The Essential SEO Statistics to Push Your Marketing Strategy into Overdrive For 2025

You can master all the SEO techniques, tips and strategies to your heart’s content, but sometimes you need cold, hard data.

Which is why we’ve collated the essential list of SEO statistics that you can use for your marketing success in 2025.  

Use these stats to guide you on what works and what doesn’t. On where your time is best spent and what areas you should avoid:

General Search Statistics

Search trends are essential for building your SEO roadmap. Here are some important insights that you can use to shape your SEO strategy:

Search Engine Market Share

• Google dominates the search engine space with an 89.33% market share (January 2024).
• This represents a slight 0.67% decline compared to the previous month.
• Other players include:
• Bing: 4.15%
• Yandex: 2.8%
• Yahoo: 1.33%
  (Source: Statcounter Global Stats)

Click Behavior on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

• The #1 Google result captures 27.6% of clicks and the top three positions combined secure 54% of clicks.
  Why it matters: Higher rankings dramatically increase traffic potential. (Source: Backlinko)
• Only 0.63% of users click on results from the second page.
  Takeaway: Focus on ranking on the first page for maximum visibility. (Source: Backlinko)

Traffic and ROI from Organic Search

• 48.7% of marketers reported that organic search delivers the highest ROI compared to other channels:
• Social media: 19.1%
• Paid search: 18.6%
• Email marketing: 13.7%
  (Source: Search Engine Journal)
• 63.41% of all US web traffic referrals come from Google.
  Why it matters: Google continues to drive the majority of online traffic. (Source: Sparktoro)

Content Longevity and Performance

• 60% of top-ranking pages are 3 or more years old, while only 22% are published within the past year.
  Takeaway: Google favors older, established content, making long-term strategies essential. (Source: Ahrefs)
• The average word count of first-page results is 1,447 words.
  Insight: While word count isn’t directly tied to rankings, longer content often earns more backlinks. (Source: Backlinko)

Search Behavior and Preferences

• 49% of US online shoppers start their product search on platforms like Google and Bing.
• However, Amazon leads with 61%. (Source: eMarketer)
• 58.5% of US searches result in zero-click searches (where users don’t click any result), rising to 59.7% in the EU.
  Insight: Focus on featured snippets and instant answers to capture attention. (Source: Sparktoro)
• Only 41.5% of US searches and 40.3% of UK searches lead to organic results or paid ads.
  Takeaway: Diversify efforts across multiple channels, including YouTube, Maps, and News. (Source: Sparktoro)

Ranking Factors

• Google uses over 200 factors to rank websites, with quality content, backlinks, and user experience being among the top. (Source: Backlinko)

Backlinks and Link-Building Trends

Backlinks (links from other sites to yours) remain just as important as ever for SEO success. 

Here’s a breakdown of the latest backlink statistics and insights for 2025:

Backlinks and Rankings

• Pages ranked in the top three positions on Google acquire 5–14.5% more new backlinks monthly.
  Why it matters: High rankings attract organic links, reinforcing your position. (Source: Ahrefs)
• More backlinks = more traffic. Studies show a direct correlation between the number of backlinks and search traffic. (Source: Ahrefs)
• 43.7% of top-ranking pages have reciprocal links (link exchanges).
  Caution: Google discourages this practice, but organic link exchanges can still be beneficial. (Source: Ahrefs)

Long-Form Content Drives Backlinks

• Articles with 3,000+ words receive 77.2% more backlinks than shorter posts.
  Takeaway: Invest in more comprehensive content to attract more links. (Source: Backlinko)

The Cost of Paid Links

• 74.3% of link builders pay for links, with an average cost of $83 per link.
  • Domain Authority (DA) of the website.
  • Niche or industry relevance.
  • Website size and type of link. (Source: Authority Hacker)
• Prices vary depending on:
• Guest posting remains the most popular link-building tactic:
• 64.9% of link builders use guest posts.
• Even among those who don’t buy links, 46.4% still use this method. (Source: Authority Hacker)

Link Rot and Reclamation

• 66.5% of links created in the past nine years are now dead due to:
• Dropped pages.
• Removed links.
• Crawl errors. (Source: Ahrefs)
• Actionable Tip: Use link reclamation and broken link-building tactics to recover lost link equity.

Survey Insights on Link-Building Success

• 37% of marketers define a successful campaign as acquiring 1–9 backlinks.
• 28% consider 10–19 backlinks the standard for success. (Source: Aira)
• 67.5% of marketers agree that backlinks are essential for ranking.
  • Content marketing.
  • Guest posting.
  • Digital PR. (Source: uSERP)
• Top strategies include:

Avoid Link-Building Pitfalls

• Link rot and low-quality paid links can harm your rankings.
• Ensure that paid and reciprocal links comply with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines to avoid penalties (or use a reputable company like yowl, we know what we are doing).

