Whether you’re looking to create a social space for your customers, a forum for like-minded individuals, or a support network for your products and services, choosing the right community platform is crucial.

On WPBeginner, we have used Facebook for a long time for our WPBeginner Engage group, which has 98,000+ members. We have also more recently been experimenting with platforms like BuddyBoss for creating social networks and using MemberPress to power our video tutorial site.

This has helped us gain valuable insights into which community platforms work best for different needs. That’s why we now have a deeper understanding of community management and the strengths and weaknesses of different tools.

In this article, we will share our list of the best online community platforms, highlighting their pros and cons. We have gone out of our way to test lots of different options for all kind of needs so that you can find the best one for your online project.

If you are in a hurry, then just take a quick look at our top expert picks to make a decision.

How We Test and Review Online Community Platforms

To give you the best recommendations, we tested and reviewed popular community platforms.

We wanted to give you a list of well-rounded and reliable tools, so we paid special attention to the following criteria:

Ease of Use: We have prioritized user-friendly community platforms that come with an easy navigation system and allow you to customize your platform according to your community’s needs.

Features: An ideal community platform should include discussion boards, forums, gamification, polls, surveys, and other interactive elements. It should also allow for the easy creation, organization, and sharing of content.

Reliability: We have only recommended tools that we have tested ourselves on real websites. We also examined each platform’s loading speed, uptime, and scalability for growing businesses.

Integration Capabilities: For this showcase, we have explored each platform’s capabilities to integrate with email marketing services, CRMs, social media platforms, and analytics services.

Support: We have investigated the quality of customer support for each community platform. We also checked the tutorials, guides, forums, and knowledge bases offered by each tool.

Having said that, let’s take a look at our list of the best online community platforms with their pros and cons.

1. BuddyBoss

BuddyBoss is the best online community platform on the internet. It allows you to transform your site into a social media platform, build forums, create social groups, introduce new activities for users, and more.

The plugin comes with a comprehensive suite of features to help you create an interactive space for your members.

For instance, users can follow each other in the community, send private messages, and view activity feeds of different members.

You can even create private or hidden groups for focused discussions and collaboration.

In addition, you can create different membership levels in your community, integrate with learning management systems to sell courses, and even sell your merchandise alongside community memberships.

For more details, see our tutorial on how to create your own private community with WordPress.

In our opinion, BuddyBoss stands out as the best platform for building a social media network. We particularly like that it allows you to create a custom-branded mobile app for Android and iOS devices, which can be a game-changer for growing your community.

This, paired with its seamless integration with WordPress, makes BuddyBoss the ideal choice for building thriving online communities.

Pros

• BuddyBoss shows real time notifications to keep members engaged and informed about activity within the community.
• It allows users to share photos, videos, and other media content.
• We particularly liked the tool’s gamification elements, such as points, badges, and leaderboards.
• It allows users to create profiles with their details and images.
• BuddyBoss supports various membership models, including free, paid, and tiered memberships.
• The plugin can integrate with tools like WooCommerce for eCommerce capabilities, Zoom for broadcasting and meetings, and page builders like Elementor for customization.

Cons

• The plugin has a free plan. However, to unlock some of the features, you will need the pro version.

Why we recommend BuddyBoss: Overall, BuddyBoss is the best online community platform because it’s user-friendly, scalable, and comes with a lot of social features. Plus, the plugin works right in your WordPress dashboard, so you won’t need to set up any integrations.

2. MemberPress

MemberPress is the best WordPress membership plugin on the market. It also offers a number of features to build a thriving online community around your membership site.

The plugin lets you create different membership tiers with varying access levels and benefits for members. Once you have done that, you can build an exclusive forum to discuss topics, share knowledge, and build relationships.

You can also allow users to create their own groups within the community to foster engagement. Additionally, users can view each other’s profiles and remain updated about recent activity, posts, and discussions.

Over the past few years, we have been using MemberPress on our video membership site. It has played an important part in managing our subscription-based model and creating a sense of exclusivity for our members.

We particularly appreciate the ease of setting up different membership tiers with varying access levels to our video content library.

Plus, we believe that MemberPress can be a great option for creating a strong community among subscribers through features like private forums and member directories.

Pros

• MemberPress can integrate with BuddyBoss to boost the functionality of your community.
• If you want to earn some money while building a community, then you can restrict community features to paid members only.
• When working with the plugin, we were impressed by its drip content feature. It lets you release content gradually to members based on their membership level.
• The tool also comes with different moderation features and lets you create guidelines for community behavior.

Cons

• MemberPress has a free plan, but most of the features are locked in it.
• It is not a conventional community platform, so it may lack some of the features offered by other tools in the list.

Why we recommend MemberPress: If you already have a membership site and want to boost conversions, then we believe MemberPress is the choice for you. It allows you to create membership levels and an exclusive community for users who join your group. This can encourage free users to become full-time members.

For more details, you can see our complete MemberPress review.

3. Circle

Circle is another amazing tool for creating online communities in just a few minutes. It lets you build a huge community and then organize it using ‘Spaces’ for broad topics and ‘Groups’ for more focused discussions within those spaces.

