---
title: "ESL vs IEM: Which is searched more?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, ESL or IEM? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Esports tournaments set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/esl-vs-iem"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# ESL vs IEM: Which is searched more?

Which is more popular in search, ESL or IEM? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Esports tournaments set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: ESL and IEM
- **Competitive set**: Esports tournaments
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **ESL Share of Search**: 18.7%
- **IEM Share of Search**: 34.2%

## Which is more popular in search, ESL or IEM?

- In August 2026, IEM had more branded searches than ESL among esports tournaments worldwide. IEM was estimated to have 450K branded searches compared to ESL’s 246K, and held a 34.2% Share of Search versus ESL’s 18.7%.
- IEM was ahead of ESL in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, ESL’s estimated Share of Search among esports tournaments worldwide moved from 23.4% to 18.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 246K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, IEM’s estimated Share of Search among esports tournaments worldwide moved from 23.4% to 34.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 450K.

## How did search popularity change for esports tournaments worldwide in August 2026?

- In August 2026, IEM gained estimated Share of Search among esports tournaments worldwide, from 24.2% to 34.2%.
- In August 2026, ESL gained estimated Share of Search among esports tournaments worldwide, from 16.2% to 18.7%.

## Month by month

| Month | ESL estimated searches | ESL Share of Search | ESL rank | IEM estimated searches | IEM Share of Search | IEM rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 301K | 23.4% | 2 | 301K | 23.4% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | 246K | 19.8% | 3 | 301K | 24.3% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 246K | 24.8% | 3 | 301K | 30.4% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | 301K | 24.9% | 3 | 368K | 30.4% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | 246K | 21.9% | 3 | 368K | 32.7% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | 301K | 24.1% | 3 | 368K | 29.4% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | 246K | 21% | 3 | 368K | 31.4% | 2 |
| May 2026 | 246K | 16.9% | 3 | 368K | 25.3% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | 301K | 14.5% | 3 | 450K | 21.7% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | 246K | 16.2% | 3 | 368K | 24.2% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | 246K | 18.7% | 3 | 450K | 34.2% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using ESL’s and IEM’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

- **ESL**: Measured on the search term “esl”.
- **IEM**: Measured on the search term “iem”.

- [ESL profile](/demand/global-en/brands/esl)
- [IEM profile](/demand/global-en/brands/iem)
- [All esports tournaments worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/esports-tournaments): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, ESL or IEM?

In August 2026, IEM had more branded searches than ESL among esports tournaments worldwide. IEM was estimated to have 450K branded searches compared to ESL’s 246K, and held a 34.2% Share of Search versus ESL’s 18.7%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "ESL vs IEM: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/esl-vs-iem

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/esl-vs-iem. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.