SEO is one of the most essential and effective digital marketing channels. But like any digital channel, the goalposts are always changing, esepcially with AIin the mix. Find out 12 SEO statistics you should know to keep on top of developments.

12 of the Most Important SEO Statistics to Know in 2025

12-of-the-most-important-seo-statistics-to-know

[[p]][[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo-and-why-is-it-important" target="_blank"]]Search engine optimization (SEO)[[/a]] remains one of the most essential and effective digital marketing channels.[[/p]]

[[p]]SEO is the art of optimizing web pages, [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/5-best-practices-for-great-b2c-landing-pages" target="_blank"]]landing pages[[/a]], and content to rank&nbsp; for relevant terms on search engine results pages (SERPs). A solid SEO strategy can help boost your brand&rsquo;s visibility online and accelerate your growth.[[/p]]

[[p]]But like any digital channel, the goalposts are always changing. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)-influenced algorithms like Google RankBrain and AI-powered search results like [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/preparing-for-ai-search-with-google-search-generative-experience-sge" target="_blank"]]Google AI Overviews[[/a]] means that marketers must work&nbsp;harder to create content that cuts through the noise and offers value to consumers.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]To help you navigate the ever-evolving search marketing landscape, here are 12 of the most important statistics you need to know.[[/p]]

[[p]]According to Statista, search interest for the term &lsquo;ChatGPT&rsquo; rose last year, peaking at[[a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1366930/chatgpt-google-search-weekly-worldwide/" target="_blank"]] 100 index points in June 2024[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]While interest dwindled slightly at the end of the year, Google still sees a consistently healthy volume of search queries for &lsquo;ChatGPT&rsquo;. This trend indicates a significant shift towards [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-seo" target="_blank"]]AI platforms for SEO[[/a]] as people use platforms like ChatGPT to find answers to their questions in a way that&rsquo;s more conversational.[[/p]]

[[p]]Analysis from SEMrush reveals that currently [[a href="https://www.semrush.com/blog/chatgpt-search-insights/?msockid=3b9ad595e800621c32a4c08be9e0631d" target="_blank"]]54% of ChatGPT queries[[/a]] are handled with SearchGPT switched off.[[/p]]

[[p]]While most people engage with ChatGPT without using the engine&#39;s built-in search function, the split is fairly even. These numbers suggest a shift towards people using generative AI platforms for search purposes, meaning that SEO marketers must broaden their approach&nbsp; to remain relevant.[[/p]]

[[p]]Studies show that [[a href="https://www.semrush.com/news/288870-new-report-reveals-the-top-ai-content-and-seo-trends-for-2024/" target="_blank"]]65% generate improved SEO results using AI tools[[/a]]. Plus. 67% of businesses state they see improvements in quality of the content when working with AI.[[/p]]

[[p]]The likes of SEMrush and SEO Surfer have AI-powered features that analyze large datasets to streamline the [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/toolkits/seo-keyword-research-toolkit" target="_blank"]]keyword research[[/a]] or comparison process.[[/p]]

[[p]]With the right prompts, [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/toolkits/chatgpt-prompt-guide-for-your-digital-marketing-plan" target="_blank"]]search marketers are also using platforms like ChatGPT[[/a]] to discover keywords for their content and categorize them into relevant buckets or clusters.[[/p]]

[[p]]So if you&rsquo;re not already using tools to complement your SEO marketing efforts, now may be a good time to start.[[/p]]

[[p]]There are countless SEO tools available to search marketers looking to level up their strategy and improve their metrics.[[/p]]

[[p]]According to a ChatGPT conversation we had, here are some of the most popular SEO tools used by search marketers at the moment:[[/p]]

[[ol]]
	[[li]]1. SEMRush[[/li]]
	[[li]]2. Ahrefs[[/li]]
	[[li]]3. Surfer SEO[[/li]]
	[[li]]4. ChatGPT[[/li]]
	[[li]]5. MOZ Pro[[/li]]
	[[li]]6. Screaming Frog[[/li]]
	[[li]]7. Google Search Console[[/li]]
[[/ol]]

[[p]]Despite the rising prevalence of AI-influenced search, Google still claims the lion&rsquo;s share of the search market. According to [[a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1381664/worldwide-all-devices-market-share-of-search-engines/" target="_blank"]]Statista[[/a]], Google has a current market share of 89.74%, with Bing coming a not so close second at 4.04%.[[/p]]

[[p]]The likes of Yahoo! China&#39;s Baidu, Russia&rsquo;s Yandex, and DuckDuckGo&mdash;a tool that pulls queries from multiple search engines&mdash;are also used as search engines, albeit by a lot less people!&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]A [[a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/evolution-of-search" target="_blank"]]study from HubSpot[[/a]] shows that 50% of SEO professionals believe that social media search engines will improve search in the not so distant future.[[/p]]

