Beyond Google: The most popular search engines around the world

Marketers often assume that Google is the undisputed market leader for search everywhere, that it is the one search engine everyone uses, in every corner of the globe, and therefore they only need to focus international SEO and advertising efforts on Google. In fact, it’s become so ingrained in our lives that we’ve even turned it into a verb: “Just Google it”. And while this is broadly true, it’s not the full picture.

Across different countries and regions, multiple factors enable other search engines to thrive. Understanding local dynamics is especially important for anyone working in digital media, advertising, SEO, content creation, or online strategy.

The Global Picture: Google’s lead remains strong, but cracks showing

As of early 2025, Google remains the dominant search engine worldwide. Its global market share  percentage, across all devices, lingers in the high 80s to low 90s.

Source: Statista.com

But a few trends are worth noting:

• Google’s share, while still overwhelming, has dipped slightly compared to past years – the lowest it’s been in decades.
• Other search engines such as Bing, Yandex, Baidu, and other local/regional ones, retain strongholds and are doing more than simply “existing in the shadow” of Google.
• There is growing interest in privacy-oriented engines (DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, etc.), though their market share remains modest globally.

Key country / region profiles: What shifts & surprises tell us

Here are some of the more interesting “local stories” in search – places where the global assumptions don’t hold true, and those shifts have meaning for strategy.

China

• Dominant players: With more than 667M monthly active users, Baidu is still the biggest search engine in China. Google is essentially inaccessible (blocked), unless you’re using a VPN, which leaves room for Baidu, Haosou (Qihoo 360), Sogou, and others to fill the demand.
• Notable dynamics: Bing holds a surprising share in some reports, sometimes even in second place, though under heavy local regulation. Local engines often integrate more than just search: security, “trusted” local content, apps, even voice/assistant functions geared for the Chinese language and ecosystem.

Russia

• Leading search engine: Yandex remains the top choice in Russia, with a very large majority of search traffic (72% of search engine market share) going through it. Google is a strong competitor but notably behind.
• Why it wins: Strong local language capabilities, services like maps, news, etc., built for Russian context; trust and brand recognition. Also, regulatory and cultural factors play a role.

South Korea

• Strong local alternative: With around 40 million active users, Naver is the local favourite. It’s the platform aimed to reshape the Korean digital Landscape. It offers much more than a blank search box. Things like specialised content, Q&A, blogs, forums matter to users. While Google has grown and is strong, it hasn’t unseated Naver (nor should we assume it will anytime soon).
• Unlike Google, which built its dominance on indexing the open web, Naver has developed more as a self-contained ecosystem. Much of South Korea’s online content (blogs, communities, and even news) lives within Naver itself, on platforms like Naver Blog and Naver Cafes. This means users often find everything they need without ever leaving Naver’s environment.

Japan

• Mixed landscape: Even though Google is the dominant search engine in Japan, with a market share of around 75-78%,   Yahoo! Japan still has a meaningful presence with a 10-2% market share. Local preferences, services, integrations (news, shopping, etc.) keep Yahoo! Japan relevant.
• The preference relies mostly on the integrated ecosystem Yahoo! provides as a one-stop shop, offering users a wide range of essential services – including email, news, shopping, finance, and more – in one place. The local focus is evident; the platform has deeply localised its services, providing content, interfaces, and features that align with Japanese user preferences and daily life.

India, Latin America, much of Europe

• Google dominance is strong: In many of these regions, Google has upwards of 90% market share. In India, for example, recent figures place Google near or above 97%.
• Still relevant: competitors, niches, variation: Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and other smaller engines or local platforms (language-specific, privacy-focused, etc.) have small but growing niches. Also, mobile vs desktop behaviour can differ; in countries with lower broadband access or high mobile-first usage, performance, speed, UI, and app integrations matter a lot.

What this means for content and SEO

From analysing recent data, a few trends are especially significant, and ones we watch closely, as they affect our international SEO services.

1. Slight erosion of Google’s margin: Not dramatic, but visible. In some countries, and in certain device categories, Google is losing a little ground to regional engines. Globally, though, Google is also losing market share to conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT and Copilot.
2. Regulatory & censorship impacts: in places like China, regulation affects which engines are accessible or popular; privacy/regulation in Europe also influences how users and businesses engage with search technology.
3. User demand for privacy & transparency: increasing awareness of data collection, tracking, and personalisation is pushing some users toward engines like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, or others that promise more privacy. While these aren’t winning market share the way Google or Yandex or Baidu do (yet), they’re growing in a way that suggests they’ll be more relevant in niche strategy conversations.
4. Integration & ecosystem matter: local search engines that bundle more services (maps, local news, shopping, forums, payments) tend to stay more sticky with users. Being the default on device browser helps.
5. Device & infrastructure differences: Mobile vs desktop, internet speed, language/font or input method, prevalence of voice search or AI assistants, all impact how people engage with search. What works in one country may lag in another.

What This Means for content & multi-national SEO strategy

Here’s where these facts move from “interesting” to “essential,” especially if you’re planning content or your SEO strategy.

• Don’t assume one-size-fits-all. If you are optimizing for search or planning ads in Russia, you can’t treat Google exactly the same way you would in the UK. For example, Yandex has different ranking signals; content expectations differ; user behavior differs.
• Tailor localization: language, tone, local cultural references, local services matter. Also, consider what integrations users expect (e.g. local review sites, payment systems, maps, etc.).
• Regulation and compliance: In some markets, you need to be aware of what content can or cannot appear, as well as privacy and data regulations, default search engine arrangements, and government controls. For example, you cannot use Google in China unless you access it via a VPN.
• Device & user infrastructure sensitivity: ensure your content loads fast, works well on mobile, consider how search habits are different on mobile vs desktop; consider voice search, etc.
• Privacy-friendly search engines can’t be ignored: while they currently have modest share, their audience is often more engaged, more privacy-aware, possibly more brand sensitive. That might mean different messaging or different platforms for some companies.

While Google may dominate much of the global search landscape, it’s clear that local habits, regulations, and ecosystems continue to shape how people search in different parts of the world. Understanding these nuances is key for brands looking to connect authentically with audiences beyond their home country via a multi-national SEO strategy.

At AccuraCast, we help businesses navigate this complexity,  from optimising for Google and Bing to leveraging platforms like Baidu, Naver, or Yandex. Our expertise lies in adapting strategies to local contexts, ensuring your brand shows up where your audience truly searches. Contact us to learn how we can help you navigate the complexities of international search.