Stats and Facts About Pride Month: Why You’re Never Alone In Search

The first-ever Pride Parade was actually a riot.

Yep, you (unfortunately) read that right.

While Pride is perceived by many as a fun celebration of love, #loveislove hashtags, and parading out in the streets in places around the world, the LGBTQ community isn’t welcome everywhere – even today.

Celebrating Pride in 2023

The Pride Parade was – and still is – a fight for recognition, which started after the events at Stonewall in 1969. (Unsure what happened there? It’s okay, we’ll cover that in a second).

The internet, on the other hand, came about in 1983. Why am I bringing it back to the Internet? Well, it’s a reflection of what’s happening in the world around us, and Pride is a topic that can be seen across the world wide web.

We have the ability to watch and analyze the evolution of social and political events as they unfold. We can see the language people use via queries in search engines, the search intent behind it, and which websites are popular by evaluating traffic trends.

Shock horror, an SEO Director going on about the power of analyzing searches – who would have thunk it? But… we’ve got the Similarweb data to prove just how powerful it is.

Before I dig into the data (because that’s what we love to do) to see how the internet is celebrating Pride 2023, let’s brush up on the history of Pride and some Pride month facts to truly understand today’s trend.

Feel free to skip ahead if you already know this part.

Facts about Pride month: History and background

On the hunt for some LGBTQ facts for pride month? You got it:

️‍ Gay activism: There were LGBTQ activists long before Pride, but Pride month was a marked change in modern history. It’s the first time we’ve seen the movement for LGBTQ equality become almost mainstream.

️‍ Stonewall Inn: This is the first documented LGBTQ uprising in U.S. history. In 1969, the NYC police raided a well-known gay club, The Stonewall Inn. This led to a clash and protest and triggered a worldwide gay rights movement.

️‍ Brenda Howard: The “Mother of Pride”, coordinated the Liberation March in 1970, exactly one year after the Stonewall Riots to commemorate the incident. She birthed the idea of a week-long festival with parades, rallies, and parties. Her idea has remained unchanged ever since.

️‍ The rainbow flag: Designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, this quickly became the most recognized symbol of the LGBTQ community. The colors symbolize:

It’s important to note that while the rainbow flag is meant to be the official symbol of Pride, there are many other flags that people use during Pride to represent other orientations such as bisexual, pansexual, and more.

Pride Month marketing: is rainbow marketing becoming mainstream?

Brands are purely for profit, and many have found it profitable to create specific marketing campaigns for Pride month – along with other ‘seasonal trends’.

Does marketing for Pride help or hurt the cause? That’s up for debate, but the fact is: it’s happening either way.

In fact, it’s such a popular marketing tactic now that “target pride collection 2023”, “swatch pride collection” and “Ikea pride couch” are within the top 20 most searched terms related to Pride in May 2023, in the lead-up to the month of celebrations.

Top pride events worldwide

Pride events in a city typically mean the city is supportive of its LGBTQ community, at least to a certain degree. Intuitively, cities that host Pride events see an influx of rainbow marketing and economic benefits.

In preparation for Pride, locals buy rainbow decorations, apparel, car accessories, as well as all the typical party supplies, like food and drink. Then we’ve got the non-locals; the visitors or tourists traveling far and wide that will fill up hotels, restaurants, and bars, and ultimately boost the local economy.

Let’s look at some of the best-known Pride Parades worldwide, in no particular order.

New York City: Kicking off the list, it has to be NYC – the home of Pride (and The Stonewall Inn). With 50+ Pride events and over 3 million attendees, New York Pride is one of a kind.

San Francisco: Sticking to the USA here with San Francisco up next. One of the oldest and largest Pride events in the world – this party for equality goes on for two days straight, (pun absolutely intended).

Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv is known as the gay capital of the Middle East and hosts a week of Pride events. With over 170,000 Israelis participating in the parade alone, you can imagine how big this event is. (As an Israeli myself, this has to be one of my favorites).

Madrid: With over two million people expected to attend Madrid Pride this year, the city plans to put on a week of colorful parties and attract tourists from around the world.

Copenhagen: One of the most-loved Pride parades worldwide, Copenhagen hosts a week of LGBTQ events, which attracts millions of attendees each year.

How the internet is talking about Pride

So, I return with my SEO Director hat back on, ready to show you the power of internet search terms.

We can make assumptions about how people talk about any topic by looking at how they search for that topic online, as well as the type of information they’re looking for from that search.

One example is Mother’s Day in the US. We can assume that people will search for some variation of “gifts for mom” whereas in the UK we’d expect “gifts for mum”. That kind of thing.

