I don't normally look at Google Trends, they usually apply only to transitory news events. But counting and tabulating the number of searches on any specific term is an interesting way to get an overview of the Web and what is happening with a special interest area such as genealogy. I frequently hear claims about the rising popularity of genealogy as a pastime. Here is a recent Google Trends search on the word "genealogy." As you can see genealogy as a search terms has been seeing a dramatic decline:
I decided to try the alternative term of choice of many in the community, "Family History." The decline is equally dramatic.
I tried the same thing with "FamilySearch." Once again a dramatic decline.
Branching out a little I tried "Ancestry." This is a broad term and it is unlikely that all those searches had anything at all to do with genealogy.
That definitely reversed the trend but I decided to see what happened with the word "family" all by itself.
It looks to me that only Ancestry.com with its mega- advertising campaign has been increasing in popularity. Almost every other term I could think of, including the names of some software programs showed similar declines.
Try "geneology"...remember, many folks can't spell!
ReplyDeleteThat was one of the first lessons I learned when I began writing about it.
DeleteThat is a surprising result. I would have thought it was I increasing. Especially with WDYTYA and the Genealogy Roadshow. Did you also use other search engines like BING? Wonder if it is Google that is less popular and not genealogy?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your posts James.
Thank you.
I think the problem is self-depredation.
ReplyDeleteFamily History and Genealogy are no longer
a sub set of history. It is a global phenomenon
that must be given credence by the Education
community. I note:
Schools - Colleges - Universities:
Alumni and Genealogy Education
Worldwide comprehensive resource
of educational institutions, their
genealogy & family history data,
past & present students, alumni,
associations, faculty, friends
and military personnel.
http://academic-genealogy.com/schoolscollegesuniversities.htm
Study this site out carefully in your mind
and you will see the very first beginnings
of worldwide acceptability by scholarly
education groups. EXAMPLE: England
http://academic-genealogy.com/schoolscollegesuniversities.htm#ENGLAND
. . .
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