10 Google search statistics that can help boost your SEO strategy in 2021

Google is by far the world’s most-popular search engine. The undisputed market leader of the global online advertising industry has a 90% share of the North American search engine market, per data from StatCounter.



Awareness of changing search habits on Google is more important now than ever, given that the digital marketing landscape and consumer behavior have dramatically shifted amid the pandemic.



To find out how Google search is affecting your business, you’ll need to stay on top of changes in the site’s statistics and performance. Use the information to create an informed SEO strategy optimized for current market behavior. 



We have compiled 10 of the top Google search statistics that can help your site rank better and garner more traffic.

1. 5.6 billion Google searches every day

While Google doesn’t publicly release its search figures, estimates suggest it runs approximately 63,000 search queries per second, which translates to nearly 5.5 billion searches per day — and that is a staggering 2 trillion global searches per year. Additionally, the average person conducts a Google search three to four times each day. 

Takeaway:

These figures indicate immense web traffic potential for small businesses on Google.

2. Almost 92% of global search volume is from Google

At the time of publication, Google controlled 91.9% of the search engine market share worldwide, including 94.5% of the mobile and 86.8% of the desktop search-engine market. Competitors Bing and Yahoo hold a mere 2.3 % and 1.5% of the market share, respectively.



Additionally, Google gives you access to a comparatively diverse audience. Other search engines, such as Bing, tend to primarily engage middle-aged and senior individuals from the upper-middle-class. 

Takeaway:

Make sure your marketing strategy aligns with Google’s search trends, regardless of your target market’s demographics or location, or what your small business offers. 

3. 28.5% average click-through rate of Google search’s first result

A 2020 Google search statistics study published by SEO firm Sistrix found that 28.5% of users click the first organic result that appears in search. 



But the click-through rate falls sharply for results below the first position. The second search result’s click-through rate averages around 15%, and the third result has just an 11% click-through rate.

Takeaway:

It is worth the effort to keenly focus on your SEO to improve rankings.

4. Over 90% of web pages have zero organic traffic from Google

A 2020 study found that 90.6% of web pages receive no organic traffic whatsoever from Google search. Among those pages, 5.3% get 10 or fewer visitors per month.

Takeaway:

Keep your pages in the 9.4% that do get organic traffic from Google with an outstanding SEO strategy that accommodates changing trends and complies with Google’s requirements.

5. 3,000% rise in key phrase “curbside pickup”

Data compiled from Google shows that global searches for local-oriented terms such as “curbside pickup” and “along my route” soared by 3,000% and 1,000%, respectively, year-over-year from 2019 to 2020.



These figures indicate a significant change in customer search habits during the pandemic. To limit time spent outside the home, customers searched for convenient shopping options beforehand.

Takeaway:

Consumers have grown accustomed to convenience, and this is unlikely to change. Optimize your marketing strategy for such keywords to rank highly in Google for local searches.

6. 61% of Google searches come from mobile devices

Increased use of smartphones has led to a sharp rise in organic Google search traffic coming from mobile devices. Mobile’s share of organic search-engine visits reached 61% in the second quarter of 2021, more than double mobile’s 27% share in Q2 2013.   

Takeaway:

Mobile devices are the dominant search method and are apt to become more so as the pandemic stretches on. Optimizing your website pages for mobile ranking and usability is crucial to the success of your small business.

7. 50% bounce rate for mobile users

You already know that mobile continues to grow its share of search traffic. To convert users exploring your business on mobile devices, you need to create an excellent digital experience. 



The bounce rate for mobile users is nearly 50%. That means the majority of mobile users leave after viewing only one page of a site. A 2021 Digital Experience Benchmark Report by software firm Contentsquare reiterates that almost 1 in 2 visitors would prefer to navigate away versus spend time on a site. 

Takeaway:

With these search statistics in mind, we repeat that mobile optimization should be your highest priority.

8. 10% of Americans have a Google smart speaker

A growing number of people in the U.S. own smart speakers, according to a 2020 poll by National Public Media. Of the 24% of Americans who own smart speakers, 9.8% use a Google smart speaker.



Additionally, 25% of people in the U.S. now use voice-operated assistants several times a day.

Takeaway:

Create a marketing strategy that centers around high-quality content that answers user’s questions to connect with these new smart users.

9. 17% of websites rank on both desktop and mobile

A recent Semrush study found that only 17% of domains retained their positions across desktop and mobile searches. A whopping 37% of URLs were dropped from the Top 10 position when the search was conducted from a mobile device rather than a desktop.

Takeaway:

Once again, the data shows you must optimize your business site for mobile. Have an SEO strategy that ensures that your high-ranking desktop site does not fall off once a customer views it on a smartphone.

10. Paid search is 1% more effective in driving revenue

Paid search overtook organic search to be the top revenue driver in 2020, according to Wolfgang Digital’s report for that year. The report elaborates that though organic search is more effective in driving traffic overall, paid search can help generate more revenue.

Takeaway:

With organic search the focus of content marketing for so long, this search statistic is likely to revolutionize the SEO strategies of businesses by redirecting more attention to paid search.