110 SEO Statistics for 2025 (Growth, Trends & Industry Data)

SEO continues to deliver impressive returns, with some industries seeing ROI as high as 1,389%.

As search engines evolve, SEO strategies have adapted to new technologies like AI, mobile optimization, and voice search, impacting everything from ranking factors to consumer behavior.

This article covers the latest SEO statistics, including its adoption, ROI, market size, and more.

SEO Statistics Statistics For 2025 (Top Picks)

• In 2025, 45% of B2B marketers rely on SEO to drive business growth.

• A well-executed SEO campaign can yield an average ROI of 748%, with some industries achieving ROI as high as 1,389%.

• 96.55% of web pages get no traffic from Google, meaning most content never gets seen.

• 66.5% of all backlinks created in the last nine years are now dead.

• 58.67% of all website traffic worldwide comes from mobile phones.

SEO Adoption Statistics

1. Nearly 1 in 2 B2B marketers rely on SEO to grow their business, making it the most popular strategy among B2B companies.

2. About 23% of B2B marketers report that organic search generates the most revenue, ranking it as their top-performing channel.

3. SEO leads the way in boosting brand awareness and lead generation, with 19% of B2B marketers ranking it as their go-to tactic, more effective than podcasts (16%) or TV ads (11%).

4. B2B companies spend about 15% of their marketing budget on SEO, putting it ahead of AI chatbots (12%) and video marketing (9%).

5. 7 in 10 B2B marketers believe SEO brings in more sales than paid ads, making it their top choice for long-term results.

Source: Sagefrog, Wpromote, Sellers Commerce, 

SEO ROI Statistics

6. The average conversion rate for SEO is around 2.4%.

7. A well-executed SEO campaign can bring in an average ROI of 748%, meaning for every dollar spent, businesses earn $7.48, with industries like real estate seeing even higher returns, such as 1,389%.

8. Almost half of marketers (49%) say organic search provides the best ROI, showing that many find SEO more effective in driving revenue than paid search, social media, or email marketing.

9. The real estate industry has the highest return on advertising spending (ROAS) at 15.10 and an impressive ROI of 1,389% on SEO. This sector also has a relatively quick break-even period of 10 months.

10. The Medical Device industry reports a ROAS of 12.85, slightly lower than others, yet it achieves the highest ROI at 1,183%, with a break-even period of 13 months. In contrast, e-commerce falls short, presenting the lowest ROAS at 3.65 and an ROI of 317%.

11. Legal Services stands out for having the lowest ROI at 526%, coupled with a relatively long break-even time of 14 months and a ROAS of 6.15, indicating a slower return on investment compared to other sectors.

Here is a table displaying the ROAS and ROI of SEO from different industries (3-year average). 

Industry	Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS)	ROI	Time to Break-Even
Addiction Treatment	8.90	736%	8 months
B2B SaaS	8.75	702%	7 months
Biotech	9.20	788%	8 months
Construction	7.40	681%	5 months
eCommerce	3.65	317%	16 months
Financial Services	11.10	1,031%	9 months
Higher Education & College	10.40	994%	13 months
HVAC Services	8.15	678%	6 months
Industrial IoT	9.85	866%	7 months
Commercial Insurance	9.05	758%	9 months
IT Staffing	7.00	612%	10 months
Legal Services	6.15	526%	14 months
Manufacturing	9.50	813%	9 months
Medical Device	12.85	1,183%	13 months
Oil & Gas	10.55	906%	10 months
PCB Design & Manufacturing	12.40	1,101%	11 months
Pharmaceutical	9.85	826%	9 months
Real Estate	15.10	1,389%	10 months
Solar Energy	9.20	770%	9 months

12. Technical SEO offers a modest ROAS of 1.35 and an ROI of 117%, with a break-even period of 6 months.

13. Basic Content Marketing shows lower effectiveness with a ROAS of 1.05 and a modest ROI of just 16%, taking 15 months to break even, highlighting its slower return on investment.

Here is a table displaying the ROI and ROAS recorded on different SEO techniques:

SEO Service	Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS)	ROI	Time to Break-Even
Technical SEO(Technical fixes, keyword research, title tag rewrites)	1.35	117%	6 months
Basic Content Marketing(Average quality keyword research & blog articles ~4x/mo)	1.05	16%	15 months
Thought Leadership & SEO(Strategic planning, high end content ~8x/mo, focus on marketing KPIs)	9.10	748%	9 months

Sources: SeoProfy, First Page Sage, Segapixel

SEO Industry Statistics

14. In 2025, the global SEO software market is expected to be worth $84.94 billion, and this value is projected to continue increasing. By 2034, it’s predicted to reach around $265.91 billion, growing at a strong 13.52% annual rate over the next decade.

