming in at number eight, Kenyatta University nine and Brighter Monday, which offers job vacancies at ten.

In the search for people, Kenyans, joined the world in looking up celebrated actor Robin Williams and popular teleevangelist Myles Munroe. Williams, a popular American actor and comedian, died in August 2014. Munro, a charismatic and renowned Bahamas preacher and motivational speaker died in a plane crash a month after visiting Kenya.

 

Controversial preacher Victor Kanyari also made it into the grand Google list.

Kanyari came into the limelight after a KTN’s expose on his under dealings in his Salvation Healing Ministry church where he conned desperate Kenyans. However, his wife, Betty Bayo, a gospel singer took the thunder from him as she came in at number seven under the most searched people in Kenya. Kanyari came in at number 10.

For the memes, Joseph Ole Lenku took the crown. Other than Google trends, it was also the season of communicating using #hashtags on Twitter. Kenyans on Twitter, who go by the popular symbol #KOT took advantage of social media to create hype on interesting topical issues that dominated mainstream media.

When a topic hits the headlines, it was immediately picked on social media and a #hashtag was created and soon after it goes viral.

Most memorable was the recent #MyDressMyChoice which was created following a wave of stripping naked of women for allegedly being indecently dressed.

Kenyans on Twitter went on fire condemning the act for days on end. Then there was the #DeadBeatKenya, which followed a Facebook Group started to put errant fathers on the spot.

Internationally, The2014#

yearOnTwitter shows the top trends. Number one goes to a Tweet by @TheEllenShow, posted by Ellen Degeneres, the Oscars 2014 host.

Ellen took a selfie with Hollywood stars including Kenya’s Lupita Nyong’o and her younger brother.

Peter Nyong’o Jr photo-bombed the selfie, shadowing his sister. The Tweet generated 3,366, 536 retweets and 2,020,339 favourites, the highest ever.

Number two was the World Cup, which saw 672 million tweets sent in the one month of the tournament. Number three was Nigeria’s popular campaign #BringBackOurGirls advocating for the return of girls who had been abducted by the dreaded militia group Boko Haram.

At number four was #IndyRef, after Scottish citizens used Twitter to say Yes or No to a referendum on independence from the UK in the days leading to the vote in September.

Finally in 2015, whenever you tweet, you will join about 500 million people who do so every day. But will your Tweet be the golden one, as Twitter calls its top trends on December 2015? Just say it with a #.