Google’s Market Share Hits Record Low: A Wake-Up Call for Users and SEO Professionals

In a striking development in the search engine landscape, Google has seen its market share plummet to 86.94%, marking its lowest point since GS Statcounter began tracking these figures in 2009. This decline represents a staggering drop of over 4% just in the last month, which stands as the largest single-month downturn recorded to date.

The impact is even more pronounced in Google’s most significant market: the United States. In April, Google’s share of U.S. searches across all devices fell to 77.46%, a sharp decrease of almost 10% from the previous month. Meanwhile, its competitors have gained ground—Bing’s market share has risen to 13% in the U.S. and 5.8% globally, its highest since it entered the search engine arena over a decade ago. Additionally, Yahoo Search has made surprising gains, with its market share nearly tripling to 3.09% worldwide, the highest it’s been since July 2015.

Amidst these shifts, it’s worth noting a growing sentiment among those in the SEO community: many believe Google’s search results have steadily declined in quality over recent years. This decline has prompted broader discussions about what some are dubbing ‘enshitification’—a term suggesting a deterioration in user experience that appears to have accelerated following recent updates. For the first time in my decade-long career in SEO, I’m hearing everyday internet users express dissatisfaction with search results, underscoring a widespread sentiment of frustration.

It appears that Google’s leadership, under Sundar Pichai, has become overly confident in the company’s seemingly unassailable market position. This attitude persists even as the core product continues to face scrutiny, significant job cuts are made, and operational roles shift overseas. The primary focus seems to remain on stock performance and executive wealth, rather than addressing user concerns.

However, the latest statistics reveal that users are not as powerless as they may have thought. For those who have felt disheartened about the apparent dominance of Google, this downturn presents a meaningful opportunity to voice discontent. One can only speculate what might happen if this trend continues, with another drop in market share potentially bringing Google’s dominance below 70%. Such a shift could compel the company to rethink its strategies.

Now is the time to actively communicate to Google that consumers are not willing to accept a deteriorating search experience. We can advocate for change