Google Hot Searches no longer features the 20 trending U.S. searches. Google has opted to remove 17 of those searches but has added related thumbnail pictures, the number of searches over 24 hours, a few related searches, and links to some news stories.
Here’s an example of what Hot Searches used to look like:
And here’s the updated Hot Searches look for today:
Although Google claims that related searches are being aggregated into one entry, a quick look at today’s top searches – Apple, Robin Roberts, and LA Kings – still doesn’t add up to 20 when you add in the searches related to Apple (wwdc, apple store, ios 6, wwdc 2012).
Why is this? “The new page introduces a filtering system that helps us make sure that the list includes only the truly hottest news stories of the day,” according to Google’s blog post.
The “change date” option is gone, and it seems you can’t see any Hot Searches from before June 1.
Clicking on the hot searches will send you to a Google search about that hot topic. Google has also added the ability to share Hot Searches socially – on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook, by hovering over the name of the hot search.
Hot Searches, which is updated hourly, is designed to highlight searches that are spiking in popularity in the U.S., rather than the most popular overall searches of the day. You can check out The Hot Searches page for yourself here.