20+ Fascinating Google Search Statistics You Need to Know

From its humble beginnings in 1998, Google dominates the market by 76% in 2023. It currently has a wide array of individuals, professionals, and institutions using its platform. 

Known as the largest search engine worldwide, Google processes over 105,000 searches per second---amounting to over 9 billion searches daily. Google’s growth is immense compared to its 10,000 daily searches in 1998. 

With so many queries on the platform daily, numerous trends and patterns have emerged. 

Here are some highlights in Google Search statistics regarding trends, websites, personalities, demographics, and words. 

Statistics Overview on Google Searches

IBIS World reveals that Google is the most used search engine of the 6,246 search engines in the US, with 89.3 billion visits monthly.  In fact, about 16.3% of the traffic comes from people searching the word “Google.” 

The numbers state a fact: Google Search is a staple of daily life.

Dive into the world of Google Searches and check its statistics according to trends, words, websites, and people. 

Google Search Statistics by Trends

As a platform with a heavy daily usage rate, Google Search is not immune to forming trends. Google records heavily searched topics, terms, and words within such a short period to identify trends. 

Learn more about the recent statistics of Google Search trends and usage with the following details:  

1. Organic search accounted for 23% of website visits in 2019.  

(Oberlo)

Data shows that organic search results are the strongest drivers of website visits. Google Search users usually skip ad listings on search results despite their relevance to the topic. Since searchers prefer organic search results, SEO is necessary for today’s marketers. 

The sooner they learn to produce high-quality content incorporating their products, the more people they will reach in the market. 

2. 40% of all US Google Searches contained two words. 

(Podium, LinkedIn)

Most Google Searchers use concise terms to find what they’re looking for. Only around 22% of searches made within the US are composed of 3-word search terms. 

The number is higher around the globe, with 80% of all Google Searches made with 3-word terms.

LinkedIn reports that short-tail keywords are better for reaching more audiences online. It also helps increase brand awareness, generate traffic, and diversify audiences. 

3. 46% of all consumer product searches start on Google. 

(Oberlo, Homework Study, Think with Google)

Homework Study confirms that around 7 million businesses advertise through Google Ads. This comprises all types of businesses, marketing agencies, small companies, and even multinational corporations.

According to Think with Google, about 59% of shoppers Google Search purchases they plan to make in physical stores. Consumers turn to Google Search for research, specifications, and features of products and services available on Google Search. 

4. 14.1% of Google Searches in 2020 were questions.  

(99 Firms, Search Engine Journal)

People use Google Search to find answers to their questions—quite literally.

Nieman Lab proposes that Google uses the following methods to uncover the needed answers to user’s questions:  

• Canonical Queries
• Neural Matching
• Situational Similarities
• Seed Sets 
• Past Interactions

Such methods consider alternative options, the underlying meaning of the questions, and other related topics to the term searched.  

5. 13% of all Google Searches are under the topic of translation. 

(99 Firms, Android Central)

Google offers free translation services for about 133 languages. It typically comes in handy for travelers or diverse communities interacting. Many paid translation services also have popped up since, but Google has remained a free service.

Some of the most commonly searched topics include the following:

• Translation - 13% 
• Social Network - 11% 
• Entertainment - 10% 
• Shopping - 10% 
• Weather - 10% 

Google Search Statistics by Word

To access the billions of websites available in Google Search, users must input keywords summarizing the content they want to see. Google records consistent and repeated searches of the same keyword to see what topics are of interest of late. 

The following are the most recent statistics and records according to Google Searched words in 2023: 

6. ‘Taylor Swift’ and ‘Patriots’ were the most searched words on August 10, 2023, with approximately 200,000 searches each. 

(Google Trends)

Current events shape daily word search statistics. Taylor Swift’s announcement of the release date of her next album broke the Internet.

The announcement was such a hit that it garnered 1st place in Google’s Most Searched Words on August 10, 2023. The 1989 Taylor’s Version album will drop on October 27, 2023.  

At the same time, the New England Patriots and Houston Texans NFL pre-season debut game made noise online. The Texans won the game by a 9-20 gap—its opponent’s name was the second most searched word that day. 

7. ‘YouTube’ is the most globally searched word in Google at 1.2 billion searches. 