15. In 2024, the SEO industry reached a valuation of $74.82 billion. The North American market held the largest share at 35%. Within North America, the United States accounted for 79% of the region’s market share.

16. Between 2025 and 2034, Europe is projected to experience significant growth, expanding at a 12.6% annual rate.
    
17. In 2024, large enterprises accounted for the majority of the market share, holding a 56% share.
    
18. In terms of marketing type, social media marketing led in 2024, capturing 29% of the market share.

19. Cloud deployment dominated the market in 2024, holding more than 58% of the share.

Source: Precedence research. 

AI and SEO statistics

20. 99% of the consumers who use generative AI  platforms still use search engines for their queries. 

21. Approximately 16.4% of the consumers prefer to use generative AI for searches along with the Google search engine. 

22. Google Search users increased by 200 events per month compared to the increase of an average of 15 perplexity events per month. Meanwhile, ChatGPT users increased by 12.2 events per month.

Source: Datos

Ranking Statistics

23. 96.55% of web pages get no traffic at all from Google, meaning most content never gets seen.

24. Only 5.7% of pages make it to the first page of Google within a year after being published.
25. The first result on Google gets the most clicks only 49% of the time, so being #1 doesn’t always guarantee the most traffic.

26. Ranking first on Google gets you a 39.8% click-through rate, meaning nearly 4 out of 10 people click that top result. 

27. Featured snippets have the highest click-through rate at 42.9%, so grabbing that spot is a big win.
    
28. Top-ranking pages are usually over 2 years old, showing that older content often performs better.
    
29. The top three search results grab 68.7% of all clicks, so if you’re not in the top 3, you’re missing most of the traffic. 

30. The first organic result gets 19x more clicks than the top paid ad, proving people trust organic results more. 

31. Just 1.94% of pages get even 1 to 10 visits per month from Google, making it tough to get noticed.

32. Only 7.65% of 28,000 domains managed to stay in the top 100 throughout a 13-month study, showing how competitive rankings really are. 

33. Google changes page titles 33.4% of the time, so your title might not always show up as you wrote it.
34. If Google skips your title, it uses your H1 heading 50.76% of the time instead.

35. Google rewrites meta descriptions 62.78% of the time, especially for long and detailed searches.
36. Top pages usually rank for around 1,000 extra keywords, bringing in a lot more traffic than just one search term.
37. It takes about 3.1 months to see results from link building, so be patient with SEO efforts.

Sources: Ahrefs,  Ahrefs,  Ahrefs, First Page Sage,  Semrush,  Ahrefs, Ahrefs, Ahrefs, Authority Hacker.

Keyword Research Statistics

38. Nearly half (46.08%) of clicks in Google Search Console go to hidden or “unknown” keywords, making it harder to track what’s really driving traffic.

39. Keywords that are 10-15 words long get 1.76 times more clicks than single-word terms, showing the power of detailed, longer searches. 

40. Google Ads Keyword Planner overestimates search volume 91.45% of the time, so its numbers can be misleading for keyword research.
41. Search volume data is only accurate about 45.22% of the time, while the rest is mostly overestimated, so double-check before planning content.

42. Posts with target keywords or related terms in the URL have a 45% higher click-through rate than those that don’t. 

43. The average length of keywords for the top 10% of ranking sites is between 3.2 and 3.5 words, showing that longer phrases are often more successful in rankings. 

44. 94.74% of keywords get 10 or fewer searches per month, meaning most keywords have very little traffic potential.
45. Only 0.0008% of keywords get over 100,000 searches monthly, so going after extremely high-volume keywords is not always practical. 

Sources: Ahrefs, Backlinko, Backlinko, Semrush, Ahrefs, Ahrefs.

Technical SEO statistics

46. Only 33% of websites meet the Core Web Vitals standard. This means most websites are not performing well in crucial areas like loading speed and user experience.

47. 7.4% of pages in the top 10 of Google lack a title tag, which is crucial for ranking and user click-through rates.

