# SEO Statistics All Marketers Should Know in 2025 January 1, 2022 Posted by Darko Radić Search engine optimization plays a crucial role in attracting visitors and keeping them engaged while browsing the web. Yet, the world of SEO is an ever-evolving arena. Therefore it’s vital to stay on top of the changes. If you want to learn more about **[how SEO works](/content/blog/how-seo-works/index.html)** in 2021 and see what awaits us in the years to come, our list of the most recent statistics will provide all the info you need. ## Top SEO Statistics and Facts | Editor’s Choice - More than **[two-thirds](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat2/index.html)** of all clicks on SERPs go to the top five results. - Upon updating and republishing old posts, organic traffic can grow up to **[106%](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat5/index.html)**. - In 2021, Google covers **[86.6%](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat8/index.html)** of the search engine market. - Typically, Google’s algorithm will process around **[3.5 billion](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat9/index.html)** searches per day. - **[Nine out of ten](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat12/index.html)** published blog pages never see any search traffic. - **[More than half](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat16/index.html)** of all global traffic originates from mobile devices. - **[94%](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat21/index.html)** of video carousel results on Google’s first page come from YouTube. - **[70%](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat23/index.html)** of marketing experts agree that SEO yields better results than PPC. - The average small business in the US spends **[$497.16](/content/blog/seo-statistics/#stat26/index.html)** per month on SEO. ### General SEO Statistics for 2021 Finding your way around the SEO world should be easier after looking at the following numbers. The industry is massive already, but most studies also reveal a steady growth. In other words, the competition is more demanding than ever. #### 1. More than 200 ranking factors determine your position on Google search results. Search engine optimization is all about ranking as high as possible on SERPs, but this task can be easier said than done. A complex system ranks millions of websites, and Google search engine statistics show the algorithm only needs a millisecond to determine the positions. To be precise, Google’s elaborate system relies on many **[ranking factors](/content/blog/search-engine-ranking-factors/index.html)**, examining various elements before organizing the contenders and displaying search results. #### 2. 67.60% of all the clicks on SERPs go to the first five results on the first page. Namely, the top five attract the most visitors and result in organic traffic, easily converting into a lead or purchase. In any case, the first page of Google is a coveted real estate, but not all positions receive equal traffic. For example, the lower-ranked positions on the first page (6–10) receive only 3.37% of clicks. The remaining traffic belongs to paid ads, which will be discussed later. #### 3. On average, the first result in Google SERP has 3.8 times more backlinks than the rest (2–10). As we all know, reaching the first position on SERPs is the holy grail of organic SEO, with armies of specialists optimizing websites to climb to the top. Backlinks are among the essential tools for improving your ranking, and if done right, this strategy can lead to significant results. #### 4. 73.6% of websites exchange links with each other. The so-called reciprocal links or link exchanges are an SEO strategy that can boost website traffic statistics. However, the tactic carries some risks—Google often penalizes domains with excessive amounts of reciprocal links. #### 5. Organic traffic can grow up to 106% after updating and republishing old posts. Adding visuals and creating new content can increase organic traffic, and old posts can come to life with relatively little effort. For instance, Hubspot reveals their blog posts published before a specific month grab 76% of the total monthly visits to the site. #### 6. The average length of posts in the first position is 2,416 words. Content-rich posts typically rank higher than others, and they also have a higher probability of earning valuable backlinks. Therefore, it’s essential to follow the **[rules of SEO writing](/content/blog/what-is-seo-writing/index.html)**, such as keyword distribution or structural hierarchy. #### 7. A quarter of top-ranking pages don’t have a meta description. Interestingly, SEO statistics reveal that meta descriptions are not a priority for 25.02% of top-ranking pages. Additionally, Google rewrites descriptions for 62.78% of websites