Curious about how SEO has evolved over the past year? Then we have the perfect article for you.
We’ve reviewed and curated the most important SEO statistics worth knowing about in 2026.
Good SEO strategies and trends are always changing. What worked a few months ago could be obsolete next week.
Optimizing your website with SEO has never been more important. This is why being on top of SEO statistics and trends is key if you want to stay ahead of the curve.
Below, we have compiled a list of our top 35 SEO statistics that we believe any business owner should know about if they want to thrive in 2026.
Our Best 35 SEO Statistics of 2026
General SEO statistics
This category covers all the broad SEO trends that encompass more than just one industry and category.
They highlight the importance of SEO in the digital marketing world and explain how important user engagement is for business success.
1. 53% of all website traffic comes from organic searches.
2. 75% of users don’t go past the first page of search results.
3. 70% of online marketers prefer SEO over PPC when it comes to generating sales.
4. Google processes over 8.3 billion searches per day, which averages more than 96,000 per second.
5. More than 92% of global search traffic comes from Google.
6. 53% of US consumers do thorough research before purchasing a product.
7. The overall click-through rate (CTR) of the first position in Google search results is 27%.
Don’t know what you need to improve your SEO? Let us help.
These numbers highlight how vital SEO is. With Google dominating global search, you need strong organic rankings to remain competitive. SEO isn’t just about traffic, it’s about visibility, credibility, and being present when customers are actively researching.
For marketers and everyday people alike, these stats show how much search engines shape buying habits. People rely on Google for almost every purchase decision and they’re more likely to trust brands that appear at the top of their searches because those results feel more reliable and relevant.
In short, the way people search impacts what they buy and marketers must adapt their strategies to where people actually look and make decisions.
Local SEO Statistics
Knowing the best strategies for local SEO is vital for any business trying to grow in its area. These statistics showcase the importance of Google My Business as well as local search rankings.
8. 61% of consumers use business information sites such as Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor when looking for information about local businesses they are not familiar with.
9. 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else.
10. 78% of location-based mobile searches result in an on-site purchase.
11. 86% of people look up the location of a business on Google Maps.
12. 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information.
13. 88% of searches for local businesses on a mobile device either call or visit the business within a week.
Mobile SEO statistics
With more and more people using their mobile devices to search for products and services online, it’s crucial to stay on top of mobile SEO trends.
From search traffic to the importance of having a good mobile-friendly website, there is always something to learn about when talking about SEO.
14. More than 58% of Google searches come from smartphones.
15. 53% of users leave a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load.
16. 61% of users are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly website.
17. 40% of people search exclusively on their smartphones every single day.
18. 51% of smartphone users find new products or companies via mobile search.
19. 56% of shoppers used their smartphone to buy or research an item while they were in a physical store
20. People use Google Lens to answer different types of questions including product questions every month.
21. 30% of searches on Google are related to location and local businesses.
These SEO statistics make something very clear, mobile experiences determine conversions. If your website loads slowly, more than half of your visitors leave. If it’s not mobile friendly, you lose potentially buyers. With so many people searching and shopping on mobile, marketers need to prioritize mobile-first designs that are snappy and have strong SEO foundations.
Backlink and Link Building Statistics
Backlinks are without a doubt one of the most important ranking factors in SEO.
The statistics below showcase the importance of both backlinking and link building if you’re looking to improve your web authority.
22. 93.5% of pages never get any sort of organic traffic from Google due to the lack of backlinks in the content.
23. 55.2% of pages have zero backlinks.
24. 65% of digital marketers think link building is the most difficult SEO tactic to apply effectively.
25. 22% of marketers spend at least $2,500 per month on link building.
Technical SEO Statistics
Technical SEO focuses on optimizing the backend to improve overall visibility. This includes indexing, crawling, mobile-friendliness, site speed, and even structured data.
The statistics below highlight the biggest problems and challenges that technical SEO faces and how they impact a website’s ranking.
26. 72% of websites have slow-loading pages.
27. 28% of marketers find it challenging to keep up with Google’s algorithm changes.
28. 80% of websites have missing alt attributes.
29. 23% of marketers struggle to optimize a website’s loading speed.
Confused about what to modify in your SEO strategy? We can help.
Content Marketing and Keyword Research Statistics
Without content, there are barely any SEO strategies we could use. This category showcases the importance of high-quality content and good keyword strategies.
30. Marketers reported that their best types of content were videos at 45%, small articles at 31%, and success stories at 28%.
31. 57% of B2B marketers said that SEO generates more leads than any other marketing initiative if done right.
32. 45% of marketers say that blogging is the most important part of their content strategy.
33. 72% of marketers say that relevant content creation is the most effective SEO tactic.
34. 84% of organizations have some sort of content marketing strategy in place.
35. 60% of marketers make at least one piece of content each day.
These SEO statistics show that content dirves results. Videos, short articles, and success storeis all perform best created with SEO in mind. Blogging still remains a key strategy for SEO generation and will continue to do so for years to come.
Brands need to create content that people can find useful and come back for whenever they need to make better buying decisions.
Stay Ahead of the SEO Curve with Blacksmith
Reading all those SEO statistics and trying to make use of them can be difficult. Especially when you think about how fast these same statistics and trends can change in a matter of months.
Worry not – here at Blacksmith we are on top of everything related to SEO and make sure that your website gets all the best SEO strategies out right now.
With our professional SEO services, we’ll make sure your brand has an efficient strategy based on the best SEO practices.
Still unsure if you need help with your SEO? Let’s hop on a call so we can explain its importance in 2026.