48. 95.2% of sites have issues with 3XX redirects, indicating that most websites are not properly handling redirects, which could affect their SEO performance.

49. 87.7% of websites now use HTTPS, improving security and boosting SEO rankings

50. 80.4% of websites are missing alt attributes, a significant SEO and accessibility problem that can negatively affect rankings.

51. In 2025, Google rewrote 76% of titles shown in search results, a jump from 61% in 2022, showing how often Google adjusts titles for better relevance.

52. 72.3% of websites have slow-loading pages, highlighting a common issue that impacts user experience and SEO.

53. Over 23% of websites still don’t use structured data, missing out on the chance to enhance search visibility and rich results.

54. 68.5% of websites have mismatched page and SERP titles, which can create confusion and hurt SEO rankings.

55. More than 66% of backlinks are broken.

Source: Ahrefs, Ahrefs, Ahrefs Link Rot study, Ahrefs title tags study, John McAlpin study, Zyppy study, W3Techs, W3Techs. 

Backlink and Link Building Statistics

56. 66.5% of all backlinks created in the last nine years are now dead, showing how link decay is a major issue in long-term SEO.
57. Pages with at least one exact match anchor text get 5x more traffic than those without, highlighting the power of precise linking. 

58. Pages with the most total backlinks usually rank the best in Google, proving the importance of link-building in SEO success. 

59. Most top-ranking pages gain followed backlinks from new websites at a rate of 5% to 14.5% per month, showing how important fresh links are for staying on top. 

60. The top-ranking page has an average of 3.8 times more backlinks than pages ranking second to tenth, demonstrating the power of backlinks for achieving top spots. 

61. 73.6% of domains have reciprocal links, meaning they link back to some of the sites that link to them. 

62. 92.3% of the top 100 ranking domains had at least one backlink in a 13-month Semrush study, showing that backlinks are crucial for high rankings.
63. Link builders using social media generate 22% more links than those who don’t, making platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn valuable outreach tools.
64. 74.3% of link builders admit to paying for backlinks, proving how common this practice is despite being frowned upon by Google.
65. The average cost of a paid backlink is $83, making it a significant ongoing investment for SEOs and marketers. 

66. 67.5% of SEO experts agree that backlinks influence search engine rankings, confirming the continued importance of building quality backlinks. 

67. Almost half of SEO professionals spend between $5,000 and $10,000 per month on link building, demonstrating the significant investment required for backlink acquisition. 

Sources: Ahrefs, Zyppy, Backlinko, Ahrefs, Backlinko, Ahrefs, Semrush, Authority Hacker, uSERP, 

Local SEO Statistics

68. Local businesses or local services drive 46% of all the searches on Google. 

69. Over two-thirds of consumers are more likely to check reviews on Google before visiting a business location or store. 

70. A business is considered 2.7 times more reputable if it is listed on Google Search or on maps. 

71. The Google searches for shopping near have grown by over 100% year-over-year. 

72. Google is considered one of the most trusted platforms for reviews of local businesses across all industries.

73. 32% of businesses believe that the Global Business Profile is the most important factor in ranking on the map. 

Source: Engine Roundtable, ReviewTrackers, Google, BrightLocal. 

Mobile SEO Statistics

74. There are 5.44 billion unique mobile phone users worldwide, highlighting the massive potential mobile optimization holds for global reach.

75. 58.67% of all website traffic worldwide comes from mobile phones, showing that mobile users drive the majority of internet traffic.
76. 96% of internet users aged 16-64 own a smartphone, emphasizing how crucial mobile optimization is for engaging the majority of users.
77. Mobile devices account for 57% of all local search queries, showing that a significant portion of local search activity is mobile-driven.
78. Over 70% of shoppers use their phones to make purchases online, highlighting the importance of mobile-friendly e-commerce sites.
79. Mobile traffic makes up 41% of total web traffic, showing that mobile users are driving a large chunk of all online activity. 

80. 56% of in-store shoppers use their smartphones to research or shop while in-store, illustrating how smartphones are used for real-time decision-making during shopping.
81. Smartphone users rely on Google Lens to answer 8 billion queries each month, emphasizing the growing role of visual search in mobile SEO.
82. The average web page takes 87.84% longer to load on mobile than on desktop, indicating the critical need for faster mobile page speeds to avoid losing visitors. 

83. 51% of smartphone users discover a new business or product while searching on their smartphones, emphasizing how mobile searches lead to new customer finds. 

