81 SEO Statistics for 2024 (Current & Verified)

Are you looking for the most up-to-date SEO statistics to map your strategy in 2024?

We scoured, verified, and curated the top SEO statistics that shape the industry. And now, we’ve got you covered with the numbers that matter.

This data will help you understand what users and search engines are looking for so you can unlock higher rankings and more organic traffic.

Let’s dive in.

P.S. SEOs and digital marketers, bookmark this page for easy access to SEO stats to use in your content throughout the year!

Top SEO Statistics

• There are over 99,000 searches on Google every second.
• Organic search results account for 45.1% of all clicks. Zero-click searches follow at 25.6%.
• Featured snippets have the highest clickthrough rate (CTR) at 42.9%.
• 75% of users never go past the first page of search results.
• Content over 3,000 words wins 3x more traffic than average-length content of 1.4k words. They also win 4x more shares and 3.5x more backlinks.
• 92.3% of users access the internet using a mobile phone.
• In 2024, the top three disruptions in SEO performance are expected from Generative AI, Google E-E-A-T, and automated tools.

Search Engine Statistics

Google is the most visited website of all time. It’s also the largest search engine in the world. Let’s explore the state of Google and search engines in general this year.

• 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine.
• Google owns 91.61% of the search engine market share.
• Following Google, Bing has 3.38% and YANDEX has 1.65% of the search engine market.
• Google also holds a staggering 95.49% market share for mobile searches.
• There are over 8.5 billion searches on Google each day. That’s equivalent to 99,000 searches every second.
• The average internet user performs 3 to 4 searches per day on search engines.
• Organic search is the 2nd highest traffic channel at 29%.

Ranking Statistics

It’s no secret that higher rankings equal more traffic. Let’s explore how your position on the SERP and the type of search result influences clickthrough rates.

• Google uses over 200 ranking factors in its search algorithm.
• High-quality content, backlinks, and search intent continue to be the top 3 ranking factors in 2024.
• On average, the top organic search result receives 19x more clicks than the top paid search result.
• The #1 organic result gets 39.8% of all clicks.

• If the first organic result is a featured snippet, the CTR grows to 42.9%.
• Moving up from position 2 to position 1 generates 74.5% more clicks.
• Moving up one position on Google increases CTR by 32.3%.
• Rich results get 58% of clicks, while non-rich results have a CTR of 41%.
• The #1 organic result is 10x more likely to receive a click compared to a page in position 10.
• Only 0.78% of users click results on Google’s second page.
• Google’s top three organic search results receive 68.7% of all clicks.

Keyword Statistics

Keywords are the backbone of SEO. They’re used in content to boost visibility and improve rankings in search engines.

Let’s look at some statistics about the keyword landscape where every word counts.

• 94.74% of keywords have monthly search volumes of 10 or less.
• Only 0.0008% of keywords get more than 100,000 monthly searches.
• 15% of all Google searches have never been searched before.
• “YouTube” was the most searched keyword in 2023 (and the two previous years.)

• Titles with question-based keywords have a 15.5% CTR, while non-question titles have a 16.3% CTR.
• Pages that have a keyword on their URL have a 45% higher CTR.
• 34.71% of Google search queries have four or more words.
• Google is 57% more likely to rewrite meta titles that are too long.
• 25.02% of top-ranking pages are missing meta descriptions.
• Thought leadership marketing of blogs with transactional keywords has a 748% return on investment (ROI).

Link Building Statistics

Backlinks have been a long-standing top ranking factor and they continue to dominate in 2024. Here are some of the most impressive link-building statistics for the year.

• SEO experts continue to advocate high-quality content as the #1 strategy to win backlinks in 2024.
• In general, the more backlinks a page has, the more organic traffic it gets from Google.
• 66.31% of pages have zero backlinks.

• But for the top 100 ranking domains, almost all (92.3%) have at least one backlink.
• The #1 result has 3.8x more backlinks than results in positions 2-10.
• Businesses with blogs get 97% more backlinks than those without.
• 41% of SEOs consider link building to be the most difficult aspect of the job.
• Long-form content (3,000+ words) receives 77.2% more backlinks than short-form content (under 1,000 words.)

Voice Search Statistics

Voice search queries are on the rise. And with digital assistants doubling in 2024, it’s the ideal time to optimize for voice search.

“Hey, Siri. Tell us some of the best voice search statistics.”

• There are currently 4.2 billion voice search assistants in use. This number is expected to double by year’s end.
• More than 1 billion voice searches occur every month.
• 34% of US residents use voice search at least once a week.
• Mobile users are 3x more likely to use voice search.
• The average voice search result is 29 words long.
• 40.7% of voice search answers are pulled from featured snippets.
• The global voice recognition market is expected to grow to nearly $50 billion in 2029. This is a significant increase from $10 billion in 2020.
• The average word count of pages ranking in voice search results is 2,312 words.

Mobile Search Statistics

After 7 years, Google completed its mobile-first indexing initiative in 2023. Let’s explore how people use mobile phones to access the internet and why a mobile-friendly website is paramount in 2024.

