The best way to understand SEO is to look at factual stats. Here we present 30+ SEO stats that will blow your mind, some that may be familiar to you and some you’re seeing for the first time.
1. 68% of all online activities start with a search engine.
Want to buy a laptop? You search its specs online. Hungry? Searching for restaurants near you?. Going on vacation? Chances are you’ll book your next trip online rather than going down the route of a traditional travel agent.
We’re now so reliant on the internet to meet almost all our daily needs for information that it comes as no surprise that pretty much all our online activity begins with a good old search engine.
2. The most popular activity people engage in online is search
According to Pew Research’s SEO data, surfing the web after doing a browser search is the most popular activity over the internet.
3. Google accounts for over 13 billion search queries per day.
On average, people all over the world conduct 13 billion searches per day. According to Google search statistics provided by Internet Live Stats, this amounts to 4.75 trillion searches per year. Next year it is expected to reach 6 TRILLION as more people go online.
4. In 2020, the number of US search engine users reached 239.1 million.
OK, so 68% of all internet activity begins with a search engine. But how many people actually use search engines in the US? While the newest statistics are not currently available, Statista informs us that this number was projected to reach 242 million in 2022. Nearly every adult in America uses internet browsers nowadays.
Successful SEO is not about tricking Google. It’s about partnering with Google to provide the best search results for Google’s users.
5. Search engines generate 300% more traffic for websites than social media.
In terms of news headlines, social media is unassailable, but search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing are responsible for driving more traffic to sites than all of the social networks combined.
6. Search engine optimization marketing spending in the US was $80 billion in 2020.
In 2010, American marketers spent $22.1 billion on professional SEO services to optimize their websites so their companies would rank on the first page of Google and the vast majority of that was by large companies. The importance of ranking among the top results has since only increased, as has total spending on SEO. In fact, total internet advertising spending is projected to reach $129.59 billion in 2022.
7. 14.6% of SEO-generated leads are converted into sales.
SEO statistics point to the amazing conversion power of search engine marketing. As many as 14.6% of website visitors who discover websites thanks to successful search engine optimization end up becoming customers. This is huge compared to the 1.7% conversion rate of traditional outbound strategies like emails and print advertising.
8. 61% of marketers say growing SEO and organic presence on their websites is their top marketing priority.
Marketing is all about creating meaningful connections with your clients. And what better way to do just that than delivering the content your clients actually want to see? Six in 10 marketers consider SEO priority number one.
9. 29.13% of high-volume keywords are made up of three words or more.
Internet search statistics highlight the fact that people tend to search for longer terms, including three or more words in nearly a third of searches for keywords with a volume of 10,000 or more. This revealing bit of data goes against conventional wisdom that short keywords are king.
10. 93% of mobile users are likely to click on the first set of results when doing a “near me” search.
When asked how likely they were to click on the first two to three search results after conducting a “near me” search, 60% of respondents said they were “very likely” to do so, and another 33% said they were “likely” to click on the top results. Of course, this doesn’t mean that lower positions are ignored, placing 5th for a term that has 200,000 monthly searches is still rewarding.
11. 21% of Google users access more than one search result.
According to search engine traffic statistics, only a fifth of all Google searches results in more than a single click. This stat only emphasizes the importance of ranking highly on Google, since most people click only on the top results and nothing else.
12. 53% of all website traffic comes from organic searches.
When looking to bring people to your website, regardless of whether you’re in the B2B or B2C niche, nothing beats organic traffic. Organic searches generate more than half of all website traffic. In contrast, Paid searches are responsible for just 10% of website traffic, social networks attract about 5% of visitors, and the remaining 34% come from all other sources combined (including emails, displays, and referrals or directly).
Today in 2021, SEO isn’t about total traffic coming in – it’s about getting targeted and relevant traffic.
13. 70% to 80% of users completely ignore paid advertisements.
According to SEO vs. PPC statistics, a Google result that shows at the top of the search results page marked with a tiny “Ad” sign will be overlooked by up to 80% of people hunting for information. It’s one of the reasons that Google has made the ‘Ad’ text smaller every year. Hence, a good SEO strategy greatly outperforms pay-per-click marketing campaigns.