Users can also personalize their profiles with bios, avatars, and social media links, fostering a sense of connection. Using the built-in tools, they can create text, images, and video content to share with the community.

Other than that, Circle allows direct messaging and even lets you host live video sessions for announcements, Q&A sessions, or interactive workshops.

Pros

• We love that Circle lets you create and manage events, both in-person and virtual, to bring your community together. This is a unique feature not available in many other tools.
• You can add interactive polls and surveys within your community.
• Circle creates a centralized activity feed for each user showcasing recent posts, discussions, and events.
• It lets you create different membership levels to generate revenue. You can also charge fees for specific events or offer exclusive events to paid members.
• The tool lets you add, remove, or edit member profiles and manage their access levels within the community. You can also manage discussions, comments, and content with built-in moderation tools.

Cons

• Compared to platforms like BuddyBoss, Circle offers less flexibility for customizing the look and feel of your community.
• In our opinion, Circle would be better if it had a more powerful chat functionality.
• We found it a bit annoying that it does not integrate with many LMS and membership tools.

Why we recommend Circle: If you prioritize features like live streaming, monetization, and mobile access for a smaller or medium-sized community, then Circle can be a great option.

4. Thinkific

Thinkific is a self-hosted platform that lets you build and sell online courses. However, you can also build, host, and monetize your community with it.

It comes with a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to create custom-branded communities and discussion groups for your students.

For instance, you can set up a specific group where users can interact, ask questions, and share insights.

Our favorite feature is the live chat prompt, which allows instructors and students to communicate seamlessly. This makes it a great option for online learning websites.

Pros

• Thinkific has built-in functionalities like user profiles, activity feeds, and private messaging.
• We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the tool automatically creates discussion forums for each course to facilitate student engagement.
• The platform lets you create different tiers of community access based on course enrollment or membership level.
• It tracks and reports community engagement and performance with detailed analytics.

Cons

• Thinkific’s core strength lies in course creation. While it offers community features, they might not be as feature-rich as other community platforms.
• It is not a great option for large communities, which can be a dealbreaker for enterprises and huge businesses looking to build a forum.

Why we recommend Thinkific: We would recommend Thinkific for course creators because of its focus on education. It will allow instructors to build a community around their courses.

5. BuddyPress

BuddyPress is a free WordPress plugin that can convert your WordPress site into a functioning social network or community.

It lets users create their own profiles and follow each other through friend connections. Users can then share updates, photos, and links, creating a newsfeed-like experience.

BuddyPress allows you to build groups, send private messages, and create forums. It also sends real-time notifications about activity, mentions, and messages.

For details, see our tutorial on how to turn your WordPress site into a social network.

Pros

• You can extend BuddyPress’ functionality using different plugins and themes specifically created for it.
• It offers a responsive design for optimal user experience on mobile devices.
• One thing we really like about BuddyPress is that it doesn’t cost anything to use. This lets you save money and focus on building a community without worrying about extra fees.
• It can be used for various community types, such as internal company networks, fan communities, or online forums.

Cons

• BuddyPress can sometimes conflict with other plugins, leading to compatibility issues. In our opinion, this can be frustrating for beginners who do not know how to troubleshoot errors.
• Upon testing, we realized that the tool can sometimes hurt website performance, depending on the number of members and activity.

Why we recommend BuddyPress: If you are looking for a free plugin that lets you build large-scale communities on your WordPress site, then you should pick BuddyPress.

6. MemberMouse

MemberMouse is a well-known membership plugin for WordPress sites, but it can also be used to build a private community for your members.

The plugin has core features like a member directory, private messaging, and the ability to create basic groups where members can interact with each other.

We were particularly impressed by its content restriction feature based on membership levels, which creates a sense of exclusivity.

Pros

• MemberMouse lets you create drip content that is released gradually over time.
• It handles recurring subscription payments easily.
• We liked that it lets you send push notifications to users based on actions like adding new members, canceling memberships, receiving payments, and more.

Cons

• It does not have a free plan.
• We found that it doesn’t have extensive moderation tools, which can be a dealbreaker for some users.

Why we recommend MemberMouse: While MemberMouse is primarily a membership management plugin, it offers a solid foundation for building a community around your paid content.

For more information, see our MemberMouse review.

7. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a super popular online community platform. It lets you create discussion groups for dedicated topics, host live streaming videos, and allow real-time messaging.

The tool also lets you create and promote virtual events, offer different membership levels, create polls and surveys, and much more.

You can even sell online courses and products to your community members using Mighty Networks.

Pros

• We found out that Mighty Networks creates a specific section with highlighted tags. This lets you get an idea of topics currently trending within your community.
• It lets you send push notifications to bring back inactive members. You can also use its AI feature for conversation starter ideas.
• The platform offers premade themes for your community.
• You can easily establish community guidelines and moderate the content.

Cons

• Mighty Networks is more expensive than other community platforms, especially for larger communities.
• Over the years, some users have reported inconsistencies in customer support quality and response times.

