If you want to see the events, personalities, and moments people cared about in 2017, search no farther than, well, search. What people look for provides a window into their interests, needs, and wants. This year, people turned to Google Search to discover the secrets of slime and locate solar eclipse glasses, as well as to learn how to help hurricane victims, and support the city of Las Vegas in the wake of October’s mass shooting.

Amid all of these searches, new consumer behaviors emerged and a new super-empowered consumer took shape. We found that people are more curious, more demanding, and more impatient than ever before. We saw evidence of this throughout 2017, and it will be critical for marketers to understand these new behaviors as they move into 2018.

More and more curious

People have long turned to search to satisfy their curiosity. In 2017, the questions people asked provided a snapshot of the cultural flashpoints that defined the year. People turned to Google Search to find out about Bitcoin and fidget spinners. And they also asked “what is net neutrality” and “what is the Paris Climate Agreement.”