14. An average Google search session takes less than a minute.
Google is the preferred search engine in the world for a reason. It requires just under a minute from when you enter your query to when you get the result you’re after. That’s why it’s important to grab the users’ attention quickly with well-written titles and snippets.
15. 75% of searchers never click past the first page of results.
The majority of people never check the second page of Google results. Three-quarters of internet users focus on the results listed on the first page, mostly at the top of it. Only a quarter of searchers peek around the corner to see what’s on the second page.
Google Search Engine Statistics
Google is the world’s most used search engine, responsible for driving the most traffic to websites. It holds the dominant portion of the search engine market and delivers search results in a matter of seconds. That’s why, for most marketers, achieving good SEO results means achieving not just a high search engine ranking but a high ranking on Google, not that a good SEO agency will ever ignore the others.
16. Google’s search engine market share in 2021 stands at 88.84%.
Leaving YouTube out for the fact that it’s a video-streaming platform, Bing is a distant second, holding only 5.43% of the global market while Yahoo! holds 3%.
US Search Engine Market Share 2021
17. 91,144 Google searches take place every second.
Google now processes almost 92,000 search queries every second on average. This means over 13 billion Google searches per day and 4.75 trillion searches per year are conducted worldwide.
18. 95.25% of mobile search traffic is generated on Google.
When it comes to getting info on the go, internet users the world over rely on Google. As much as 96% of mobile search traffic comes from this search engine alone.
19. Google introduces 500 to 600 changes to its search algorithms every year.
Rank well on Google, and you’ll have more website traffic and that’s a fact. That in turn will generate more leads who will later become customers. But how can you accomplish this goal with Google constantly changing its algorithm for ranking search results? That’s the key question, the answer is simple, hire a great SEO specialist like us and we’ll stay ahead of the game.
20. 16% to 20% of daily Google searches are queries that have never been raised before.
Keyword search statistics reveal that up to a fifth of Google searches performed on a daily basis are composed of entirely new keywords or questions. Talk about human ingenuity. And Google’s resourcefulness, for that matter. That means that Ads have no place there so it’s a 100% SEO arena.
Do you want to keep a secret? Then hide it on page 2 of Google.
21. Zero-click searches jumped to 65% during 2020.
The search engine giant goes out of its way to provide the most relevant information in its top results. And it seems to be on the right path, given that the first page-of-Google statistics tells us that 65% of all Google searches in 2020 ended without any clicks. Typing “Miami weather” or “shoe stores near me” tends to give users all the information they need. This came after a fall in zero-click searches in 2019, with their resurgence possibly being a result of COVID prompting people to make more search queries in general.
22. About 40% of Google page one organic listings are HTTPS.
Multiple studies have shown a slight correlation between Hypertext Transport Protocol Security (the little lock in the browser) and SEO. Search engine optimization stats tell us that websites that use HTTPS are more secure and they load faster. HTTPS has been a signal in Google’s ranking algorithm since 2014 with a sharp increase in its contribution to SEO in the past year. If your site doesn’t have a correctly setup SSL Certificate that gives you HTTPS and the lock then you need to speak with us.
Local SEO Statistics
When entering Google search words, most users want to see local results. Google has increasingly taken note of this and is delivering search results based on users’ locations. Business owners need to be aware of this when creating their SEO strategy.
23. As many as 46% of all Google searches are local.
Nearly half of all Google searches are looking for local information. People often want to know the working hours of a local establishment, the availability of certain goods in local stores, or the weather for the area. This is so often the case that local searches now make up 46% of all Google queries. And it doesn’t matter if they search for ‘Italian Restaurant in Green Bay’ or simply ‘Italian Restaurant’, Google will show them the local businesses first.
24. 61% of mobile searchers say they would be more likely to contact a local business if it had a mobile-friendly website.
Search engine optimization stats remind us how important it is to make your website mobile-friendly. Failing to optimize your website to provide a smooth browsing experience across devices can cost you. As many as six in 10 internet users say they would be more inclined to get in touch with a local business if it had a mobile-optimized site. Mobile-optimized means that the site loads quickly, it’s easy to navigate and easy to read.
25. 76% of people who make a local search visit a local business within five miles of their location.