Why we recommend Mighty Networks: If you want to create a medium-sized community, then Mighty Networks can be a good choice. It’s a powerful platform that uses AI-powered features to build a community.

8. Podia

Podia lets you design online communities around online courses or digital products.

You can create community hubs for different discussion topics and allow members to participate through posts and comments. Other than that, it offers features like user profile customization, direct messaging, and a centralized community feed.

Overall, Podia is an all-in-one platform that can also act as a website builder, email marketing service, course builder, page builder, and more.

Pros

• Podia lets you offer community membership as an add-on or exclusive benefit for course or product purchasers. You can even sell the membership as a standalone product.
• It has a user-friendly interface, ideal for beginners.
• The platform has an amazing analytics feature.

Cons

• Podia’s primary focus is on creating and selling online courses and digital products. This means that its community features are built around this core functionality.
• In our opinion, its management tools are basic compared to dedicated community platforms.

Why we recommend Podia: If you sell digital products and want to build a community around them to create some hype, then Podia is a great choice. You can build a community, create landing pages, and promote the product through email marketing features using just one tool.

9. Bettermode

Bettermode is a versatile platform that empowers you to create engaging and interactive online communities. It offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to build connection, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing among your members.

You can create spaces, build detailed member profiles, send direct messages, add groups, and facilitate open conversations through threaded discussions.

The tool also offers a live chat option for members and can connect with other platforms to boost functionality.

Pros

• With Bettermode, you can organize and promote virtual or in-person events.
• We liked that the tool lets you award badges and points and keep scores on the leaderboard to improve engagement within your community.
• It uses AI to suggest content ideas to members.
• You can have a fully branded community experience without visible Bettermode branding.

Cons

• Bettermode is expensive, and its free plan has limited features.
• While Bettermode can handle growing communities to a certain extent, it might face challenges when scaling for extremely large communities.

Why we recommend Bettermode: If you are looking for a community platform that is super flexible and offers many customization options, then Bettermode is a great choice.

10. Hivebrite

Hivebrite is an impressive platform designed for building and managing online communities, particularly for enterprises, associations, and alumni networks.

It comes with all the features expected from a community platform, such as discussions, forums, member profiles, groups, and event organizations.

However, you can also host live streaming sessions within your community to engage members in real time.

Hiverbrite can integrate with existing enterprise systems, complies with strict data policy, and offers custom branding, making it a great choice for large and growing online communities.

Pros

• The platform keeps all community members informed by showing personalized activity feeds.
• It comes with gamification elements, advanced reporting, and integration with other third-party tools.
• You can create and manage various content types, including articles, documents, and multimedia, directly from Hivebrite.

Cons

• It has a steep learning curve and may not be an ideal choice for beginners.
• Hivebrite’s main focus is on enterprise clients, which means that some features more suited to smaller communities are less developed.
• When researching, we concluded that the tool’s customer support isn’t as good as some of its competitors.

Why we recommend Hivebrite: Hivebrite is an excellent choice for organizations looking to build engaging online communities. It is especially ideal for users with specific needs like enterprise-level security, scalability, and customization.

11. Discord

Discord is a popular communication platform mostly known for its gaming community, but it has evolved into a versatile tool for various groups and interests.

You can easily create a free account and build a Discord community in just a few minutes. Once you do that, you can embed the widget on your WordPress site so that users can view the total members of your Discord server and join the group using the provided invite link.

For details, see our tutorial on how to embed a Discord widget in WordPress.

Pros

• It offers both private and group chat options with various formatting features.
• You can also send voice messages and connect with your community members over video calls.
• Discord lets you create dedicated channels for specific topics. You can also create a separate voice chat channel for different activities.
• We were particularly impressed to learn that Discord supports various bots for automated tasks, moderation, and entertainment.

Cons

• Discord’s channel-based structure can become overwhelming for larger communities, making it difficult to organize and find specific information.
• Discord focuses on real-time communication. This means content can disappear quickly, and you won’t be able to archive or reference information later.
• Managing a large Discord server can be time-consuming and challenging due to the volume of messages and the potential for spam content.

Why we recommend Discord: It can be an ideal choice if you want to build a gaming community or promote real-time communication among your members.

12. Patreon

Patreon is a community platform designed to help creators build an income by offering exclusive content and experiences to their supporters, known as patrons.

It allows you to create multiple membership tiers with varying benefits and pricing to cater to different patron support levels. You can then schedule posts in advance to consistently provide new content to your community members.

Patreon also comes with features like direct messaging, live streaming, discussion groups, and Discord integration.

Pros

• When testing, we liked the Creator Dashboard feature where you can easily manage membership levels, posts, patron communications, and earnings.
• Patreon lets you sell physical and digital merch to community members.
• It also provides insights into patron behavior, demographics, and revenue.

Cons

• The platform’s emphasis on financial support could create an environment where community members feel pressured to contribute financially to access your content and participate in discussions.
• While Patreon can be a great platform for established YouTubers and influencers, building a following from scratch on the platform can be challenging.
• It offers limited customization options.

