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How to Use Exploding Topics: A Quick Start Guide
April 22, 2026
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April 17, 2026
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April 14, 2026
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November 25, 2025
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Blog > 130 SEO Statistics Every Marketer Must Know in 2026
Use real-time topic data to create content that resonates and brings results.
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SEO statistics can provide foresight, but they can also reveal prediction errors.
Case in point: the biggest SEO statistics story of 2025 was that generative AI would devour much of Google Search traffic by now. That has not happened.
However, AI is rapidly rising with some estimates predicting it might overtake traditional search by 2028.
That said, 99% of GenAI users still use search engines.
Below, you’ll find surprising statistics and some that reveal not much has changed.
Get a complete view of your competitors to anticipate trends and lead your market
Takeaway: Leverage projected SEO growth trends to future-proof your marketing strategy. Try Semrush today and get ahead of your competitors with the most trusted SEO tools in the market.
Despite Google contributing more to website visits right now, the fact that Google itself is actively pushing AI mode and AI Overviews for a bigger share of searches is putting AI channels at the forefront of search.
This is one of the many reasons why an Semrush study predicts GenAI to send more web traffic as compared to traditional search by 2028.
Preparing for an AI-first search is the top priority for forward-looking companies. And the most important first step is understanding how AI platforms are talking about your brand.
This free AI visibility checker tool is an easy way to benchmark your AI search performance and discover opportunities for increasing your share of voice.
Use trending keywords to create content your audience craves.
Takeaway: Reports of Google Search’s imminent decline are popular but unsupported by data. Prepare to optimize for Google’s AI Overviews this year.
According to original research by FirstPageSage (FPS), the top-ranking industries per ROI on SEO are as follows:
Other leading sectors include:
SEO ROI timeframe: According to B2B SEO statistics, it takes anywhere from 6 months to a year to achieve positive ROI for an SEO campaign. Peak results are seen in the 2nd or 3rd year of the campaign, per FPS.
Takeaway: Targeting high-value, low-competition keywords is still key. (I call this “blue ocean SEO.”)
Takeaway: Google rewards excellence and originality. SEO marketing statistics suggest a continued focus on information gain over keyword stuffing.
Perspective: Link building is awash with mediocre guest posting initiatives that annoy prospects. Winning requires building a carefully differentiated strategy formed around high-quality blog posts. Use this free backlink checker to find your or your competitor's most powerful links.
A Whitespark survey of marketers asked how much weight Google attributes to various factors that impact Local Pack rankings.
Perspective: In my experience, small business owners often underestimate the impact of an optimized Google Business Profile and regular reviews. Read our complete guide to SEO for small businesses.
Takeaway: Factor in screen sizes when planning your SEO strategy.
Perspective: In my experience, broken link building is still a great way to get more backlinks. It can significantly increase your site’s valuation. However, it requires meticulous attention to detail.
Takeaway: The rising popularity of voice search highlights the importance of long-tail keywords in SEO strategy, and careful keyword research is still essential.
Perspective: After production, don’t forget to optimize your YouTube videos by taking full advantage of the description field.
Takeaway: Simplify mobile site navigation and checkout. Automate requests for Google Reviews. And use an E-commerce keyword tool to explore opportunities.
Because social media develops search trends of its own and because social referral traffic is often part of SEO strategy, it's important to understand the key platforms influencing your SEO most impactfully.
For instance, Reddit is an excellent source for SEO research, both on-page and off-page. Use tools like the Reddit opportunity finder to discover relevant threads and audience insights.
Facebook is #1 in social media referral traffic. It drives 3.62% of all referral traffic in the U.S.
Here’s how the top social platforms stack up. (SparkToro / Datos)
Takeaway: With the steep rise in social commerce, digital marketers may need to adjust their social strategy to span more than brand awareness. Bluesky is likely to gain traction.
The future of SEO is likely to involve more AI-driven search. But it’s important to focus on data, not hypotheticals.
Most importantly, demand for SEO tools, like Semrush, is likely to surge in tandem with global SEO growth.
Use real-time topic data to create content that resonates and brings results.
Exploding Topics is owned by Semrush. Our mission is to provide accurate data and expert insights on emerging trends. Unless otherwise noted, this page’s content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc.
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Written By
Sherrie Gossett
Small Business Consultant
Sherrie Gossett has a knack for uncovering hidden trends and opportunities that others overlook, drawing on her extensive experien… Read more
Exploding Topics, Mangools, and Semrush are three tools used by marketers and business owners — but they have unique features at different price points. This guide explains the differences.
Leveraging Reddit content and conversations is important for SEO and GEO in 2026. Learn how to plan your strategy using specific tools and four simple steps.
Keywords Everywhere now offers a trend tool that displays information about topics in 11 different industries—this guide takes a look at how it compares to Exploding Topics.
Reddit brings unique insights for SEO and serves as a powerful promoter of off-page visibility. Here's how to use it smartly with a free tool.
Exploding Topics gives you access to lots of great trend data for free — but Pro plans unlock even more metrics. See how Exploding Topics plans differ in this complete analysis.
