Google's Dominance and Its Implications for SEO Strategies

Google remains the dominant global search engine with around an 89% market share in 2025, but its dominance is showing signs of erosion due to rising competition from AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, as well as alternative search engines such as Bing and Yandex. This shift has important implications for SEO strategies.

Key implications for SEO include:

• Adapting to AI-driven search: Marketers need to optimise content not only for traditional Google search algorithms but also for AI-generated summaries and conversational search formats, as AI-native tools gain traction.

• Maintaining high-quality, relevant content: Google still prioritises comprehensive, expert content that meets user intent, along with good user experience and technical performance. This remains true globally and across markets.

• Localisation and context matter: For local SEO, creating location-specific content, optimising for local keywords, and building locally relevant backlinks are crucial to rank well in Google’s local search results and map packs.

• Ongoing SEO investment: SEO is no longer a one-time effort but requires continuous optimisation to maintain and improve rankings amid evolving search behaviours and technologies.

• Diversifying traffic sources: Given the gradual decline in Google’s market share, businesses should consider optimising for alternative search engines and AI platforms to capture emerging audiences.

In summary, while Google’s dominance remains strong, SEO strategies must evolve to address the growing influence of AI search tools and alternative engines, emphasising quality content, localisation, and ongoing optimisation to sustain visibility and traffic.