Mobile Search Optimisation

Optimising for mobile is essential as the majority of online searches are done via a smartphone.

Mobile Usage Dominates Search

• 63% of Google searches happen on mobile devices.
  Why it matters: Mobile-first indexing and optimisation should be top priorities. (Source: Semrush)
• 80% of Gen Z, 66% of Gen X, and 62% of Millennials rely on their phones for browsing.
• 54% of all consumers prefer mobile searches over desktop.
  (Source: Hubspot)
• Over 50% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, according to most marketers. (Source: Hubspot)

Mobile Search Behavior

• 60% of users say mobile searches helped them discover new companies or products.
  (Source: Think With Google)
• 56% of in-store shoppers use their phones to research products while shopping.
  Why it matters: Mobile search directly influences offline purchasing decisions. (Source: Think With Google)
• 57% of local search queries are conducted on mobile or tablet devices, and 89% of these use search engines instead of apps like Maps.
  (Source: ReviewTrackers)

Mobile Performance and Experience

• 40% of consumers leave a webpage that takes longer than 3 seconds to load.
• 79% of dissatisfied users are unlikely to return.
  Quick Tip: Use tools like Test My Site to diagnose and fix loading issues. (Source: Think With Google)
• Mobile click-through rates (CTR) are 50% lower than desktop CTRs, suggesting Google is evolving into more of an “answer engine.”
  (Source: Sparktoro)

Voice and Visual Search on Mobile

• 20% of mobile queries are voice searches.
  Takeaway: Optimise for conversational, question-based keywords. (Source: Search Engine Land)
• Google Lens processes 8 billion queries monthly, enabling users to search visually for products or information.
  Example: Identify objects like plants or items simply by pointing your camera. (Source: Google)

Keyword Statistics

Content may be king, but keywords are still an important metric which search engines use to rank content. 

The trick is to use them naturally within your text. Aim to produce content that human readers will stick around and spend their time on, but also communicates its intent to search engines.

Keyword Search Volume Insights

• Google Keyword Planner (GKP) is only 45.22% accurate and overestimates search volumes 54.28% of the time.
• A staggering 91.45% of search volumes in GKP are overestimated, based on a study of 72,635 keywords in the 1,000 to 10,000 monthly search range. (Source: Ahrefs)
• Only 0.0008% of keywords (about 31,000 keywords) have 100,000+ monthly searches on Google.
• Examples include major platforms like YouTube, Amazon, and Facebook. (Source: Ahrefs & Backlinko)
• On the other hand, 94.74% of keywords receive 10 or fewer searches per month.
  Takeaway: Focus on niche, low-competition keywords that align with user intent. (Source: Ahrefs)

Title Tags and Keywords

• Most title tags in Google’s top 10 results include 65% to 85% of the keywords they rank for.
  Insight: While keyword optimisation helps, it is not the sole factor for higher rankings. Other elements like backlinks and user experience carry significant weight. (Source: Backlinko)
• 57% of long title tags are rewritten by Google.
  Quick Tip: Keep titles within the 60-character limit or under 600px width to prevent rewriting. (Source: Ahrefs)

Long-Tail Keywords and Click Behavior

• Keywords with 10 to 15 words generate 1.76x more clicks than single-word terms.
  Why it matters: Longer keywords reflect highly specific user intent, leading to higher relevance and more visits. (Source: Backlinko)
• 8% of searches are phrased as questions, including “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.”
  Takeaway: Optimise for question-based searches to align with informational intent. (Source: Moz)

Boosting Click-Through Rates (CTR)

• Using relevant keywords in URLs increases organic CTR by 45%.
• Perfect matches (100% keyword similarity) drive the highest CTR improvements, while partial matches also show gains. (Source: Backlinko)
• Positive titles outperform neutral or negative ones, delivering a 4.1% boost in CTR.
  Quick Tip: Use uplifting and actionable language in titles to capture attention. (Source: Backlinko)
• Industries with the highest CTRs in paid search include:
• Dating & personal services: 6.05%
• Travel & hospitality: 4.41%
• Advocacy: 4.41% (Source: WordStream)

Technical SEO

It’s pretty much a prerequisite for your site to be fast, responsive and without errors if you’re going to convert consistently.