Why we recommend Patreon: It is a good choice if you already have a following and want to build a community to earn extra money by sharing exclusive content with patrons.

Which Is the Best Online Community Platform?

In our expert opinion, BuddyBoss is the best online community platform on the market. It allows you to build a social media site in WordPress, create a forum, set up activity feeds, and so much more.

Alternatively, if you want to create a community with exclusive content based on membership levels, then you can opt for MemberPress. It is the best membership plugin that lets you build a thriving online community around your membership site.

On the other hand, if you sell courses and want to build a community for your students, then we recommend Thinkific.

Similarly, to build a large-scale community with no platform costs, you can go for BuddyPress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Community Platforms

Here are some questions frequently asked by our readers about community platforms.

What is an online community platform and its key features?

An online community platform is a software application that lets people with shared interests, goals, or experiences connect and interact with each other.

Key features for an ideal community platform include user profiles, forums, groups, private messaging, live chat, events, and analytics.

What is the best online community platform for businesses?

If you have a small business site, then you should consider platforms like Circle, Mighty Networks, or Hivebrite.

These tools offer features such as membership management, analytics, and integration capabilities that can help you grow your community.

How do I choose the right online community platform for my needs?

When choosing an online community platform, you should prioritize factors such as community size, desired features, budget, and technical expertise.

This will help you make an informed decision according to your business needs.

Related Guides for Community Platforms

• How to Add a Forum in WordPress with bbPress
• How to Create Chat Rooms in WordPress for Your Users
• Ultimate Guide to Creating a WordPress Membership Site
• How to Make a Gaming Website With WordPress (Step by Step)
• How to Create a User-Submitted Events Calendar in WordPress
• Best Website Ideas to Launch an Online Side Business 

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 12 Best Online Community Platforms in 2024 (Pros and Cons) first appeared on WPBeginner.

Maintenance mode can be caused by many factors, from simple file corruption to more complex plugin conflicts or an existing .maintenance file.

While it can be stressful, fixing a WordPress site stuck in maintenance mode is often straightforward.

We’ve run into this error many times on our own websites, so we’re here to help you learn how to easily exit maintenance mode.

What Causes WordPress to Get Stuck in Maintenance Mode?

Maintenance mode is a temporary state used by WordPress during updates or while making significant changes. However, sometimes, the process gets stuck, leaving your site inaccessible.

That’s because when WordPress goes into maintenance mode, it creates a temporary .maintenance file. If the file still exists on your site, then it could get stuck in a maintenance mode loop.

As a result, you might see an error message saying, ‘Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.’

Now, there are several factors that can cause this error and leave the .maintenance file on your server.

Some of these include:

• Incomplete Updates: An update process interrupted due to server issues or plugin conflicts can leave the .maintenance file intact, keeping your site offline.
• Faulty Plugins: Incompatible or outdated plugins can interfere with WordPress’ core functionality, leading to maintenance mode issues.
• Theme Conflicts: Similar to plugins, incompatible themes can clash with your WordPress installation, unintentionally starting maintenance mode.
• Server Problems: Issues on your web hosting server can sometimes cause unexpected behaviors, including getting stuck in maintenance mode.

That said, let’s look at different ways to fix the WordPress stuck in maintenance mode error.

Fixing WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Now that you understand the reasons for this error, a simple way of resolving this error is to delete the .maintenance file.

The .maintenance file location is usually in the root directory of your website. You can access it using an FTP client or File Manager from your hosting provider’s cPanel.

Accessing .maintenance File Using FTP

There are many FTP services you can use for viewing WordPress files. For this tutorial, we will use FileZilla.

If you haven’t used or set up a FTP client before, then please see our guide on how to use FTP to upload files to WordPress.

Once you’re connected to your site, simply head to the public_html folder in the panel on the right.

You should now see different WordPress core files in the folder.

From here, you can find the .maintenance file location. Simply right-click the file and select the ‘Delete’ option.

Removing .maintenance File Using File Manager

If you’re not comfortable using an FTP client, then you can also access your WordPress files using cPanel.

First, you’ll need to log in to your WordPress hosting provider account. For this tutorial, we will be using Bluehost.

In the dashboard, go to the ‘Websites’ tab from the menu on the left. Then click the ‘Settings’ option under your website.

After that, you will need to switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab.

Simply scroll down to the cPanel section and click the ‘Manage’ button.

Once the cPanel opens, head to the Files section.

From here, go ahead and click the ‘File Manager’ option.

Next, you will see your website files and folders. Simply go to the public_html folder from the menu on the left.

After that, you can locate the .maintenance file in the root folder. Go ahead and select the file, and then click the ‘Delete’ option at the top.

Removing the file should restore your website and make it exit maintenance mode.

As a precaution, you should also clear the cache of your WordPress website.

Tips to Stop WordPress From Getting Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Preventing your WordPress website from getting stuck in maintenance mode is crucial for maintaining website uptime and an excellent user experience.

Let’s explore some proactive steps you can take to stop your site from running into this error.

