Semrush Launches 2024 Annual Global Issues Index, Empowering Organizations to Drive Societal Change

Semrush (NYSE: SEMR), a leading online visibility management SaaS platform, today unveiled its second Annual Global Issues Index. This extensive study highlights shifting societal concerns, offering valuable insights to help organizations effectively navigate and address evolving global challenges.

In its second edition, co-authored by Columbia University Professor Jeremy Kagan, the Index reveals the most searched societal issues based on average monthly Google searches between January 2020 and June 2024, and ranks them across 35 countries. The study lists the Top 10 issues in each country, as well as a global aggregate ranking, from a group of 24 core issues including abortion, gun control, sustainability, pollution, unemployment, mental health, the war on drugs, and more. 

“We’re pleased to deliver the second edition of the Annual Global Issues Index, a resource that highlights the most pressing societal issues spanning 35 countries,” said Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush. “Our goal is to equip marketers with actionable data that helps them create compelling campaigns that resonate with their audiences and address the issues that matter most."

Key findings from the report include:

“Analyzing search volume offers a unique lens into global priorities, revealing how public concern evolves over time. The Annual Global Issues Index provides critical insights into the changing landscape of societal issues,” said Jeremy Kagan, Columbia University Professor. “This comprehensive study helps us understand shifting public interests with greater clarity and offers valuable data on global concerns.”

The Annual Global Issues Index was compiled using the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool, which analyzed over 159,000 keywords, phrases, and queries across 24 core issues to determine the average monthly search volume for each topic. The search volumes were ranked from highest to lowest across the 35 countries studied, revealing the Top 10 most searched issues in each country over the past five years.

To discover more about the most significant societal challenges today—and how businesses can use these insights to make a greater impact on the world and their customers—you can download the full report here.