Focusing your SEO efforts on ranking high in Google local searches is a smart move, if you’re doing that, Well done! But why? Because most people who seek local information end up going to brick-and-mortar businesses within a five-mile radius. Better still, local SEO search statistics indicate that 28% of those searches actually result in a purchase.
26. 50% of local mobile searches concern business information like the address or working hours of a local business.
People want to get useful information quickly when conducting local searches. Finding a place or learning when it closes is the intent behind half of all local queries. So, if you want to increase foot traffic to your business, be sure to make this info available.
27. As many as three-quarters of local searches result in a phone call.
GO-Globe’s local search statistics suggest that, even though the internet has become the first place where people look for information, they still love getting in touch via phone. Some 76% of local searches lead to a phone conversation with a local business. So make it easy for your customers to get in contact.
SEO is an ever-changing world, what’s best now may not become the best tomorrow.
Mobile SEO
We do everything on the go; it’s just a fact of modern life. Average website traffic statistics confirm this – more than half of all internet traffic now comes from mobile devices. If you want your website to show up in the top results, mobile optimization is a must.
28. 86% of modern shoppers look up the location of a business on Google Maps.
Local SEO stats point to the amazing popularity of Google Maps. Almost nine in 10 consumers look for local businesses and directions to them using this app. Conclusion? Get your business on Google Maps, ASAP!
29. 480 million social posts that include location information are shared by US consumers every month.
Local SEO experts take advantage of this fact. Organic shares from consumers who are so delighted by a service or an establishment that they want to share their location are incredibly powerful in boosting traffic. But this is unlikely to happen without prior investment in search engine optimization.
30. 2015 was the year mobile searches surpassed desktop searches in terms of quantity.
Until 2015, internet users accessed the web from their PCs. But as smartphones got more sophisticated and free WiFi became more available, the number of mobile searches exceeded the number of desktop searches. When the shift happened, Google changed its algorithm. The so-called ‘Mobilegeddon’ prioritizes websites that display well on smartphones and other mobile devices, forcing businesses to adapt or perish. It’s now been 6 years since that happened, if your site is still not FULLY mobile-friendly then get in touch with us immediately.
31. Experts predict that spending for location-targeted mobile advertising in the US will grow to $32.7 billion by 2023.
In accordance with shoppers’ preferences, location-targeted advertising presents consumers with ads that are relevant to their current location. Spending on this form of mobile advertising is set to increase to $32.7 billion by 2023 in the US.
US Ecommerce Market Share
32. 19% of mobile users have made unplanned purchases in local stores thanks to location-based ads.
No wonder such big bucks are expected to be spent on location-targeted advertisements by 2023. Nearly a fifth of consumers reports having made a spontaneous purchase because they saw a timely ad for a locally available product.
33. 82% of smartphone owners say they use their phones before making a purchase in a store.
Search engine marketing statistics clearly show that consumers soak up information online before committing to a certain retailer. If you can beat the competition with lower prices and have a well-optimized website, you just may persuade that customer to buy from you.
Link Building Statistics
Regardless of the quality of your content, Google won’t present your website in the top results unless other websites confirm that quality by linking to it. The following statistics show why link building is an integral part of SEO success.
34. 99% of the websites ranking in the top results of Google have at least one external link.
Link building is an essential part of SEO Google’s efforts. Search engine optimization facts don’t lie; it’s virtually impossible to rank highly on Google if you don’t include both internal and external links in your pages. According to SEO statistics by Forbes; virtually all top-ranking websites have at least one external link among a number of internal links.
35. The first result on Google has 3.8 times more backlinks on average than pages on positions 2-10.
Backlinks from strong, authoritative sites are essential for reaching high positions on Google search results. It is a fact that first-ranked sites have nearly four times more backlinks than other sites on the first page of results. Getting backlinks is a time-consuming and costly task, approaching the admin of a large site to ask for backlinks is an impossibility for anyone other than a high-level SEO agency and we’re experts at it.
SEO is a noun, verb and adjective.
What’s next?
So, there we have it 30+ compelling SEO stats. We cannot overstate how important an SEO strategy is for any business in 2021. We are unique in offering Local SEO within an affordable monthly plan, take a look and get in contact with us to see how we can help.