Top 11 Global Search Engines: Boost Your SEO Strategy Beyond Google

Introduction

As SEO professionals and digital marketers, it’s crucial to recognize the potential traffic sources in the form of search engines beyond Google. While Google might hold the lion’s share of the market, exploring other platforms can offer new avenues for reaching wider audiences.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top 11 search engines worldwide based on market share percentages, desktop, and mobile searches from April 2022 to April 2023, highlighting their features and specific strategies to rank content on each platform.

1. Google

With a market share of around 87%, Google remains the dominant search engine. However, the platform captures a whopping 95% of mobile traffic. Ranking on Google might be challenging due to high competition and search features such as featured snippets, which fulfill users’ needs directly on Google. It’s necessary for SEO professionals to stay updated on the latest algorithm updates and target low competition, high search volume keywords.

2. Bing

Holding approximately 5% of the market share, Bing is the second most popular search engine. Bing also powers Yahoo! search, and its interface shares a striking resemblance to Google. One distinguishing characteristic of Bing is the “Bing Rewards” program, incentivizing users for searching and browsing the web. To rank on Bing, utilize the Bing Webmaster Tools and focus on factors such as domain age, social signals, and an emphasis on exact keywords.

3. Yahoo!

With around 3% of the market share, Yahoo! stands as the third most popular search engine. As mentioned earlier, it is powered by Bing, which means that the strategies for ranking on Bing would work effectively on Yahoo! as well. Consider leveraging Yahoo! Answers as a way to increase visibility for your website.

4. Yandex

Yandex is a top Russian search engine with approximately 0.53% market share globally. However, its market share in Russia stands at around 53%. Yandex uses a Site Quality Index (SQI) as one of its primary ranking factors. Additionally, it focuses on local intent in user queries. To rank on Yandex, ensure a high SQI, optimize for local searches, and pay attention to behavioral factors when evaluating site performance.

5. Other Top Search Engines

Here are six additional search engines to round out the Top 11:

a. Baidu (0.47% market share)

• Chinese search engine focusing on China’s vast population
• Achieve better rankings by catering to Chinese-specific keyword research, localization, and focusing on on-page optimization.

b. DuckDuckGo (0.47% market share)

• Privacy-focused search engine
• Incorporate traditional SEO practices since it relies heavily on search results from Bing.

c. Naver (0.43% market share – South Korea)

• Primary search engine in South Korea
• Cater to South Korea’s mobile-first audience and use Naver Webmaster Tools.

d. Ecosia (0.15% market share)

• Environmentally friendly search engine, donating 80% of its profits to tree planting initiatives
• Follow Google’s SEO guidelines as it primarily displays Google search results.

e. StartPage (0.05% market share)

• Privacy-focused search engine, based on Google search results
• Adhere to Google’s SEO guidelines for better rankings.

f. Sogou (0.02% market share)

• Another Chinese search engine
• Employ similar strategies as mentioned for Baidu.

To maximize your SEO strategy’s success, consider exploring and utilizing these search engines alongside Google. By catering to other platforms’ algorithms and user behavior, you can tap into a more diverse set of audiences and improve your overall reach. Stay updated on the nuances of each search engine and mold your approach accordingly to ensure a more comprehensive SEO strategy.