January felt unsettled, and the searches reflected it.

Last month the top Google queries in New Zealand clustered around a few clear needs.

Weather and news sat near the top.

So did generic “how do I find this” behaviour, like looking up video, social, and forum sites.

Then came the daily admin stack: maps, email, translation, quick calculations, and checking results for the national lottery.

Money and compliance also featured, with people searching tax and currency conversions.

Shopping intent showed up, but more as categories than cravings, with groceries, pharmacy and health buys, and home DIY running through the list.

Sport and live entertainment spiked too, which is what you’d expect in a summer month when big events land.

On the Hibiscus Coast App, behaviour is more task-led, with people opening local news, weather, events, and jobs to decide what to do next.

The local business directory is rising too, which fits what people do when they are ready to call, visit, or book.

Stats NZ says the Hibiscus Coast has 67,800 residents and 26,283 occupied homes, with 95% internet access.

In our January GA4 data, 79.1% of the Hibiscus Coast App views were on a mobile device.

So most of this “what do I do next” behaviour is happening on a phone.

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