1. Don’t Update Multiple Plugins and Themes at Once

It’s best to update your plugins one by one instead of all at once. This way, you can separate any issues that might cause WordPress to go into maintenance mode.

After each plugin update, you can also carefully observe your website’s performance to identify any unexpected behavior. This will tell you if one plugin update in particular is causing any errors.

2. Check Compatibility for Plugins and Themes

Another way to prevent WordPress maintenance mode from appearing is to verify whether your plugins and themes are compatible with the latest WordPress versions.

Outdated plugins and themes can often cause conflicts, causing your site to go into maintenance mode. Updating them to the latest versions also helps with bug fixes and security enhancements.

To learn more, please see our guide on how to properly update WordPress plugins.

3. Upgrade Your Web Hosting Service

A reliable hosting environment is essential for WordPress website stability. If you continually encounter errors, it might be time to consider upgrading to a plan with the necessary resources to handle your website’s traffic and demands.

You should also ensure your hosting provider performs regular server maintenance and updates to prevent performance issues.

For example, we use SiteGround on our website, and we’ve had a great experience. For more options, you can see our pick of the most reliable and best WordPress hosting providers.

You may also want to see our guide on when you should change your WordPress web hosting to learn more.

4. Hire WordPress Experts to Maintain Your Website

If you lack the time or expertise to prevent and fix errors on your website, then you should consider hiring a WordPress professional. They can manage your website’s maintenance and updates so you can focus on growing your business.

WordPress experts can put into practice measures that reduce the risk of your website getting stuck in maintenance mode. For instance, they will make sure that all your software is up-to-date, monitor your website’s uptime, and fix errors that come up.

One of the best and most affordable WordPress support agencies you can hire today is WPBeginner Pro WordPress Maintenance Services. We have over 16 years of experience, and our team has helped over 100,000 users with WordPress.

Our experts will handle everything behind the scenes for a stress-free experience. For instance, you will get consistent WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates, routine cloud backups and malware removal, and continuous uptime monitoring.

Plus, our 24/7 WordPress support can help you resolve maintenance mode issues and fix other bugs to improve website performance.

Alternatively, you could choose our on-demand Emergency Support Services for a one-time fix. If you encounter an error or are unable to exit maintenance mode, then this plan is perfect for you.

We hope this article helped you learn how to fix WordPress stuck in maintenance mode. You may also want to see our guide on WordPress database maintenance and how to contact WordPress support.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode (The Easy Way) first appeared on WPBeginner.

These are just some of the most surprising Google search engine stats, and there’s a lot more.

Like every other website, Google’s constant algorithm changes have affected WPBeginner’s search rankings. That’s why we study Google’s updates so closely. This helps us improve our SEO strategy and show you how to do the same so that your site stays visible in search results.

In this guide, we will dive into the most crucial Google search statistics that you should know to improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO).

The Ultimate List of Google Search Statistics

We have a lot of ground to cover, so feel free to use the quick links below to skip to the topic that interests you the most:

General Google Search Stats: Market Share and Search Volume

Let’s dive into some eye-opening Google search stats that show just how big this search engine really is.

1. Google dominates the search engine market on both mobile (95.18%) and desktop (80.41%).

Interestingly, over the past 5 years, Google’s share of desktop searches has gone down from 83.94% to 80.41%. Its mobile share has also slightly decreased from 95.9% to 95.18%. That being said, Google is still the clear leader.

Simply put, if you want people to find your WordPress website, you need to focus on Google. It’s where most of your potential visitors are searching.

2. Google’s search index contains hundreds of billions of web pages and over 100 million gigabytes of data.

This enormous index shows just how much content is out there competing for attention. To stand out, you need to make sure your website is properly optimized and easily discoverable by Google.

This is where All in One SEO (AIOSEO) comes in handy.

AIOSEO is a powerful WordPress SEO plugin that helps your site shine in this vast sea of content.

One of its key features is the ability to easily add your site to Google Search Console. This is crucial for getting your pages indexed quickly and accurately.

But AIOSEO doesn’t stop there. It offers a wide range of on-page SEO optimization tools to help your content rank higher in search results, from optimizing your SEO titles to implementing schema markup.

We’ll be discussing more of AIOSEO’s features throughout this article. But if you want a comprehensive overview, check out our detailed AIOSEO review.

3. Google processes over 6.3 million searches every minute.

This staggering number of searches represents a huge opportunity for website owners. But with so many searches happening, how do you know which keywords are bringing visitors to your site?

MonsterInsights can help you out. This tool helps you understand exactly how users are finding your WordPress site by connecting it with Google Analytics.

You can also connect your site with Google Search Console to see the exact keywords people use to find your pages.

From here, you can identify your top-performing keywords and create more content around these topics to attract even more visitors.

4. Every day, 15% of Google searches are brand new.

In other words, users constantly come up with new search terms that Google has never seen before.

For website owners, this means you need to stay on top of what people are searching for.

To keep up, you can regularly check Google Trends to find new topics in your niche and spot rising trends early before your competitors do.

Additionally, you can use keyword research tools weekly to find new search terms.

