Soaps, gambling, celebrities top Uganda Internet searches

Kampala- Ugandans visiting the Internet this year spent most of their time searching for information about serial TV dramas, celebrities and sports betting, according to an insight into Google’s 2013 search trends. But this should not be a surprise.

Data from Google Trends reveals that last year, the lure for information on European football, its stars and fixtures, continues to make a frontline presence on the needs of Ugandan internet users.

Sports-related gambling phrases are the leading rising internet searches in the country, a sign of its growing influence on Ugandan youth.

In Uganda’s top 10 trending searches, Kenya’s elections, which saw Uhuru Kenyatta elected President, come fourth. No Ugandan political event, or personality, makes it to the list.

Journalist and social commentator Timothy Kalyegira attributes this to a possible concern on the outcome of the election, especially from business people, in light of the post-election violence, which rocked the country in 2007 to 2008.

The only distinctly Ugandan name on the top 10 trending searches was Martin Angume, a musician who died in May.
The Indian soap opera, Choti Bahu, and the Philippine Mara Clara, feature among the top 10 trending searches, underlining the popularity of the soap-opera genre.
There was a fine mixture of local and foreign names among the most searched on the Internet, with Bobi Wine, Chris Brown and Rihanna taking the top three spots.
On the list of Uganda’s most trending people is the deceased Martin Angume and entrepreneur, James Mulwana, gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich and musician Iryn Namubiru, who was arrested in Japan over allegedly carrying narcotic drugs.

On search terms that seek to understand how things work, the top three searches were: ‘how to kiss’, ‘how to love’; and, ‘how to hack’. Searches like ‘how to pray’ and ‘how to meditate’ speak of a religiousness of Uganda’s Internet community.

Composition
Mr Michael Niyitegeka, an ICT expert, says: “Sixty per cent of internet users are aged between 18 and 24 years.”

This shows a young, largely school-going population, whose interests do not include how many dollars Uganda has added to its GDP.

Mr Kalyegira notes that the search terms cited do not tell of only a petty nature of the users.

Searches relating to European football and betting are a reflection of people’s attempts at survival, he says.

It is no wonder that Coke Connect, a promotion by the Coca-Cola company, through which customers who bought sodas won free internet bundles, emerged as Uganda’s top trending search item for 2013.

This year’s results show sports betting gaining a firm footing on Uganda’s online footprint.

In Uganda’s top 10 rising Internet searches in 2010, no gambling entry made it to the list.

In 2011, three did; that number rose to eight in 2012, where it still is this year.
Google’s search engine is by far the most used Internet search tool. Its insights into search are thus the closest we can get to study the behaviour of internet users.

TOP INTERNET SEARCHES IN 2013

Top 10 trending searches
1. Coke connect
2. Nelson Mandela
3. Tubidy
4. Kenya Elections
5. Choti Bahu
6. Mesut Ozil
7. Zulu bet
8. Mara Clara
9. Eclipse
10. Martin Angume

Most searched people
1.Bobi Wine
2.Chris Brown
3.Rihanna
4.Bebe Cool
5.Kim Kardashian
6.Lionel Messi
7.Barack Obama
8.Konshens
9.Eddy Kenzo
10.Beyonce Knowles

Top 10 rising searches 2013
1. LiveScores
2. Live Score
3. Live Scores
4. Live Soccer
5. Livescore
6. xscores
7. Waptrick
8. Whatsapp
9. Livescores.com
10. Soccer

Top 10 ‘How to’ searches
1. Kiss
2. Love
3. Hack
4. Bet
5. Pray
6. Meditate
7. Romance
8. Save
9. Swim
10. Download

Top 10 ‘What is’ searches
1. Love
2. Development
3. Internet
4. Research
5. Communication
6.Management
7. Culture
8. Marketing
9. Leadership
10. Planning

Top 10 health ‘What is’ search queries 2013
1. Stress
2. Health
3. Ovulation
4. Bloating
5. AIDS
6. Nutrition
7. Orgasm
8. Cancer
9. potting
10. Schizophrenia

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