People use Google to search for different things about Oregon

(AUGUST 12, 2022) Almost everyone uses the internet in some way. People send email. They share photos and stories on social media. Many study on Zoom. And, of course, almost everyone uses Google to search for information.

Who searches for "Oregon" on Google? What are they looking for? Google provides some clues. Here are some facts about Google searches that used the word "Oregon" over the past year.

First, the number of Google searches for "Oregon" has remained flat. It did not increase. It did not decrease. Nearly all searches for "Oregon" are from the United States. Most are from Oregon, but some searches come from nearby states of Idaho, Washington, and Montana.

The top "Oregon" searches were about cities in Oregon (for example: Portland, Salem, Bend) or sports (for example: college football and the 2022 World Athletics Championships).

However, people were interested in more than sports. They also wanted information about:

• Jared Schmeck (He is from Central Point. He was in the news early this year for speaking with President Biden on the phone. They were speaking live online. Schmeck became famous for ending the call with the phrase "Let's go, Brandon." This phrase became popular among conservative people as a way to insult the president because it once was mistaken for "F--- Joe Biden.")

• Betsy Johnson (She is from Bend. She wants to be the next governor of Oregon. She is often in the news for her opinions about abortion, homelessness, and other political issues.)

• Oregon emergency rental assistance (This is a government program that helps renters get the help they need in order to avoid eviction. If a person is evicted, they are forced to leave their home. This topic has become more and more important during the pandemic because of changes to the economy.)

Of course, one topic seems always among the top five searches: the weather!