So, let’s take a look at what we can learn from 2023’s (January to May) Pride-related queries via mobile web in the run-up to Pride month:

You are never alone in search: Top pride searches and resources

With my data hat firmly on my head now, let’s take a look at some of the top pride searches and resources out there.

The most popular searches about Pride

Below, you’ll find the top 100 searches people have Googled in relation to Pride in May 2023.

“Pride” had 415,950 people searching for it, and “pride month” boasts a whopping 305,500 searches. These were also the top two keywords relating to Pride last year too, but what’s interesting is the search volume.

While “pride” and “pride month” had less search volume this year in comparison to last year’s 587.2K and 438.8K, the average search volume throughout the top 100 was a lot larger. For example, the 100th keyword only just nipped below 1,000 in search volume for May 2023, whereas the 100th keyword last year only saw 420.

The takeaway? There are a lot of people looking for more information about – and ways to show their support towards – Pride month and LGBTQ topics, and the searches are getting more varied and perhaps, educated.

But whatever the search term, it shows that even if you’re the only one in your city looking for more info, there are – quite literally – hundreds of thousands of other people doing the same.

The websites you’re landing on

Youth.gov is a website that provides information and support to young people in the United States – and its support for the LGBTQ community is a huge reason for its traffic. Look at its top organic pages as evidence:

Over the past month, youth.gov’s website traffic hit over 55,000 visits, which is already a lot. But add on the traffic that similar websites are getting, and take a second to think about just how many kids are Googling or searching for these terms and services.

For example, gaycenter.org’s Youth page saw a big rise in traffic in the last couple of months – something which recognition around Pride month has contributed towards.

So, we’ll say it again: you are not alone in your search.

You are not alone in your search

For Pride 2023, Similarweb wanted to put its data to good use: to show you that you are never alone in your search. Our recent Pride campaign has proof.

“LGBTQ” as a term got a huge 8.02 million in total traffic, between May 2022 and April 2023. The top website to get all that website traffic? Wikipedia.

From the top keywords we went through earlier, we can also see search getting more and more local. People want to know what’s going on and where – with some key cities getting a lot of mentions. Looks like you’ve got a few people coming your way this month, Zürich and Dallas.

For those who are less ‘out’ than others, online search has proven itself a great way to find support and answer any questions that people may have. Using the same data between May 2022 and April 2023, we can see “how to come out” was a widely searched term, and most of that website traffic went to the nonprofit organization, thetrevorproject.org.

As an organization, thetrevorproject.org focuses on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and question youth, and provides a lot of valuable resources for its users.

Pride is for everyone

What began as a riot has turned into an internationally recognized movement. It’s important to remember how much Pride has developed over the years, helping us to guide it forward.

Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate diversity, promote acceptance, and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. By asking these questions and seeking answers, you’re taking a step toward fostering a more inclusive and supportive society.

So, I’ll end similarly to how I began: the internet is a reflection of what’s happening in the world around us. But while the world is changing, there is some way to go.

But one thing is for sure: even if you’re in a town that doesn’t have an LGBTQ community, we hope that our Similarweb data proves that trends are evolving and you are not alone. ️‍

FAQs

What is the significance of Pride Month?

Pride Month is an annual celebration that honors the LGBTQ+ community and commemorates the Stonewall riots, a pivotal event in LGBTQ+ history. It serves as a time to promote inclusivity, equality, and visibility for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.

How can I show my support for Pride?

There are many ways to show support for Pride. Participating in local Pride parades or events is a great way to immerse yourself in the celebrations. You can also educate yourself about LGBTQ+ history, issues, and rights. Additionally, displaying symbols of support, such as the rainbow flag, can help create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Is there a strong online presence for the LGBTQ+ community?

Absolutely! The online space has become an essential platform for the LGBTQ+ community to connect, share stories, and find support. In fact, the term “LGBTQ” receives a substantial amount of online traffic, with a staggering 8.02 million visits between May 2022 and April 2023. This demonstrates the immense interest and engagement surrounding LGBTQ+ topics and issues.

How can I find Pride events near me?

If you’re looking for Pride events in your area, you can simply search for “pride near me.” This search term alone garnered a search volume of 27,794, indicating a widespread desire to participate in local Pride festivities. You can also check local LGBTQ+ organizations, community centers, or websites dedicated to listing Pride events for up-to-date information.

Is it common for people to search for LGBTQ+ resources and information?

Yes, it is quite common for individuals to search for LGBTQ+ resources and information. The substantial traffic generated by the term “LGBTQ” highlights the curiosity and interest people have in understanding and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it’s seeking information on LGBTQ+ history, finding support groups, or learning about inclusive terminology, many individuals actively engage in online searches to educate themselves and foster inclusivity.