Take a look at some of these stats which back us up:

Page Speed and Conversion Rates

• Websites loading in 0–4 seconds can increase conversion rates by 24–39%.
  (Source: Portent)
• If your site takes 9–10 seconds to load, conversion rates drop by 17%.
  Why it matters: Faster pages don’t just improve user experience; they directly impact revenue. (Source: Portent)
• A 2-second delay in page loading can increase bounce rates by 103%.
  (Source: Akamai)
• For pages taking 10+ seconds to load, bounce rates soar by 123%.
  Takeaway: Ensure your site loads in under 7 seconds to retain users and reduce drop-offs. (Source: Think With Google & Samba Recovery)

Mobile-Friendliness and User Behavior

• 67% of mobile users are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly website.
  (Source: WebFX & Google)
• Websites that load in under 2 seconds on mobile devices convert 15% more users.
  (Source: Convertica)
• 37% of consumers are more likely to purchase from mobile-optimised sites.
  Quick Tip: A seamless mobile experience leads to higher engagement and conversions.

Structured Data and Click-Through Rates

• Pages with structured data see a 40% higher CTR than those without it.
  Example: Structured data helps users easily find what they need, like categorising shoes into formal, sandals, or running. (Source: Schema App)
• 33% of websites meet Google’s Core Web Vitals thresholds for user experience.
  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance.
  • First Input Delay (FID): Tracks interactivity speed.
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Assesses visual stability.
    Why it matters: Meeting these metrics indicates an optimised and user-friendly site. (Source: Ahrefs)
• Key metrics include:

Hreflang Tag Issues

• 67% of sites using hreflang tags have at least one error. Common issues include:
• Missing x-default tags.
• Missing self-referencing hreflang tags.
• Tags referencing redirected or broken pages.
  (Source: Ahrefs)

Why it matters: Hreflang errors can disrupt user experience for international audiences and hurt your rankings in global markets.

Alt Attributes and Accessibility

• 80.4% of websites lack proper alt attributes, based on over 1 million domains analysed.
  • Improving image search rankings.
  • Enhancing accessibility for visually impaired users.
  • Meeting compliance requirements like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
    Quick Tip: Leave alt attributes blank only for decorative images. (Source: Ahrefs)
• Alt attributes are essential for:

Local SEO

Optimising your local SEO strategy is critical for attracting customers, especially as Google Business Profile (GBP) becomes increasingly influential. Here are the most important stats and trends:

The Power of a Complete Google Business Profile (GBP)

• Businesses with a complete Google Business Profile are:
• 2.7x more likely to be considered reputable.
• 70% more likely to attract visits.
• 50% more likely to generate purchases. (Source: Google)
• 32% of SEO professionals rank GBP as the most important factor for appearing in the Google Map Pack.
  • On-page optimisation: 19%
  • Reviews: 16%
  • Links: 11% (Source: Brightlocal)
• Other key factors include:

Local Organic Search Ranking Factors

• 36% of SEO professionals believe on-page optimisation is the top factor for local organic rankings.
  • Links: 26%
  • Behavioral signals: 9%
  • Google Business Profile: 9% (Source: Brightlocal)
• Other important factors include:
• Despite its importance, 58% of businesses still do not optimise for local search.
  Takeaway: There’s a significant opportunity to outperform competitors by investing in local SEO. (Source: ReviewTrackers)

Customer Behavior and Reviews

• 76% of mobile users who perform a local search visit a business within 24 hours, and 28% of those visits lead to a purchase. (Source: Google)
• 63.6% of consumers check Google reviews before visiting a store. (Source: ReviewTrackers)
• Businesses that respond to all reviews gain an edge, as 88% of consumers say they’re more likely to use those businesses.
  Quick Tip: Use genuine, thoughtful responses rather than automated ones to foster trust. (Source: Brightlocal)

Multi-Platform Review Research

• 81% of consumers use Google to research local businesses, followed by:
• Facebook: 45%
• Yelp: 44%
• Tripadvisor: 21%
• 36% of consumers check two review sites before deciding on a local business, while 7% consult five or more platforms.
  Takeaway: Building a strong reputation across multiple platforms enhances trust and credibility. 
• Google remains the #1 source for business reviews since 2022, solidifying its role in local SEO. (Source: Brightlocal)

Ecommerce SEO

Shopping habits are ever-changing, but eCommerce continues to grow. 

