9th OGB Post: The Taxman Searcheth

It isn't about sports, but still is focused on trends.  Specifically something that millions of Americans are doing today:  filing their taxes.  The Taxman Searcheth was a team effort.  This is my 5th OGB post in just 2011.  I've only penned 4 others in my past 3+ years at the company.  That pace is likely to hold true for the remainder of the year.   As for this post, I worked with one of my teammates in NYC to get the post done.  It is effective because it is relevant and shows in very clear ways some key differences in this year (the late deadline and the fast shift to e-filing/online filing) and a few other interesting things including the fact that more US residents are searching for how to deduct their gambling losses than their charity donations.  Think about that for a second.  I guess one could chalk up the big difference to the fact that in some regards, charitable deductions are much more straight forward.  You just put the amount right in the field for charity.  But, gambling losses require a bit of research.  But, although the explaination might be obvious, I think there's something else at play there:  lots of Americans have a vice and they want to make sure they maximize their returns by claiming everything they can.





Typically, these posts are important for a few different reasons and this one hits on all cylinders.  First, it helps us prop up key executives as "thought leaders" in their fields.  Second, it injects the Google brand into the conversation around these "water cooler events" and finally, it highlights key trends which our teams can use when they go see their customers.

--------------------------


Here are the live links to all nine of my posts on the Official Google Blog:

• At the Republican National Convention: Politics in the Cloud and on the Ground (9/9/08) 
• Searching for the Next Olympic Host City (10/1/09)  
• Searching for the 2010 Stanley Cup (6/2/10)  
• Celebrating 10 Years in Chicago (12/16/10)  
• Auto Industry off to a Fast Start in Motown (1/14/11)
• It's Googler v. Googler this weekend as the Packer and Steelers face off (2/3/11)
• Searching for a Cinderella Story (3/31/11)
• If the Green Jacket Fits (4/7/11)
• The Taxman Searcheth (4/17/11)