(Exploding Topics)

Users can visit its website or mobile app to find a YouTube video online. However, users can also just Google Search the videos they want to see.

As a public video-sharing website, Google’s search index includes YouTube for easier organization. By Google Searching YouTube video keywords, users can also find articles, social media posts, and journals related to the topic. 

8. Facebook and YouTube are the most searched words in the US, with 69-70.2 million searches.

(Ahrefs)

Americans are fond of social media, and Google’s Search statistics show this. Like YouTube, Facebook’s public accounts, pages, and posts are indexed and cataloged by Google for more accessible structuring. 

Many Facebook users search the platform on Google first to reach the login page—spiking its Google Search count. Considering the high number of Facebook and YouTube users logging in daily, its ranking is no surprise. 

9. 9.1 million “what to watch” questions were Google Searched in 2021. 

(99 Firms)

The phrase came in as the most searched term in the first two quarters of 2021. The phrases “When is Mother’s Day” and “When is Father’s Day” trail right behind it.

The questions gathered millions of queries, as seen in the list below: 

• What to watch? - 9.1 million searches
• When is Mother’s Day? - 3.8 million searches
• When is Father’s Day? - 3.4 million searches
• What is my IP? - 3.4 million searches

The rise of question-form search terms increases with voice search for Google and other technologies. 

10. “Business Services” is the most expensive Google Ad Keyword at $58.64 CPC. 

(99 Firms)

Pricing on advertising keywords depends on fields, with specific areas on the higher end. Considering the vast array of industries covered under the term “business services,” the high cost of this keyword is unsurprising. 

Advertising in law, business, and entertainment is among the highest in the industry. 

Google Search Statistics by Website

As a top-ranked search engine, websites from all around the globe have their websites indexed on this platform to reach more audiences. Google has them all: a personal blog, educational materials, a professional portfolio, or a business website. 

Uncover the latest statistics and trends surrounding Google Searched websites in 2023: 

11. Google is the most visited website in the US at 17.37 billion visitors. 

(Semrush)

Despite Google’s wide array of services, its success lies in Google Chrome—its search engine. Known for giving accurate results and covering billions of web pages, Google has become the default search engine worldwide. 

No wonder Google has a strong user base with a 335% difference in traffic from the second most used website—YouTube. 

12. Over 90% of websites on Google do not get organic search traffic. 

(Startup Bonsai)

Only a small portion of indexed pages on Google gain attention. A survey found that 847.8 million web pages get 0 visits from organic searches from Google. 

Multiple methods can help websites gain organic search traffic and visits. Some methods include:

• search engine optimization
• increased overall domain
• authority ranking
• search intent alignment
• increased backlinks

13. Google has 40-60 billion indexed active websites in March 2023. 

(Fit Small Business)

The platform has been using automated programs called “crawlers” to find new and updated websites across the web since its launch. As of 2023, the total Google Search Indexed websites amount to 100 billion gigabytes. 

While website owners can protect themselves from such crawlers if they want their content private, many intentionally optimize their websites for indexing. 

Some industries intentionally indexing their websites are business owners looking to get a wider reach, creatives relying on content engagement, and marketing people looking to make a public hit. 

14. Only 17% of Google’s indexed websites have the same ranking on desktop and mobile.  

(Fit Small Business)

About 8% of websites get removed from the top 100 when ranked mobile. In comparison, about 88% of them move up to the top 100—proving the impact of mobile optimization. 

It’s ideal for websites to optimize for both website and mobile. However, many websites don’t prepare for mobile website visits—causing their ranking to fall for mobile search users. 

Most businesses or individuals sharing content on Google aim for a higher organic search ranking. This ranking dictates how high up the search result’s page their website will show when prompted. 

A higher ranking means a higher click-through chance for websites. Considering only 0.63% of searchers click the second page of search results, higher ranking matters. 

Google Search Statistics by Person 

According to Dev Shed’s latest report, over 4.3 billion people use Google’s platform—making it the largest search engine worldwide. The platform caters to various cultures, countries, and demographics with such a broad reach. 

Break down the makeup of Google Search users through the following statistics, and check out the most Google Searched personalities dominating the search engine in 2023: 

15. 36% of Google Search users are aged 21-30 years old. 