Here’s a breakdown of some consumer statistics:

Ecommerce Sales Growth

• 20.1% of global sales are attributed to ecommerce in 2024, projected to increase to 22.6% by 2027. (Source: eMarketer)
  Why it matters: Ecommerce is steadily expanding its share of global retail, showing no signs of slowing down.
• The worldwide total for ecommerce sales is expected to grow from $6.33 trillion in 2024 to a staggering $7.96 trillion by 2027. (Source: eMarketer)
• During the pandemic, the ecommerce industry achieved 10 years’ worth of growth in just 3 months. (Source: McKinsey)

Top Ecommerce Platforms and Categories

• Amazon dominates as the most popular online shop in the US, capturing 74% of shoppers in 2024.
  • Walmart: 48%
  • Target: 25%
  • Temu: 25% (Source: Statista)
• Other major players include:
• The top three most purchased product categories online are:
• Clothing: 67.1%
• Shoes: 44%
• Beauty products: 43.1%
  (Source: eMarketer)

Consumer Behavior and Checkout Frustrations

• 48% of US consumers abandon their carts during checkout, citing:
• Unexpected costs (e.g., shipping fees and taxes).
• Account creation requirements (26%).
• Lack of trust in the site for payment security (26%).
• Slow delivery times (23%). (Source: Statista)
• 81% of consumers say home delivery is essential for convenience.
  • Free shipping: 76%
  • In-stock products: 71%
  • Package tracking: 68% (Source: eMarketer)
• Other must-haves include:

Search Behavior in Ecommerce Stores

• 69% of shoppers use the search bar as their starting point on ecommerce sites.
  Why it matters: Poor search functionality can cost you customers.
• 80% of consumers leave a website if they experience a bad search feature.
  • More relevant results: 40%
  • Advanced filters: 34%
  • Faster search speed: 31% (Source: Nosto)
• What shoppers want brands to improve:

Demographics of Social Media Shoppers

• Among US buyers who shop on social media platforms:
• Ages 25–34: 23.1%
• Ages 35–44: 19.1%
• Ages 18–24: 16.8% (Source: eMarketer)

B2B SEO Statistics

If you’re a business that sells to other businesses then you may find some of these SEO statistics interesting:

How B2B Buyers Find Products

• 66% of US B2B consumers discover products through the web, followed by:
• 50% using online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
• 43% consulting product catalogs.
  (Source: Statista)
• 30% of growth-focused B2B companies cite SEO as a major driver of bottom-of-funnel conversions, helping turn visitors into customers.
  (Source: Wpromote)

SEO’s Dominance in B2B Marketing

• SEO is the most-used marketing tactic for B2B companies (49%), ahead of:
• Content marketing: 43%
• Organic social media: 43%
  (Source: Sagefrog)
• B2B companies generate twice as much revenue from organic search compared to paid, social media, and other channels.
  (Source: BrightEdge)

Content Performance and Preferences

• 81% of B2B marketers measure content performance. The top metrics include:
• Website traffic: 86%
• Email engagement: 83%
• Website engagement: 83%
  (Source: Content Marketing Institute)
• 81% of respondents prefer video content over text-based formats when learning about products or services.
  Quick Tip: Create tutorial videos that are comprehensive but easy to understand. (Source: Brightcove)
• Increasing content relevance has been linked to a 5–10% increase in B2B revenue.
  (Source: McKinsey)

Adapting to Industry Changes

• 27% of B2B marketers prioritise adaptability to industry changes, followed by:
• 25% focusing on content that reflects brand values.
• 23% emphasising personalised customer experiences.
  (Source: Hubspot)

Social Media’s Role in B2B

• 84% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn offers the best value among social platforms.
• LinkedIn usage has increased by 72%.
• Other platforms used include YouTube (32%), Instagram (31%), and Facebook (22%).
  (Source: Content Marketing Institute)

Challenges in Measuring Performance

• 84% of B2B marketers cite integrating and correlating data across platforms as their biggest challenge in measuring content performance.
  (Source: Content Marketing Institute)

Video SEO

With youtube being the second biggest search engine after Google, video content has become as equally important as written content.

Take a look at these key statistics on video SEO:

Video’s Impact on Consumer Behavior

• 82% of consumers make a purchase after watching a video about a product or service.
• This trend has been consistent since 2015 and approached 90% by 2023. (Source: Wyzowl)
• 69% of consumers prefer watching videos over reading text when learning about products or services. (Source: ScienceDirect)
• Video viewers retain 95% of the information they consume, compared to just 10% when reading text. (Source: Vidico)
• 89% of viewers trust product recommendations from YouTube creators.
• This trust comes from creators testing products and sharing authentic feedback. (Source: Think With Google)

Video Formats and Effectiveness

• Short-form videos are more effective than long-form content, according to 85% of marketers.
• This aligns with modern audiences’ shorter attention spans.
• 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.
• Quick Tip: Use subtitles, captions, and on-screen graphics to cater to soundless viewing. (Source: Vidico)

