What do searches for people reveal about information-seeking and decision-making needs?

Searching for people is not just about finding out “who is most popular.” Historical examples show that people also search to follow the news, learn about someone’s background, remember those who have died, join related discussions, and find expert advice. Searches can inform decisions by helping people learn about candidates or find trusted advisers. However, search interest does not equal support, and rankings alone cannot establish each searcher’s motives.

Following people is also a way to understand events and join discussions

Searching for a person’s name is often a starting point for understanding an event. A report on Taiwan’s 2013 search rankings listed Takuya, Elisa Lam, and Hung Chung-chiu among the fastest-rising names. It interpreted that year’s search trends as an interest in things that were outrageous, moving, amusing, comforting, or mysterious. This was the report’s summary of annual trends, not a direct survey of what all users were thinking.

Searches for people are not just about following breaking news. A 2011 report noted that, after Steve Jobs died that October, he reached the top of Yahoo! Taiwan’s full-year keyword rankings in just over a month. The report interpreted this as support for Apple products, as well as remembrance and discussion of Jobs’s innovative thinking and distinctive style. However, the ranking itself cannot show how common each motive was or directly indicate purchase intent.

Searching for politicians helps people learn about their backgrounds, but search rankings are not election results

A 2015 report addressed interest in candidates’ backgrounds more explicitly. Searches for Chen Chien-jen, Jennifer Wang, and Hsu Hsin-ying rose rapidly after they were announced as running mates. The report suggested that the running mates’ experience and backgrounds were also a focus of attention. All six presidential and vice-presidential candidates appeared in the rankings that year, showing that they attracted attention, but there is no evidence that searches changed voting choices.

• Learning about newly announced candidates: Searches following running-mate announcements can offer clues about interest in their backgrounds.
• Following political events: Hung Hsiu-chu topped the fastest-rising politician rankings amid the primary and discussions about replacing her as the candidate, illustrating that high search interest does not necessarily mean positive sentiment.
• Distinguishing between rankings: Most-searched and fastest-rising rankings capture different aspects of attention and should not be treated as the same measure of popularity.

From looking up information to finding someone to ask: seeking advice for purchasing and financial decisions

Another kind of people search does not even require entering a name. A 2004 article introducing Tickle People Search used mortgage refinancing as an example: users searching for mortgage information could find not only web pages but also people with mortgage expertise. These might be people the users knew personally or were connected to through acquaintances. Users could ask them directly for advice. At the time, the product sought to answer “Who can help me decide?” rather than simply “Who is being discussed?”

The article also cited a survey of 2,500 people in which 70% of respondents said they still relied on both recommendations from trusted people and independent research before making a purchase. This supports the idea that personal advice and information searches can be used together. However, without information about the sampling method or where the survey was conducted, the figure cannot be generalized to all consumers today. The Tickle example also describes only the features presented at the time; it does not mean the service is still available.