In November, Google searches and Facebook topics were a mixed bag. The Paris attacks on 13 November was one of the most-talked-about topics of the month, and gaming, sports, music and American traditions were also popular. The single consistent topic between this year and Hot Searches – November 2014 was the Melbourne Cup.

Last month the gamers of Australia rose to the top and took out the number one spot with searches for Fallout 4, the latest installment of the hit gaming franchise. Tasmanian fans – particularly those in Launceston – were full speed ahead on Google, with searches reaching a peak on 10 November, coinciding with the release date of the game.

Australians on Facebook united with the international Facebook community to share messages of love and support after the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November. Older men and women also paid tribute to Australians who had died as a result of war on Remembrance Day on 11 November.

Ronda Rousey’s hugely anticipated fight against Holly Holm, held in Melbourne, drew UFC fans to Google after news broke that crowd favourite Rousey had lost her UFC title to Holm 59 seconds into the second round. Predictably, Victorians were the biggest searchers, with terms like ‘Ronda Rousey loss’ and ‘Ronda Rousey news’ high on the agenda of sports fans. Rousey is a hot topic on Google – she just recently appeared in a What’s Trending article back in August.

American traditions are on the rise amongst Australians on Facebook. In November, Facebook saw older women in particular celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia. The mega-sale day Black Friday also gained traction with savvy shoppers – younger Aussies who went online to take advantage of the major savings from international stores. It seems the rise of popularity from American traditions isn’t slowing down: Back in October, Halloween was a major trending topic on Google and Facebook.

The terrorist attacks in Paris drew Googlers Australia-wide searching for news updates and information about the attacks. The included suicide bombings and mass shootings at cafes, restaurants and a popular music venue in Paris and quickly had Australia talking about Paris and lending messages of support. ‘Pray for Paris’ became a popular hashtag and a top rising related search on Google.

Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light, was a popular topic with Australians on Facebook in November. Women were particularly interested in the traditional Indian festival, and shared wishes for a happy Diwali with their friends.

As is typical of November, the Melbourne Cup got a place on our top searches list. This time, it was after a particularly historic race day – it was the first time the Cup was won by a female jockey. Michelle Payne got Prince of Penzance over the finish line first in the race that stops a nation. Unsurprisingly, searches for the 2015 Melbourne Cup peaked on race day – 3 November – and Newcastle led the charge for the biggest searchers.

‘Tis certainly the season to be in the Christmas spirit, and users on Facebook are no different. Christmas was a hot topic with older women in particular in November, and was one of the most-discussed topics in the lead up to December.

The release of Adele’s latest album, 25, marked the end of her four-year musical hiatus and signified her return to superstardom as one of the world’s leading musical artists. The release of 25 in November saw Google searches spike dramatically for the singer, her new album and the first single ‘Hello’. Searches peaked on Sunday 22 November, the weekend of the album release.

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