The Business Case for Video

• Adding videos can result in a 41% increase in web traffic from online searches.
• Example: Product demos for AI tools can drive significant search engagement. (Source: Vidico)
• As of June 2024, YouTube surpassed 14.8 billion uploads since 2005, making it a massive hub for video content consumption. (Source: TubeStats)

Challenges in Video Marketing

• 33% of marketers cite time constraints as the main barrier to video marketing adoption. Other challenges include:
• Cost: 20%
• Uncertainty on ROI: 10%
• Lack of strategy: 15%
  (Source: Wyzowl)
• Video viewers prioritise creators relating to their passions over high production quality and value authenticity 1.6 times more. (Source: Think With Google)

AI and SEO

Like many industries and sectors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing people’s approach to SEO and digital marketing. 

The below AI statistics help highlight this:

AI Adoption in Marketing

• 75.7% of digital marketers are already using AI tools in their work.
• Common use cases include audience research, content creation, and copywriting.
  (Sources: Authority Hacker, Research AIMultiple)
• Generative AI adoption benefits:
• 58% of marketers cite improved performance.
• 50% report increased creative variety and cost-efficiency.
• 47% appreciate faster creative cycles. (Source: eMarketer)

The Role of AI in Content Creation

• 79% of 2,600 businesses report better content quality using AI tools like ChatGPT.
  But it’s not all automation:
• 73% customise the tone, voice, and writing style.
• 48% fact-check the AI-generated content.
• 24% involve editors for reviews.
• 23% consult subject matter experts. (Source: Semrush)
• 33.9% of digital marketers believe AI-written content matches human quality, while 31.9% think it’s even better. (Source: Authority Hacker)
• The rise of AI-writing tools has reduced the number of writing jobs by 33%. (Source: Bloomberry)

AI’s Impact on SEO Strategy

• 18.7% of SEO specialists consider AI and machine learning the largest shift in the industry to date.
  However, human expertise remains critical for complex tasks. (Source: Search Engine Journal)
• 64.48% of SEO specialists prioritise accuracy and reliability of AI-generated insights over cost-efficiency. (Source: seoClarity)
• 25% of ecommerce stores rely on AI tools to write product descriptions. (Source: Hubspot)

Challenges with AI in SEO

• Online news outlets are blocking AI crawlers:
• 48% block OpenAI’s crawler.
• 24% block Google’s AI crawler.
• 97% block both. (Source: Reuters Institute)
• AI overviews in Google search average 157 words and mention 5 sources per query. (Source: SurferSEO)

Key Takeaways for 2025 SEO Success

Content and Keywords

• Longer content ranks better: Pages on the first SERP have on average 1,447 words.
• Keyword accuracy matters: 91.45% of Google Keyword Planner (GKP) search volumes are overestimated. Focus on niche, user-search-intent-driven keywords.
• Optimise for long-tail keywords: Phrases with 10–15 words generate 1.76x more clicks.

Backlinks and Link-Building

• Backlinks remain essential: Top-ranking pages gain 5–14.5% more backlinks on a monthly basis.
• Invest in quality links: Avoid link rot and invest in content marketing and guest posting.
• Long-form content drives links: Articles over 3,000 words earn 77.2% more backlinks.

Mobile and Technical SEO

• Mobile-first optimisation is non-negotiable: With 63% of searches happening on mobile, you need to ensure your site is mobile-friendly.
• Speed impacts conversions: Websites loading in 0–4 seconds achieve 24–39% higher conversion rates.
• Structured data improves CTR: Pages with structured data see a 40% higher click-through rate.

AI in SEO

• AI boosts efficiency: 75.7% of marketers use AI tools for tasks like content creation and audience research.
• AI content requires oversight: 93% of businesses review AI-generated content for tone, accuracy and style.
• Challenges remain: 48% of news outlets block OpenAI crawlers. This shows the evolving dynamic between AI and SEO.

Local and Ecommerce SEO

• Local SEO drives action: 76% of mobile users visit a business within 24 hours of a local search and 28% make a purchase.
• Ecommerce is growing: Global ecommerce sales are projected to hit $7.96 trillion by 2027.
• Search UX matters: 69% of ecommerce shoppers rely on site search, but 80% will leave the site if the experience is poor.

We hope you found this list of SEO statistics useful.

Remember, this page is informational in its intent and is best used as a handy resource on key statistics within SEO.

If you’re looking to learn more about SEO for your business then check out our learning page.

But we understand that you may not have the time or the desire to become an SEO master.

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