it displays. ### Search Engine Statistics As the name says, SEO revolves around search engines. Thus, the latest insights regarding the most popular search platforms can shine a light on the rest of the SEO world. #### 8. In February 2021, Google controlled 86.6% of the search engine market. As expected, Google dominates the game, and its massive market share of search engines resulted in $181.69 billion in revenue in 2020. But, of course, advertising brings in the most money—Google’s advertising revenue in 2020 amounted to $146.9 billion. The **[second-placed search engine is Bing](/content/blog/bing-vs-google/index.html)**, holding 6.7% of the search market. #### 9. On average, Google processes 3.5 billion searches per day. Back in 1998, Google processed around 10,000 searches daily. Over the years, the search volume experienced almost exponential growth, exceeding 1.2 trillion searches per year. #### 10. 15% of searches on Google are unique and never-asked-before. When it comes to Google search statistics, it’s essential to know that many people ask never-seen-before questions. Since it’s impossible to predict the actual search queries, SEO specialists are at the mercy of BERT, Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. #### 11. The average loading time for a first-page result on Google is 1.65 seconds. The modern world moves fast, and the same goes for the super-advanced Google’s algorithm. After all, the staggering number of Google searches per day requires speedy processing. ### What are the Latest Website Traffic Trends? Search engines continuously aim at improving their algorithms to provide users with accurate and instantaneous results. Consequently, SEO specialists and marketers must also stay in touch with the trends to rank as high as possible. #### 12. 90.63% of content never gets any traffic from Google. The Internet is a vast place, and there’s room for everyone. However, most pages never rank in Google, primarily because of the lack of backlinks. #### 13. 68% of website traffic comes from organic and paid searches. Organic traffic is **[crucial for digital marketers](/content/blog/digital-marketing-trends/index.html)** worldwide, overshadowing other trends and channels. #### 14. 46% of all searches on Google are looking for local information. **[Local SEO](/content/features/local-rank-tracker/index.html)** statistics reveal that more and more queries on Google focus on “_near me_” services and goods. ### Stats and Facts on Mobile Search Market Share #### 15. 47.07% of US web traffic came from mobile devices in the first quarter of 2021. With more than 67% of the world’s population owning a mobile, it’s no surprise to see a rise in mobile traffic in the US. #### 16. Approximately half of the web traffic on the planet goes to mobile devices. Globally, mobile accounted for 54.8% of all website traffic in the first quarter of 2021. #### 17. The mobile browsing market share could comprise three-quarters of internet users by 2025. #### 18. 75% of users expect to receive immediate information when browsing via smartphone. #### 19. In May 2021, 55.3% of global web traffic came from mobile. ### The Importance of Video Content—Video SEO Statistics #### 20. 62% of companies use YouTube for marketing and advertising. #### 21. 94% of video carousel results on Google’s first page come from YouTube. #### 22. 70% of companies admit videos improve brand awareness. ### SEO vs PPC Statistics #### 23. 70% of marketers agree that SEO generates more sales compared to PPC. #### 24. 70–80% of internet users ignore paid ads. #### 25. Long-tail keywords outrank one-word keywords by 3–6% in positions 2–5 on SERPs. #### 26. On average, small businesses in the US spend $497.16 per month on SEO. ### SEO Statistics | The Takeaway SEO can be fun and exciting with the right apps and tools, so let your creativity run free and try to climb as high as possible in the competitive search engine rankings. The statistics we listed above can also help with showing you the way through the crowded SEO world. ### Frequently Asked Questions | FAQ #### How important is SEO? Due to the changes in Google’s algorithm and the ways we use the internet, search engine optimization is more important than ever. #### How long does it take for SEO to work? Typically, a half-year period leaves enough time for various segments of SEO campaigns to kick in and affect the rankings. #### How much does SEO cost? On average, consulting services will cost between $100 and $200 per hour, but many SEO providers charge per project. #### How much does SEO cost for small businesses? Statistics reveal that the average cost of SEO services for small businesses is around $1,000 per month, ranging from $750 to $2,000. #### How much do SEO specialists make? The average annual salary for an SEO specialist in the United States is $46,646.