• Mobile internet traffic accounts for 59% of all web traffic.
• Mobile generates 58% of all Google searches.
• 56% of shoppers use their smartphone to shop or research products while shopping in-store.
• 57% of local search queries come from a mobile device or tablet.
• Furthermore, 76% of people who perform a local search on their smartphone visit the location within 24 hours, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.
• The average time spent on a mobile phone (excluding talking) is 4 hours and 39 minutes per day in 2024.
• 72.6% of internet users will only use their smartphones (no desktop or laptop usage) to access the web by 2025.

Video SEO Statistics

Google and YouTube are the top two search engines, and video SEO helps you optimize for both. Here are some of the most like, comment, and share-worthy video stats.

• Search results with videos drive 157% more organic traffic.
• Video content also has a 41% higher CTR than text-only pages.
• Google uses video thumbnails in 26% of search results.
• Video content is 50 times more likely to win a spot among the top results of Google’s first page rankings than plain text.
• There’s a positive correlation between the number of likes, comments, shares, and views a video has and its YouTube ranking.
• “ASMR” was the most searched term on YouTube in 2023, with 11 million global searches.
• 91% of businesses use video as a part of their 2024 marketing strategy.
• And for businesses who don’t already have it in their marketing strategy, 68% plan on including video in 2024.

Local SEO Statistics

Instead of targeting a global audience, local SEO aims to reach people in a specific place. These statistics show people use local searches to choose who gets their business.

• 46% of monthly Google searches have local intent.
• 86% of people look up a business location on Google Maps.
• 42% of local searches click results on the Google Map Pack (example below.)

• 99% of consumers read reviews when shopping online.
• 46% of consumers trust online business reviews as much as personal recommendations.
• 18% of local mobile searches lead to a purchase within one day.
• 43% of small business owners plan to invest in their website’s performance in 2024.

SEO Industry Statistics

SEO professionals are in high demand. Let’s look at what rates, retainers, and trend predictions they have in store for 2024.

• The average salary of an SEO professional is $65.5K per year in the United States.
• Average hourly rates for SEO services are between $75-100 per hour.
• Monthly retainers are often between $500-1,000. This rate increases the longer the SEO has been in business.
• 48.9% of SEO professionals expect budget increases in 2024.
• SEOs and digital marketers ranked adapting to AI advancements as the biggest challenge in 2023.
• Increasing brand awareness through SEO was a shared priority across all invested role levels in 2023.
• 83% of respondents also believe that AI will have a positive impact on SEO in 2024.
• The global SEO services market is projected to reach $146.96 billion in 2025.

SEO Statistics: Your Questions Answered

How many search results do users look at?

The top three organic search results on Google received 68.7% of all clicks. Furthermore, only 0.78% of users visit the second page. These metrics demonstrate the importance of optimizing your website to rank on the first page of Google’s search results.

Which search results get the most clicks?

The first featured snippet on the SERP gets the most clicks, with a 42.9% clickthrough rate (CTR.) If a featured snippet isn’t present, the #1 organic search result gets 39.8% of all clicks.

What percentage of searches are done by voice?

Over 20% of searches conducted on the Google App are performed through voice search. 41% of American adults also admit to using voice search daily.

What percentage of Google searches are local?

46% of monthly Google searches have local intent. If a local search is performed on a mobile phone, 18% of searches will lead to a sale within 24 hours.

How many Google algorithm updates were there in 2023?

Google released a total of nine updates in 2023. Four were core updates (double the amount in 2022), and the other five included the helpful content update, reviews update, and more.

Key Trends and Takeaways for 2024

1. Master the art of authority and expertise.

In the era of AI-generated content, Google E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) emphasizes the importance of delivering genuine value to your audience. Let your expertise shine as thought leadership content takes center stage in 2024. Highlight your firsthand experience and insights to create an online presence that resonates and ranks.

2. Adapt to evolving search behavior.

Users are diversifying how they seek information. They’re embracing voice searches and exploring visual queries with tools like Google Lens. Ensure your content is optimized to cater to these varied search methods.

3. Optimize for featured snippets in a zero-click search landscape

Zero-click searches are on the rise, but that doesn’t mean these queries are zero-traffic. Featured snippets are among the best ways to win attention-grabbing search results people want to click. They’re also an excellent way to boost brand awareness due to their prominence on the SERP.

4. Cultivate a strong online presence beyond search engines.

Beyond traditional SEO, a strong social media marketing strategy is critical in 2024. Connect with your audience on all their favorite platforms, like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This allows you to engage authentically with your audience and send authority signals to search engines.

5. Anticipate transformations with AI automation and Google’s SGE.

With AI in full swing and the introduction of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), stay nimble as strategies evolve in 2024. Staying in the loop of industry shifts can help you stay at the forefront of the latest updates and pivot your strategy for digital success. AIOSEO Trends uses real-world SEO case studies to demonstrate what’s working now, so you can see what strategies make the needle move.

Closing Notes

And that’s a wrap!

We hope these SEO stats set you on the path to a winning strategy in 2024.

There’s a lot of work to improve your rankings, but the more you invest in SEO, the greater the rewards.

You also don’t have to tackle it solo.

All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is the most powerful WordPress SEO plugin on the market. You’ll get a suite of easy-to-use SEO tools and streamlined workflows that win higher rankings and more organic traffic. Consider it your ally to improved online visibility for 2024 and beyond.

Now, the question remains: What are you waiting for?

Start your journey to SEO success today!

Sources

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