At WPBeginner, we like to use LowFruits to find new keyword ideas. The tool shows you search results where the top websites don’t have a strong domain authority.

This means you have a better chance of getting your content to rank well for these keywords, even if your WordPress blog is relatively new or small.

More General Google Search Statistics

• Google.com attracts approximately 2.77 billion daily visits worldwide.
• The top 5 Google search queries globally include ‘Google,’ ‘you,’ ‘YouTube,’ ‘weather,’ and ‘Facebook.’
• Google generated a global revenue of $305.63 billion USD in 2023.
• In Russia, Yandex leads the search market with a 63% share, while Google holds nearly 36%.
• Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has a market value of $1.6 trillion USD.
• Google’s first storage system had ten 4GB hard drives in a Lego casing, which is now displayed at Stanford University.
• A 5-minute Google outage in 2013 resulted in a 40% decrease in global Internet usage.

SERP Stats: Google’s Changing Landscape and Algorithm

What makes a website rank on Google? And how do you get to the top position in search engine results pages (SERPs)?

Let’s look at some surprising stats about Google’s search results and what they mean for your website’s chances of showing up in organic search.

5. 96.55% of web pages get no traffic from Google.

This shows how tough it is to stand out in Google search results. But don’t be discouraged! There are many tools out there that can help you get into that top 3.45%.

For example, AIOSEO’s SEO audit checklist feature can uncover various issues that might be holding your site back.

For instance, it can detect if there’s an accidental noindex tag preventing Google from indexing your pages. Or it might reveal that your website’s loading speed isn’t up to Google’s standards.

6. Google is predicted to tweak its search algorithm about 13 times every day.

This prediction by Search Engine Land came after Google revealed they did over 4,700 launches, 13,000 live traffic experiments, and many more tests in their algorithm in just one year. That’s a lot of changes.

While following SEO best practices generally keeps you on track, some major updates can affect even well-optimized websites.

To help you stay on top of these changes, AIOSEO offers a handy way to monitor Google algorithm updates.

With the SEO Statistics feature, you will find a graph with markers for all Google search result updates, allowing you to see exactly when changes were rolled out.

The graph also compares two key website performance metrics: impressions and clicks.

By comparing this data with the update markers, you can easily see how each algorithm change might have affected your site’s performance.

7. Websites that increase their time on-site by 3 seconds can rank one spot higher in Google search results.

The same Backlinko study also found that the average time on site for a Google first-page result is 2.5 minutes. This shows that engaging content that holds visitors’ attention and a good user experience both matter a lot for SEO.

If you’re not sure where to start with improving your site’s user experience, then you need to look at your data first.

If you use Google Analytics, you can set up user engagement tracking. This shows you which parts of your site visitors interact with most and how they explore your site.

If you have a WooCommerce online store, then you will want to set up customer tracking with Google Analytics.

This helps you understand your customers’ journey from the moment they land on your online store to when they make a purchase. You can see which products are viewed most often, which pages lead to more sales, and where customers might be dropping off in the checkout process.

8. The average Google first page result has 1,447 words.

Does this mean you should always aim for long content? Not necessarily.

While longer content can cover topics more thoroughly, what really matters is quality and value.

Focus on answering your readers’ questions completely and providing useful information. Sometimes, that might take 500 words, other times 2,000. The key is to make every word count.

One tool we love to use is SEOBoost. With this, you can plan your content based on data-driven suggestions.

For instance, it shows you how many headings your competitors use, how long their content is, and what questions you should consider covering in your articles.

While these are just guidelines, they can be incredibly helpful in creating content that competes well in search results.

More Facts About Google’s Organic Search Results Pages

• 65% of SEO experts say that Google’s search engine algorithm updates have helped their websites gain more traffic and achieve higher rankings.
• The 1st result in Google has about 3.8 times more backlinks than positions 2-10.
• Google’s top 10 results include 65% to 85% of their ranking keywords in their title tags.
• The average Google first page result loads in 1.65 seconds.
• The average URL length on Google’s first page is 66 characters long.
• Nearly 95% of newly published pages fail to reach the Top 10 results within a year, while most successful pages achieve this ranking in about 3-6 months.

Google Search Features: AI Overviews, Rich Results, and More

Here are some of Google’s exciting search features that are helping people find information online.

9. 91.4% of searches now show an AI-generated response from Google.

Many website owners fear their sites might lose traffic if users find what they need in AI-generated answers.

However, it’s not all bad news.

After all, Google’s other features, like featured snippets, are also known to sometimes reduce click-through rates. But they can also increase visibility and brand awareness for the featured sites.

Plus, if your content is featured in these AI overviews, you could see a boost in traffic.

If you need help, you can check out our tips and tricks to optimize your site for Google’s AI overviews.

10. Rich results in search get 58 clicks for every 100 searches, outperforming regular search results.

Rich results are enhanced search listings that provide extra information directly in the search results.

Think of recipe cards with cooking time and ratings, product listings with prices and availability, or event details with dates and locations.

These rich results are popular because they give users more information at a glance, making them stand out and attract more attention. This explains why they get more clicks than regular search results.

