In the AI era, Swedes compare more than ever: “best in test” searches up 53%

AI was supposed to kill traditional search. In Sweden, the opposite is happening. Our analysis of Ahrefs search-volume data for 2021–2026 shows that Swedes’ searches for “bäst i test” (Swedish for “best in test”) have grown 53% in five years and peaked in 2026 — even as AI has already moved into those very searches. The conclusion: AI is not eating research-driven search behaviour; it is fuelling it.

At Topdog we looked at how often Swedes google comparison and research queries such as “bäst i test” and “bästa [product]” (“best [product]”), and set that against how AI shows up on the same searches. Here is what we found.

“Best in test” has never been searched as much as now

Measured in July each year — to strip out seasonal spikes like Christmas and Black Friday — the volume for the 34 largest “bäst i test” terms rose 53% since 2021 and stands at its highest level ever in 2026. The phrasing “bästa [product]” also grew, though more slowly (+17%).

Product search cools — but comparison search surges

The clearest signal is the contrast with ordinary product searches. While Swedes’ searches for plain product terms — such as “dammsugare” (vacuum cleaner) or “tvättmaskin” (washing machine) — peaked in 2023 and have since cooled, “bäst i test” kept climbing. A flattening baseline alongside rising comparison search suggests it is the research behaviour itself that is growing, not that the categories are simply searched more.

Why we think it is growing

“Trust is good, control is better. When an AI answer delivers a confident recommendation, the shopper wants to verify it before spending money: they search for ‘bäst i test’, for the brands mentioned and for the claims in the answer to check that they hold up. AI becomes the starting point — but the independent test decides the purchase.”

– Christian Rudolf, CEO and search consultant at the SEO agency Topdog

Meanwhile, AI has moved into the results page

For queries starting with “bästa”, Google now shows an AI Overview in roughly 4 out of 10 cases. On the classic “bäst i test” terms it is still uncommon — about 1 in 15. AI has already taken a place above the regular results on many of these searches, without demand falling.

Ask ChatGPT and it cites almost only Swedish review sites

Asked the same question, ChatGPT draws its answers almost exclusively from niche Swedish review/test sites such as Testkollen, Test.se, Testix and Testra — rarely from the retailers themselves. To appear in the AI answers, you need to be where the review sites are.

What it means for you as a retailer

• Comparison search is not going away — it is growing. Building or appearing in “best in test”-type content remains one of the strongest channels to high-intent Swedish shoppers.
• AI changes where the answer is given, not whether it is wanted. When AI summarises, visibility is decided by which sources AI trusts — and in Sweden that is the review sites.
• Plain product pages are not enough. The buyer journey increasingly starts with a comparison or AI query; retailers who own that phase capture the customer earlier.

The most-searched “best in test” terms in Sweden 2026

Monthly search volume, Sweden 2026 (Ahrefs). The extreme rises for individual terms (e.g. skaftdammsugare, nagelsvamp) are because those categories barely existed in 2021 — it is the aggregate (+53%) that is the robust trend.

About the study

Based on Ahrefs search-volume data for July 2021–July 2026, market Sweden. “Bäst i test” reflects the 34 largest product terms and “bästa” 32, cleaned of non-product searches (e.g. the TV show “Bäst i test”). July is used as a season-neutral reference point. Search volume measures demand (number of searches), not clicks to individual sites. AI Overview presence and ChatGPT citations were measured in 2026 via Ahrefs and Ahrefs Brand Radar.