Ask.com Reveals the Top Questions of 2011 and Predicts Next Year's Biggest Headlines

From Bieber to Bin Laden, People Turn to Ask.com for Fast, Credible Answers to Their Most Pressing Questions

News provided by

Ask.com

Nov 30, 2011, 12:02 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ask.com, the number one online brand for questions and answers and an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI), today released the top trending search terms and corresponding questions for 2011 around celebrities, news and politics.

Survey says?

When it comes to questions, Ask users couldn't get enough of the Kardashian reality drama; "Was Kim Kardashian's wedding fake?" was the top trending question asked on Ask.com in 2011.

In addition to releasing users' top questions, Ask also released ten predictions about what's to come in the New Year based on questions asked by Ask.com's 60 million users. According to Ask, Dr. Oz, George Clooney and pop star Nicki Minaj are poised to capture headlines in the year ahead.  

"Because people come to Ask with specific questions, we are uniquely able to understand what's on consumers' minds at any given moment, be it pop culture or politics," said Doug Leeds, CEO, Ask.com. "For the first time, we're looking at the year's top questions to not only reflect on 2011, but also predict the newsmakers of 2012."

Top celebrity search terms and questions include:

  1. Kim Kardashian: Was Kim Kardashian's wedding fake?
  2. Justin Bieber: Is Justin Bieber going to be a dad?
  3. Lady Gaga: Are Lady Gaga's face implants real?
  4. Beyonce: Did Beyonce fake a baby bump?
  5. Kate Middleton: Who made Kate Middleton's wedding dress?
  6. Ashton Kutcher: Did Ashton cheat?
  7. Michael Jackson: Was Michael Jackson murdered?
  8. Selena Gomez: Is Selena Gomez pregnant?
  9. Lindsay Lohan: Is Lindsay Lohan going to jail?
  10. Charlie Sheen: What happened to Charlie Sheen's teeth?

Top news search terms and questions include:

  1. Earthquake in Japan: How big was the earthquake in Japan?
  2. Hurricane Irene: What caused Hurricane Irene?
  3. Steve Jobs: How much was Steve Jobs worth?
  4. Royal Wedding: What did William whisper to Kate on the balcony?
  5. Occupy Wall Street: Who started Occupy Wall Street?
  6. iPhone: When will Apple release the iPhone 5?
  7. Osama Bin Laden: Who killed Bin Laden?
  8. Casey Anthony: Where is Casey Anthony hiding?
  9. 10th Anniversary of September 11: What is happening on the 10th anniversary of 9/11?
  10. Amy Winehouse: How did Amy Winehouse die?

Top political searches and questions include:

  1. Barack Obama: Will Obama get re-elected?
  2. Mitt Romney: What is Mitt Romney's religion?
  3. Sarah Palin: Is Sarah Palin running for president?
  4. Michele Bachmann: Is Michele Bachmann crazy?
  5. Anthony Weiner: Where can I find Anthony Weiner's Twitter pics?
  6. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Who was Arnold's mistress?
  7. Gay Marriage: Which states allow gay marriage?
  8. Withdrawal from Iraq: When will the troops come home?
  9. Iowa Caucus: When is the Iowa caucus?
  10. Muammar Ghadafi: Who will lead Libya after Ghadafi?

With 2012 right around the corner, Ask leveraged the top questions asked by the site's 60 million users to also predict headlines for the year to come.

Top predictions for 2012:

  1. George Clooney wins his second AND third Academy Award
  2. Dr. Oz surpasses Dr. Phil in ratings in a post-Oprah world
  3. Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl second year in a row
  4. McDonald's adds the McRib to its permanent menu
  5. New York reclaims its spot as top the US travel destination from 2011 leader Orlando
  6. Breakout star of 2011, Nicki Minaj, leapfrogs pop icon Katy Perry in album sales
  7. Pippa jumps onto the list of top ten baby names of the year
  8. Facebook goes public with world's largest IPO
  9. Tiger Woods retires from golf

And, finally…will the world end in 2012?

  1. Spoiler alert! IT WON'T

Go to http://www.facebook.com/AskDotCom to get a more extensive list of top searches and enter for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate to the Apple store. For the Ask.com end of year video, click here.

About Ask.com

Ask.com is the number one online brand for questions and answers and an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI). Ask.com also syndicates search and advertising solutions to a network of affiliate partners.

SOURCE Ask.com