To get rich results, you need to use schema markup, a type of code that helps search engines understand your content better.

While this might sound technical, AIOSEO makes it easy with its dedicated Schema feature. In the block editor, you can simply input the information you want to show in rich results, and AIOSEO handles the technical part for you.

11. 44% of people trust regular search listings more than fancy SERP features.

While rich results can attract clicks, many users still prefer simple, trustworthy listings. So, it’s important to optimize for both types.

You will want to write clear, informative meta descriptions and use relevant title tags to make your regular listings more credible.

An SEO plugin like AIOSEO makes the whole process super easy. In the block editor, you can quickly enter your meta description. Then, the plugin tells you if it’s the right length and includes your focus keyword.

AIOSEO also offers a headline analyzer tool. It evaluates your post’s title and suggests improvements to attract clicks.

Plus, with the OpenAI integration, you can automatically generate headline ideas to save time.

12. Google Lens processes over 12 billion visual searches every month.

Google Lens is a tool that lets users search the internet using images instead of words.

It’s been a game-changer for many, helping people with everything from identifying plants to finding where to buy products they see in real life.

To optimize images for Google Lens, you will need to focus on clear branding and high-quality images on your website and products. Make sure your logo is visible and your product images are clear.

For your website, make sure to follow best image SEO practices. These include using descriptive alt tags and file names for images.

These steps help Google Lens understand and identify your images better, potentially increasing traffic from visual searches.

More Stats for Google Search Features

• FAQ rich results get the most clicks out of all rich results (87%).
• Google Autocomplete helps people type 25% less when searching.
• 62% of links in Google’s AI-powered answers come from websites that are not in the top 10 search results.
• Google’s AI answers show up less often for finance (71%) and insurance (52%) topics.
• 72.6% of pages on Google’s first page use Schema markup.
• Getting a featured snippet can help your website show up 1,000 more times a day in search results.
• Featured snippets and knowledge panels can get 42% of all clicks in SERPs.
• Web pages with Schema markup can get 40% more clicks than those without.
• ‘People Also Ask’ boxes get 6 out of every 100 clicks in search results.
• Google had about 136 billion images in its image search in 2023.
• Pages with schema markup have a 40% higher click-through rate than pages without.
• The ‘Discussions and forums’ feature shows up in 77 out of 100 search results.
• 3D images in Google Shopping receive almost 50% more clicks than static ones.

Google Search Ads: PPC and Ad Revenue Statistics

Google isn’t just a search engine giant. In fact, it makes money mainly from its advertising platform, Google Ads.

If you run Google search ads, here are some key statistics you should know:

13. Google dominates online advertising with a 39% market share, followed by Facebook (18%) and Amazon (7%).

If you want to get into online advertising for your business, Google Ads may be your best bet. That being said, it’s also highly competitive.

To stand out, consider diversifying your approach. For example, if you run a WooCommerce site, you might want to explore Google Shopping. This platform allows you to showcase your products directly in search results, potentially increasing visibility and sales.

We have a detailed tutorial on how to add products from your WordPress website to Google Shopping.

14. The click-through rate for a paid search ad in the 1st position (2.1%) and the organic search result in the 10th position (2.2%) is very similar.

This suggests users may trust organic results more than ads. Even being at the bottom of the first page in organic search can be valuable.

However, paid ads can be helpful for short-term campaigns or events needing quick visibility. They’re also useful for highly competitive keywords.

Often, combining paid and organic strategies works best. This approach lets you get immediate traffic while building long-term visibility and perhaps test some keywords before investing in SEO.

Of course, to see how much money you’re making in return for your ads, you need to set up a tracking system. For this, you can read our guide on how to set up Google ads conversion tracking in WordPress.

15. 8 out of 10 people can tell the difference between paid ads and regular search results on Google.

In other words, your ads need to work harder to earn clicks.

To make the most out of ads, don’t just throw money at every keyword. Instead, focus on areas where you can offer something special. Think about what makes your business unique and highlight that in your ads.

Also, getting clicks is only half the battle. Your landing page needs to deliver on your ad’s promise to get conversions and get your money’s worth.

Our article on how to make a Google ad landing page in WordPress can walk you through the steps using SeedProd, the best drag-and-drop page builder on the market.

16. 33% of people click search ads because they directly answer their query, more than those who click for brand familiarity or ad position.

Relevance is more effective than brand recognition and ad placement when it comes to getting people to click on your ads.

Just like with SEO, you need to focus on solving the searcher’s problem on your ad copy. Show how your product or service addresses their specific need.

This approach can help your ads perform well even if you’re up against big brands or don’t have the budget for the top ad spots.

Not sure how to do that? Check out our guide on how to use AI to boost your marketing, where we show you a prompt for generating smart ad copy.

