As news breaks in the digital age, curiosity doesn't begin and end with a trip to Google or Facebook. Consumers also search on Roku. Our interest in watercooler moments across news and social media, and how streamers use Roku to learn more about them, was the inspiration for this content series that we call “Roku Trends.”
In this edition of Roku Trends, we’re looking at searches involving the quest for a new “Jeopardy!” host, Kanye’s “Donda” listening tour, and the musicians who lent their voices to the summer of ‘21.
After a yearlong campaign to find a replacement show host for the late, beloved Alex Trebek, the “Jeopardy!” staff recently found themselves back where they started (and down an Executive Producer). While a permanent replacement host hasn’t been officially named, we’ve seen increased search activity around the individuals in the mix during the dates they hosted the show. We should note that the data covers hosts whose guest stints took place this summer, but in order to provide a full account of the story, we also looked at data throughout the show’s search for Trebek’s replacement.
*Note – Ken Jennings' week may have been a big week for “Jeopardy!” searches since it was the beginning of the post-Trebek period and the show was making announcements about guest hosts
Person searches for guest hosts
Some guest hosts drove increased search volume for themselves, rather than the program. We observed:
One thing certainly remains clear after 12 months of “Jeopardy!” guest hosts: Alex Trebek was a legend and his shoes will be tough to fill. We wish the show luck in their search for his replacement.
Kanye West took a unique approach to promote his new album, “Donda.” The multi-city listening tour that took place in July and August included a full rebuild of his childhood home on Soldier Field in Chicago. And streamers?
They certainly were intrigued. During the week of his first listening party in Atlanta (7/19), searches for Kanye West increased by 213%. Here are other artists who benefitted from similar social media promotions this summer:
Summer of 2021 seemed to lack the ubiquitous “summer jam” of years past, but that doesn’t mean that streamers’ weren’t rocking out this season. Here are the artists that were behind the Roku searches for the perfect summer soundtrack:
And, possibly fueled by TikTok, “The Backyardigans” entered the top 100 on Spotify’s US charts in May and grew 341% YoY (year over year) in Roku search volume, besting Britney Spears!
At Roku, we connect streamers with the content they are curious about, interested in, and just plain love. Our platform was built to enable streamers to search for anything that moves them. By examining trending searches on our platform, marketers can gain valuable (and fun!) insights into what streamers are thinking about and want to watch.
Learn more about what Roku can do for you with "5 Ways to Unlock the Power of TV Streaming."