Bizarre Internet Searches - Do People Really Search That?

One of the finest joys of performing advanced keyword research (looking into the hearts and minds of our society by probing millions of unique search phrases) is encountering the stream of absolutely ridiculous phrases that people are, for one reason or another, entering into search engines.

Over the course of the past year, I have begun documenting several of the most absurd of these search phrases. In fact, the coil-bound notebook that sits beside my monitor has become one of the strangest and most curious books I have encountered - strange because of the very human reality behind each new entry.

What does it mean when significant numbers of people all search for the same bizarre topic? What thoughts and situations give rise to someone entering these phrases in the first place? If thinking about the individuals and real-life situations that create these search statistics don’t make you smile or shake your head in wonder, I can’t imagine what will!

Bizarre Phrases that People Actually Type into Search Engines*:
* using Wordtracker data spanning August 2005 – October 2006

Creative Home Projects:

• how to build a catapult (searched 230 times per day)
• how to eat fried worms (696)
• how to make a toga (448)

People Still Learning the Basics:

• what is history (205)
• open a beer bottle (22)
• when did christianity start (61)
• what is a search engine (276)

Huh??

• box full of sharp objects (185)
• insanity test (322)
• monkey business (195)

Self-Help Dieticians:

• how to gain weight (407)
• how to be anorexic (193)
• beer into g feeding tube (15)
• how to make moonshine (173)

Health:

• self injury tricks (27)
• can stress cause hives (90)
• pictures of scurvy (40)
• donate a testicle (193)

Searches by Animal Lovers:

• realistic stuffed shih tzus (36)
• fainting goat video (28)
• exploding whale (156)
• bear vs shark (72)
• biggest bear ever (54)

People Hoping Search Data Stays Anonymous Forever:

• guide to stretch your anus (153)
• men in panties (1611)
• hairy oshawa women (6)
• pull my finger (186)
• atomic wedgie (298)

The Search Continues…

• loch ness monster (2044)
• ghost pictures (1209)
• real ghosts (337)
• pirate treasure maps (275)
• proof that elvis is alive (18)
• ufo sightings (705)

Conclusive proof that the truth is stranger than fiction? Who enters all these phrases anyway?

Epiar Inc. is an Edmonton-based internet market research and search engine optimization company. Please contact us for more information or to commission your own research reports.