(Moz) 

A survey of Google users worldwide found that the largest age demographic of its users is young. 

However, most Google Search users are middle age approaching the older demographic. This demographic comprises a large chunk of the working force—making this statistic unsurprising. 

Not only is Google Search a handy tool to stay informed and updated at work, but many career fields also revolve around digitalizing businesses and optimizing online companies for Google. 

16. 60% of Google Searchers are men.

(On The Map, University of Pittsburgh)

There is no established correlation between gender and Google Search usage. However, several studies surround Google Search behavior and the binary genders. 

A study by the University of Pittsburgh found that male students first filtered and scanned search result pages. Only afterward would they click websites to lead them to the most appropriate answer to their questions. 

On the other hand, female students clicked and read full websites first before moving on to the next listed answer. This method took more time and effort before arriving at the needed content. 

17. Americans are the highest Google Search traffic contributors at 18.28%.  

(Enterprise Apps Today)

The US contributes the most traffic of the 219 countries using Google, with 18.15 billion devices using the platform. 

Look at the top 5 countries using Google Search worldwide in 2023: 

Among the top countries, Indian, Japanese, Indonesian, and Brazilian Google Searchers predominantly use mobile devices in their activities. 

The US has always maintained a strong online presence. Its strong technology and Internet infrastructure also allow much of its population to access platforms like Google. 

18. 77% of people use Google Search more than 3 times a day.  

(On The Map, The Impulse Digital)

A survey confirmed that most people use Google Search multiple times a day. The rest of the Google Search users frequent the platform much less.

Over time, Google Search has become more than just a search engine. It now includes basic tools like calculators, conversions, translators, etc. 

The platform also carries countless catalogs of free books, courses, webpages, and even games—encouraging users to use the platform. 

19. Over 55% of teenagers use Google Assistants daily. 

(Startup Bonsai)

Google technology is rapidly progressing, and teenagers aren’t falling behind. More than half of teenagers in the US are using voice search to access search engines like Google. 

With so many devices incorporated with voice recognition tools and smart assistant programs, the number is bound to rise. However, the older demographic is also interested in this technology, as seen in the following statistics: 

• About 56% of adult Americans feel more confident using voice commands with technology. 
• Over 52% of Americans use voice search to find navigational directions. 
• Users send texts and make calls with voice commands 50% of the time. 

20. 23% of Google Searchers use the autocomplete suggestions given by Google.

(LinkedIn, Google Support)

Most Google Searchers likely have a keyword or search term in mind. However, the search suggestions come in handy when making informational queries. 

Many users take advantage of the feature, with over 50% clicking on a suggested topic within 9 seconds. 

Google Support shared that the platform makes suggestions based on the searcher’s location, language, and search history. Current events and trending topics also help the algorithm generate suggested topics for searchers. 

21. About 83% of American shoppers research with Google before purchasing online. 

(Think with Google)

A simple Google Search can help consumers find product and service specifications, advertisements, features, and reviews. The platform can quickly provide all the information needed to make an informed decision before purchase. 

About 87% of shoppers compare prices across online retailers to ensure they get a good deal. With so many consumers using Google Search for product information, marketers using SEO to promote their products also flock here. 

22. Taylor Swift is the most searched personality in 2023, with 6.8 million searches. 

(Enterprise Apps Today)

The musician launched the Eras Tour in March 2023—drawing the attention of fans worldwide. 

Other personalities in the top 10 include athletes, politicians, business people, and content creators. 

23. Musicians are the most Google-searched personalities at 31%.

(Enterprise Apps Today)

The highly saturated music industry is full of rising artists, but it always continues to take the online spotlight. Artists often have dedicated fanbases that stream and spend money supporting artists. 

However, many other personalities, like actors and athletes, have a similar supporting community. 

Other factors like upcoming projects, affiliations, involvements, or career milestones also prompt high Google Search volume for personalities. 

Bottom Line

As the largest search engine worldwide, Google Search has set the standard for quality information organization and service. The platform will continue moving toward a future of excellence and a strong presence in daily life. 

Smart technology like voice searches and home assistants are already making a mark in the Google Search industry. More of these are bound to emerge in the market in the future. 

With Google’s predominantly simple and user-friendly design, users will be interested in whatever projects the tech brand comes up with.