Search Engine Optimization Facts

Google is (by far) the most popular search engine. As of 2021, Google accounts for more than 79% of total desktop search traffic, followed by Bing at 7.27%, Baidu 6.55%, Yahoo 5.06%. The remaining 2.2% of search traffic is spread amongst ASK.com, AOL and other smaller players.

50% of all organic search queries include four or more words. This point is particularly important for websites that are not making the most of longtail keywords. Not only are longtail keywords important for web traffic, they also have a higher conversion rate than general search inquiries.

Quality Content and Link Building are the key to SEO success. According to multiple authoritative sources, the combination of high-quality content and link building is the most effective way to rank content in search engines. When combined, link building and good content have the potential to catapult web traffic.

61% of marketers believe that SEO is the key to online success. The ongoing benefits of search engine optimization are the reason for SEO being ranked as the most effective way to increase awareness, traffic, and grow online.

56% of businesses allocate less than one-quarter of their marketing budget to link building. Just like every other aspect of business, with link building, you get out exactly what you put in. Companies in tune with the importance of SEO understand that getting to the top (and staying there) of the search engine results pages requires a significant investment time, money, and patience. It’s important to recognize that unlike PPC advertising, SEO will continue to work around the clock to attract leads to your businesses long after the campaign has finished.

Businesses with a marketing strategy allocate on average 41% of their budget to SEO. Attracted by the residual and ongoing benefits of an SEO strategy, businesses are spending more than ever to increase their exposure through organic search. This number is expected to grow to more than 45% in 2021.

70% of clicks in Google search results go to organic, with 30% going to AdWords. While PPC marketing plays an important role in a holistic marketing strategy, there is no doubting the effectiveness of organic search results. Despite Google’s best efforts, users are still very aware of what is a ‘paid’ and what is an organic listing in the search results. SEO statistics like this one make a strong argument for allocating more resources to SEO in a marketing budget.

Businesses with online reviews are trusted by 73% of consumers. Social reviews through Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp and other peer to peer review platforms are a highly effective way to boost user trust and drive conversions. Businesses who displayed links to reviews directly on their website using schema mark-up are even more likely to encourage users to make a purchase.

97% of consumers research a company via the internet. Consumers have access to more information than ever. This SEO fact highlights the importance of having an abundance of company information available online for potential customers. Make it easy for your target market to learn about your company by offering up information about your company and your story through your website.

65% of digital marketers admit that link building is the most difficult aspect of SEO. Search engine optimization is constantly evolving. Google is becoming more sophisticated in understanding the origin of links and how much value to place on them. Link building is rated as the most difficult and unpredictable aspect of SEO. Google is constantly changing the weight that it gives to links. In 2021, marketers need to ensure that they are building clean, sustainable links that will remain safe and unaffected through Google’s future algorithm updates.

34% of companies allocate more than $1,000 per month to their link building efforts. Worried about how much money and effort your competitors are putting into their search engine optimization strategy? The latest research suggests that companies are spending more than $1,000 USD per month on link building to boost and sustain their position in the search engine results pages. With a growing awareness of SEO, businesses who are at the top of the search engines are working hard to defend their position by adding new, relevant links to their websites each month.

72% of users who did a Google search visited a store within 8km of where they were searching. Local SEO is a highly effective way to drive motivated traffic to your business. Make the most of Google My Business and implement a Local SEO strategy to ensure you’re getting seen by customers in your area.

46% of all Google searches feature a local intent. The latest local SEO staistics show that almost half of all searches that take place on Google feature a local SEO intent. Google is placing more emphasis on delivering local results that provide an immediate solution for customers. Companies that neglect a comprehensive local SEO will continue to fall by the wayside.

28% of searches that include local intent will result in a purchase. Another search engine optimization fact that needs little explanation. For businesses of all sizes, the importance of a local SEO strategy cannot be overstated.

56% of local businesses have not claimed their Google My Business listing. Businesses who have not claimed or configured their free GMB listing are missing one of the most fundamental aspects of an effective local SEO strategy. Given that GMB is one of the first things that users will see when searching a business on Google, it is vital to have your business listed, verified, and managed.

