As 2014 winds to a close, it’s an ideal time to reflect on what captured Canadians’ attention. With that in mind, Yahoo Canada’s 2014 Year in Review shines a spotlight on the happenings, personalities and stories that Yahoo users in Canada searched for this year.
“Yahoo’s Year In Review reflects the true curiosity of our users,” says Claude Galipeau, country manager, Yahoo Canada. “Millions of people come to Yahoo Canada and Yahoo Québec to search for information on the biggest news stories and trendsetters. Our annual list of top searches offers a unique look at what Canadians couldn’t get enough of this year,”
On Yahoo Canada, the Top 10 Searches include a mix of entertainment, politics, technology and hard-hitting news. The untimely death of Robin Williams struck a chord with Canadians, as did the ongoing saga with former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and the smash sensation, Frozen.
1. Robin Williams
2. iPhone 6
3. Jennifer Lawrence
4. Rob Ford
5. ISIS
6. Kate Middleton
7. Malaysia Airlines
8. Ebola virus
9. Joan Rivers
10. Frozen
The Top 10 Searches for Yahoo Quebec have a decidedly provincial flare, with Francophone Canadian talk show host and producer Julie Snyder taking the top spot, while French Canadian author, composer, singer and actress Ginette Reno came in at number 3. Searchers were also intrigued by the life and times of Gilles Latulippe, the Québécois actor, comedian and theatre director and manager who passed away in September,
1. Julie Snyder
2. Jennifer Lawrence
3. Ginette Reno
4. Vol MH370
5. Commission Charbonneau
6. Robin Williams
7. Gilles Latulippe
8. iPhone 6
9. Ebola
10. Amal Alamuddin
The Top 10 News Stories include a mix of tragedy and triumph, from the missing Malaysian airliner to the viral sensation that was the ALS ice bucket challenge. Canadians also took a keen interest in local elections, disappearances, shootings, and political unrest, both at home and abroad.
1. Flight MH370
2. Ottawa shootings
3. ALS ice bucket challenge
4. Missing Calgary family (Nathan O’Brien)
5. B.C. teachers strike
6. Ukraine Russia
7. Moncton shooting (Justin Bourque)
8. Ontario election
9. Ferguson riots
10. Scotland referendum
The Top 10 News Stories for Yahoo Québec reflect an interest in local and international politics, with the Ice Bucket Challenge also making the list.
1. Élections Québec 2014 (Pauline Marois and PLQ majoritaire and Philippe Couillard)
2. Conflit Ukraine
3. Guy Turcotte
4. Fusillade Moncton (Justin Bourque)
5. Attentats St-Jean et Ottawa (Martin Couture-Rouleau and Michael Zehaf-Bibeau)
6. Référendum Écosse
7. Pierre Karl Péladeau
8. Le Ice Bucket Challenge
9. Tragédie de l’Isle-Verte
10. État islamique
Fallen radio star Jian Ghomeshi came in at number one among the Top 10 Newsmakers in 2014, while mayoral wannabe Doug Ford upstaged his brother on the news-making front, followed closely by fellow candidate Olivia Chow. The unexpected passing of Jim Flaherty, Canada’s federal Minister of Finance, also captured readers’ attention, while further afield, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai inspired many, making the list for the second year in a row.
1. Jian Ghomeshi
2. Jim Flaherty
3. Christy Clark
4. Malala Yousafzai
5. Doug Ford
6. Olivia Chow
7. Justin Trudeau
8. Luka Rocco Magnotta
9. Alison Redford
10. Stephen Harper
The Top 10 Celebrities making news on Yahoo Canada in 2014 include:
1. Kim Kardashian
2. Justin Bieber
3. Taylor Swift
4. Angelina Jolie
5. Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney
6. Philip Seymour Hoffman
7. Kaley Cuoco
8. Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange
9. Paula Patton and Robin Thicke
10. Matthew McConaughey
And, on the sports front, it was a big year with the Top 10 Sports Stories including everything from the Sochi Olympic Games to the FIFA World Cup. While some athletes earned the spotlight for their performances, others landed a spot on the list for unsavoury behaviour.
1. Michael Schumacher
2. Sochi Olympic Games
3. FIFA World Cup 2014
4. Eugenie Bouchard
5. Ray Rice
6. Oscar Pistorius
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
8. Sidney Crosby
9. Dufour-Lapointe sisters
10. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
The Top 10 Sports stories for Yahoo Québec in 2014 are:
1. Michael Schumacher
2. Eugenie Bouchard
3. Jean Pascal
4. Coupe du monde 2014
5. Sochi 2014
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
7. P.K. Subban
8. Soeurs Dufour-Lapointe
9. Carey Price
10. Oscar Pistorius
Yahoo’s Canada’s unique offering provides audiences with highly personalized experiences across devices. To develop the Yahoo Year In Review, editors analyze Yahoo Search queries based on a number of factors, including volume and growth from previous periods, to see which themes and trends bubble to the surface.
As a result, Yahoo has clear insight into what matters most to users—information that can help marketers connect with audiences in a meaningful way.
For more of the top 2014 searches, check out the full 2014 Year In Review.
For more insights or to speak to an expert, visit advertising.yahoo.com.