[[p]]The same study also reveals that 48% of SEO marketers expect that Google&rsquo;s AI overviews will enhance future search traffic. 44% of respondents also state that pending algorithm shifts and generative AI platforms will also have a positive impact in search.[[/p]]

[[p]]Research from Embryo Marketing shows that around [[a href="https://embryo.com/seo/local-seo/" target="_blank"]]46% of Google searches[[/a]] have a local intent. That suggests that an increasing number of consumers are looking for content, offers, and recommendations based on a specific geographic region.[[/p]]

[[p]]By focusing on geographically-focused keywords and creating SEO-optimized content for locations where you&rsquo;re targeting consumers, you stand to expand your brand reach while earning droves of quality traffic this year.[[/p]]

[[p]]Studies show that over [[a href="https://www.semrush.com/website/google.com/overview/?utm_campaign=seo-stats&amp;utm_source=backlinko.com&amp;utm_medium=referral" target="_blank"]]70% of Google&rsquo;s activity[[/a]] comes from mobile devices including smartphones, and this isn&rsquo;t likely to change in 2025.[[/p]]

[[p]]Invest in your mobile SEO practices, optimize your content for multiple devices, and you&rsquo;ll increase your search visibility.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The lesson? Mobile device users are now the global majority, so focusing on your mobile SEO efforts should be a top priority.[[/p]]

[[p]]Google launched four core updates in 2024 and the one in March was the biggest in its history. One of the most significant aspects of this update was a significant drop in irrelevant, low quality content showing up in search results.[[/p]]

[[p]]Scott Nelson, a member of Google&rsquo;s Search Quality Team, confirmed the update resulted in a [[a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-algorithm-updates-2024-449417" target="_blank"]]45% reduction in unoriginal, poor quality content[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]As a search marketer, it&rsquo;s more important than ever to put your best foot forward. Now you need to experiment with marketing mediums, present original ideas to your audience, and go beyond the efforts of your competitors.[[/p]]

[[p]]With a [[a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/01/10/google-updates-android-15-on-millions-of-pixel-phones/" target="_blank"]]Google Pixel update currently in motion[[/a]] and more core updates expected annually keeping your striving to improve your SEO content is essential.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/inbound-marketing-stats" target="_blank"]]HubSpot[[/a]] discovered that 75% of users never interact with the second page of Google or beyond. Also, 28.5% of Google users click in the first organic result on any given SERP.[[/p]]

[[p]]Getting on page one or reaching the top spot is challenging. But with so few consumers willing to scroll past page one, pushing the envelope with your SEO strategy will get you where you need to be in 2025 (and beyond).[[/p]]

[[p]]20% of people use voice search globally, according to [[a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/01/22/voice-search-seo-practices-optimizing-for-the-future-of-search/" target="_blank"]]Google[[/a]], so it&rsquo;s worth weaving into your strategy. As more consumers adopt smart speakers and voice assistants, voice search is likely to become a more dominant force.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Adopt these approaches to get ahead with your [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/prepare-for-the-future-of-voice-search" target="_blank"]]voice search strategy[[/a]] this year:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Discover the most common voice search queries in your niche[[/li]]
	[[li]]Optimize your content with conversational phrasing[[/li]]
	[[li]]Hone in on natural language processing (NLP) techniques[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Featuring videos on your website has helped 88% of marketers generate leads, according to [[a href="https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank"]]Wyzowl[[/a]].&nbsp; Good quality video content can also increase dwell times and reduce bounce rates, which improves SEO success.[[/p]]

[[p]]Video is also predicted to be the fastest-growing branch of digital advertising due its visually entertaining nature, reported [[a href="https://financesonline.com/video-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank"]]Finances Online[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]You can pack a lot of personality and value into a short piece of video content. Search engines reward content that is contextual, engaging, and offers true value. Coupled with the fact that YouTube is still the most popular video search engine on the planet, it&rsquo;s clear that having a comprehensive video marketing strategy&nbsp; will boost your SEO success.[[/p]]

[[p]]Anyone looking to advance their digital marketing career should have a solid grasp of search marketing. Our certified [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/students/courses/professional-diploma-in-search-marketing" target="_blank"]]Professional Diploma in Search Marketing[[/a]] - developed with Neil Patel - will not only teach you the fundamentals but also explore paid search, SEO, demand generation, search strategy, search analytics and much more. Get started today to boost traffic and generate leads.&nbsp;[[/p]]

12 of the Most Important SEO Statistics to Know in 2025

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