78% of location-oriented searches will lead to an offline conversion. Immediate gratification means that bricks and mortar businesses are still alive and well. According to the latest SEO data, 78% of users who make a search that includes location information will then carry out that transaction in a physical store. Even for businesses who thrive on sales in bricks and mortar locations, it’s essential to have an SEO strategy in place that exposes your business to potential customers.

82% of businesses have not claimed their Bing Business listing. According to the latest SEO statistics, Bing accounts for 7.27% of total web searches. While this number is dwarfed by Google, businesses who have not taken the time to configure and optimize their Bing Business listing are neglecting more than 7% of their potential market share. For some niches, the % of users who access their business through Bing could be considerably higher.

30% of Google searches from a mobile device include a location. The latest SEO statistics have revealed that almost 1/3 of all searches that come from a mobile device specify a location. This surprising SEO fact highlights the importance of a Local SEO strategy that targets local, highly lucrative traffic.

92% of mobile phone users will access the internet from their mobile device. Unsurprisingly, the number of people accessing the internet from their mobile phone is on the rise. Improved mobile infrastructure and devices has paved the way for mobile devices to become the most popular way to access information. The number of smartphone users globally is projected to top 3 billion by 2021.

69% of mobile device users say that they are more likely to buy from a website that addresses their questions easily. This SEO statistic should come as no surprise to anyone. Websites that address user queries and provide ease of access from mobile devices are far more likely to land a conversion than those that do not.

The cut off load time for a mobile device is 5 seconds. When it comes to SEO, speed matters. The latest SEO data compiled in 2021 reveals that mobile sites that take more than 5-seconds to load have a 70% lower mobile session rate than those that load in under five seconds. According to Google, a delay of one-second can mean a 20% drop in conversion. If you’re still on the fence about optimizing your website for speed, this is one of those SEO statistics that you cannot ignore.

57% of users would not recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website. Users have more choice than ever, which means that they can afford to be pickier than ever before. According to Google, users who are not able to read or browse content efficiently and effortlessly on their mobile device are likely to abandon the page. Not only will websites lose that user, they also run the risk of users warning their peers against using their website in the future.

More than 30% of all mobile searches were made right before visiting a store. SEO statistics for 2021 reveal that almost one third of users visited a store after completing a search from their mobile phone. This SEO statistic highlights the importance of making your business visible in the organic search results when trying to attract new customers. This fact also highlights that bricks and mortar businesses still play an important role in the buying economy, as well as the importance of having a strong online presence – even if the majority of sales still come through a physical store front.

43% of users will do an online search from their smartphone when they are in the store. The latest SEO statistics show that customers are taking no chances when it comes to spending money at bricks and mortar locations. Consumers have more choice than ever, and as a result almost half of all consumers still use their smartphone to confirm their purchasing behaviour even when they’re in a physical store that sells their desired product. Exposing your business to customers through SEO can be vital right up until the moment of the sale.

66% of E-Commerce browsing time comes from mobile, however, less than 30% of sales come from mobile devices. Mobile devices are increasingly being used to browse online stores; however, users are still wary when it comes time to making a sale. Ease of access and greater visibility means that mobile devices are still surpassed by desktop and laptops when it comes time to make a purchase.

60% of all Google searches are done through a mobile device. We know that mobile traffic eclipsed desktop traffic back in 2016, but the most recent SEO statistics also reveal that more than half of all Google searches come from a mobile device. By way of a comparison, in 2014, just 34% of all Google searches came from a mobile device. The growth of the smartphone, mobile data, and improved mobile UX can all be attributed to the dramatic rise in Google mobile searches in 2021.

In 2021, mobile is expected to eclipse desktop for online sales. It wasn’t long ago that mobile devices made up just a fraction of total online sales. The growing use of mobile devices and the optimization of mobile usability from Ecommerce websites mean that users are expected to favour mobile devices by 2021. The stats reveal that businesses with a mobile ready website are far more likely to be successful online in 2021.