84. 54% of smartphone users search for business hours, and 53% look for directions to local stores, showing that people rely on mobile devices for immediate, location-based information.

85. 18% of local searches on smartphones lead to a purchase within a day, compared to just 7% for non-local searches, highlighting the importance of local SEO for mobile users. 

Sources: We Are Social, Statista, ReviewTrackers, Semrush, HubSpot, Google,  Backlinko. 

eCommerce SEO statistics

86. The number of keywords used has risen for transactional and commercial searches, and the number of keyword searches has dropped for navigational and informational searches. 

87. Approximately one-third of the traffic on e-commerce websites comes from organic searches. 

88. 7 in 10 consumers use the search bar after visiting a retailer’s website. 

89. Over 50% of consumers discover new brands through Google, emphasizing how search engines are key to brand discovery and awareness.

90. Amazon is the most visited e-commerce site in the United States.

91. Around half of shoppers research products on Google before buying them online, showing that Google plays a central role in the decision-making process.

92. 59% of shoppers use Google to research both online and in-store purchases, reflecting the growing reliance on search engines for product research.

Sources: Google, Semrush, Nosto, Wolfgang Digital. 

Voice Search Statistics

93. 67% of consumers say they’re very likely to use voice search when seeking information, showing the growing reliance on voice search for quick answers.
94. 58% of consumers ages 25-34 use voice search daily, highlighting how voice search is becoming a regular habit for younger adults.
95. 36% of Americans own a smart speaker, indicating that nearly one in three people in the U.S. use smart speakers like Alexa or Google Home.
96. 16% of people use voice search for local “near me” searches, showing that many consumers rely on voice search to find nearby businesses or services. (source: UpCity)
97. Between August 2019 and 2021, 8.9 million consumers purchased health and beauty items using smart speakers, indicating that smart speakers are playing a significant role in e-commerce, particularly in the health and beauty sector. 

98. About 90% of people who use voice search speak their queries in English, making it the most common language for voice-based searches. 

Sources: UpCity, Edison Research, Comscore.

Video SEO Statistics

99. 91% of companies now use video to market their brand, which is the highest it’s ever been.

99. Videos can increase web traffic by 157%, and pages with video content get significantly more backlinks and search visibility.
100. Consumers now watch an average of 17 hours of online video every week, and this number keeps rising.
101. 87% of YouTube shoppers say the platform helps them decide faster on what to buy.
102. Almost 90% of viewers trust YouTube creators’ opinions when it comes to products and brands.
103. 68.2% of first-page videos on YouTube are in HD, and they average about 15 minutes in length. 

Sources: Wyzowl, Search Engine People, Google, Backlinko.

Affiliate SEO statistics

105. 82% of websites earning six figures or more annually monetize with display ads and affiliate products, showing that affiliate marketing is a key revenue source for successful websites. 
106. The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month, highlighting that affiliate marketing can provide a substantial income.

107. Affiliate marketers with 3+ years of experience earn 9.45 times more than beginners, demonstrating how experience plays a significant role in earning potential. 

108. 45.3% of affiliate marketers say getting traffic is their biggest challenge, emphasizing the importance of driving traffic to affiliate websites for success. 
109. The three most profitable affiliate niches are education, travel, and beauty, providing insights into the most lucrative areas for affiliate marketers.
110. Only 4 of the top 100 websites ranking for product review search queries were independent brands, indicating that larger entities typically own the most successful product review websites.
111. Reddit is the most popular domain for product review queries, suggesting that many users turn to Reddit for honest reviews before making a purchase. 

Sources:  Authority Hacker, Detailed.

Conclusion: A Good SEO Campaign Can Bring In An Average Return Of 748%

As of 2025, 45% of B2B marketers are utilizing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to enhance their business operations, with certain sectors realizing returns as substantial as 1,389%. 

Despite encountering challenges such as link decay and competition from paid advertising, SEO continues to hold significant importance for generating organic traffic, enhancing brand visibility, and facilitating lead acquisition.

Given that mobile devices constitute 58.67% of global web traffic, the optimization for mobile platforms has become increasingly critical. The global SEO market is experiencing rapid growth and is projected to attain a valuation of $84.94 billion by 2025.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and voice search are actively influencing SEO strategies, while backlinks remain essential in securing high rankings. Nevertheless, technical SEO challenges persist, with numerous websites failing to adhere to fundamental standards.