What Kiwis are googling

PALIN BOUNCE: US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin eclipsed the popularity of New Zealand's prime ministerial front runners in Google.co.nz search terms this year.

RUGBY RIVALS: Sorry Richie, but Dan Carter was the more popular search term on Google.co.nz this year.

AUSSIES AWAY: Australian soap Home and Away was more popular for Google.co.nz searchers than either Shortland Street or Outrageous Fortune.

NOT QUITE: Dancing with the Stars star Hayley Holt lost out to Rachel Hunter on Google.co.nz

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Kiwis are game-playing Olympic fans who turned to the internet when Heath Ledger died and are interested in detox diets, according to the top web searches of 2008.

Google today released the fastest rising and highest volume search terms that New Zealanders typed into www.google.co.nz in 2008.

The year's fastest-rising search was for the Olympics, reflecting the strong performance of New Zealand athletes in Beijing. It was closely followed by social networking site Facebook.

New Zealanders were also fascinated by the large hadron collider and Richie McCaw's squeeze and current 'it' girl Hayley Holt.

John Key saw his search volumes soar upon his election, after languishing behind Helen Clark, Barack Obama and Sarah Palin for much of the year.

People also turned to the internet to ask Google "who is Owen Glenn?", after he found himself attached to Winston Peters in a political scandal.

Google also proved to be a favoured tool for keeping up with the deaths of celebrities.

The most popular 'died' searches for 2008 included Heath Ledger and Edmund Hillary, who both died during the year.

It also included rapper Souljah Boy and Miley Cyrus, who are still very much alive.

Adding to the angst about New Zealanders flocking to Australia in search of better opportunities, jobs and properties in Australia were popular searches.

Chris Brown was the most searched celebrity on the list though local hero Sir Edmund Hillary also featured, coming in at seventh.

Somewhat confusingly, “google” was the sixth most googled thing on Google New Zealand.

Top 10 searches on google.co.nz in 2008
1) games
2) bebo
3) youtube
4) trademe
5) lyrics
6) google
7) map
8) hotmail
9) tv
10) weather

Fastest rising searches of 2008
1) olympics
2) facebook
3) youtube
4) lotto
5) wiki
6) seek
7) miniclip
8) asb
9 tvnz
9) large hadron collider
10 heath ledger
11) obama
12) gossip girl
13) jonas brothers
14) miley cyrus
15) euro 2008
16) mathletics

Most popular 'who is' searches for 2008
1) who is the stig
2) who is the leader
3) who is obama
4) who is [in] parliament
5) who is miley cyrus
6) who is [the] governor general
7) who is [the] minister of education
8) who is valerie vili
9) who is god
10) who is owen glenn

Most popular 'died' searches for 2008 (or rumours of)
1) heath ledger died
2) ishmeet died
3) soulja boy died*
4) bob marley died**
5) bernie mac died
6) sir edmund hillary died
7) freddy mercury died**
8) miley cyrus died*
9) elvis presley died**
10) steve irwin died**

*still very much alive

**died before 2008

Most popular celebrities searched in 2008
1) chris brown
2) obama
3) miley cyrus
4) rihanna
5) heath ledger
6) britney spears
7) sir edmund hillary
8) leona lewis
9) amy winehouse
10) lauren conrad

Most popular 'restaurants' searches for 2008
1) valentines
2) orbit
3) sails
4) wildfire
5) chow
6) yellow
7) harbourside
8) euro
9) merediths
10) soul

Most popular 'diets' searches for 2008
1) detox diet
2) lemon diet
3) free diet
4) soup diet
5) atkins diet
6) diet recipes
7) low carb diet
8) healthy diet
9) blood type diet
10) gluten free diet

Most popular 'Australia' searches in 2008
1) australia jobs
2) australia map
3) flights australia
4) ebay australia
5) white pages australia
6) australia weather
7) australia immigration
8) dance australia
9) australia news
10) real estate australia