Google's search market share drops below 90% for first time since 2015

Google's global search engine dominance slips below 90% for the first time since 2015, according to recent Statcounter data. This marks a significant shift, as Google held a commanding share above 90% for nearly a decade.

The decline. Google's market share dipped below the 90% threshold in the final three months of 2024, registering 89.34% in October, 89.99% in November, and 89.73% in December. This contrasts sharply with the last period of sub-90% share in 2015 (January: 89.62%, February: 89.47%, March: 89.52%).

Reasons for the shift. This sustained drop suggests a tangible trend, with Asia identified as a key region contributing to the overall decline. The U.S. market also saw a noticeable decrease, with Google's share falling from 90.37% in November to 87.39% in December, remaining relatively consistent between 86-88% for the rest of 2024.

Competitive landscape. This decline follows nearly two years of criticism regarding the perceived decline in the helpfulness of Google's search results, despite its long-standing dominance. Competitors like Microsoft Bing, Yandex, and Yahoo saw gains, with Bing consistently hovering around 4% in the final months of 2024. The impact of AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT Search and Perplexity remains unclear, as Statcounter's data primarily focuses on established players.

Data reliability. While a previous reported Google market share drop was later revised, the consistent sub-90% figures for October, November, and December lend credibility to this latest report.

Looking ahead. The sustained decrease in Google's market share raises questions about the future of the search landscape and whether users are increasingly turning to alternative search engines. This will be a key area to monitor in the coming months. The data used is from Statcounter's Worldwide Search Engine Market Share.

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