More Google Search Ad Statistics

• Google’s revenue reached $79.9 billion in the first quarter of 2024, up from $69.4 billion in the same quarter last year.
• The average cost-per-click for Google Ads in the U.S. is $6.56.
• Shoppers who click a Google search ad before visiting a store that runs the ad are 27% more likely to buy something.
• People who click on a Google search ad before visiting a store by that ad spend 10% more on average.
• Google Ads have an average conversion rate of 4.8%.
• 38% of baby boomers (ages 55+) click paid search ads because they mention familiar brands.
• If limited to one ad type, 70% of advertisers would choose Google search ads over display ads.
• Over 20% of advertisers focus on ‘Target CPA (Cost per Action)’ or ‘Maximize for conversions’ when setting Google Ads bids.
• 40% of companies use Google Ads mainly to generate leads, while 30% use them to drive direct sales.

Consumer Behavior: How People Use Google Search to Shop

Google isn’t just a place to find information. Many users use it to look up the next thing they need to buy online or in-store.

Let’s look at how consumers interact with Google.

17. 71% of people say Google Search is their top choice to find information on topics like electronics, cars, health, and finance.

These topics usually require extensive research because they involve big decisions or investments. Before making these choices, people turn to Google for trusted, comprehensive information.

Because of that, it’s important to focus on E-E-A-T when creating web content. This stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s what Google looks for when ranking content, especially for important topics.

One way to do this is to showcase your business’s experience and expertise to build trust with Google and your audience.

AIOSEO has an Author SEO add-on for this exact purpose. With it, you’re essentially telling Google, “Hey, this author is a real expert in this field.”

This can boost your content’s credibility in Google’s eyes, potentially leading to better rankings. Plus, when readers see that your content is written by qualified experts, they’re more likely to trust and engage with it.

18. 4 in 10 shoppers start their purchase research on Google for both online and in-store buys.

This stat tells us how important it is to have a strong online presence that goes beyond your website.

While great content on your site is important, don’t forget to build relationships with your customers, influencers, and brands in your niche. Doing this can create online recommendations for your business, which can influence what people decide to buy.

You can start by teaming up with content creators for product reviews, engaging with customers on review sites like Trustpilot, or even creating a referral program to get more word-of-mouth recommendations.

19. 80% of 13 to 21-year-olds search at least 3 times a day, while only 60% of those over 60 do the same.

A lot of businesses targeting a younger crowd often focus more on social media than search. That being said, this stat highlights how important it still is to have a website and optimize it for SEO.

By doing SEO, you’re building credibility for all age groups. A well-optimized website that ranks high in search results signals trustworthiness to both younger and older audiences.

Also, focus on clear, easy-to-read content that doesn’t assume too much tech knowledge, especially if you target an older audience. Consider using larger fonts and high-contrast designs for better readability.

More Google Consumer Behavior Findings

• 49% of consumers use Google to discover new products.
• The most frequently asked question on Google worldwide is ‘Where is my refund,’ with an average of 15.5 million search queries per month.
• 73% of people who research online use a search engine to access at least one source of information.
• For routine purchases like baby care, 58% of consumers use search as their main source of information.
• For less frequent purchases like personal finance, 49% of consumers rely on search for information.
• Searches for ‘my activity,’ where users manage their Google Account information, have increased by more than 1000% worldwide.

Mobile Google Search Trends: The Shift to On-the-Go Queries

Smartphones have changed our internet usage and search habits. Let’s see how people look for information on mobile devices:

20. Mobile Google searches are less likely to end without clicks to websites (17.3%) compared to desktop searches (25.6%).

This difference might be because mobile users tend to scroll more and look at more results, making them less likely to find their answers in the features at the top of the search results page.

This is good news for website owners. It means mobile users are more likely to click through to your site, even if you’re not in the very top position.

21. Bounce rates for mobile organic search are 3% higher than for desktop.

Mobile users are on the go more often and, therefore, less likely to wait for a slow website to load, which can contribute to higher bounce rates.

If you want to get on Google’s good side and reduce your mobile bounce rate, then you should focus on Core Web Vitals. These are Google’s metrics for measuring user experience and site performance.

Start by using PageSpeed Insights to check your current performance. This tool will give you your Core Web Vitals scores and highlight areas that need improvement.

Then, there are many ways to go about improving speed, from optimizing your images and minifying your code to using a content delivery network.

For a comprehensive guide on how to implement these strategies and more, check out our ultimate guide on how to boost WordPress speed and performance.

22. 33% of mobile users make decisions within 5 seconds of searching on Google, compared to 45% of desktop users.

This difference likely stems from the smaller screens, which make it harder to look at visuals or read information clearly. Plus, mobile browsing just feels more casual and generally more distracting.

To accommodate mobile users’ decision-making process, you should adapt your website design.

You can use a responsive theme, make buttons and links easy to tap, add a font resizer for better readability, and keep your most important information at the top of the page so users can find it without scrolling.

Here’s our guide on how to make your WordPress website more mobile-friendly if you want more details.

23. 56% of in-store shoppers use their smartphones to research items while shopping.

That’s why it’s crucial to have detailed, up-to-date product information on your website. Shoppers compare prices, read reviews, and check specs right in the store.

To take advantage of this, make sure your product pages are optimized and include all the information a shopper might need. Consider adding features like stock availability or easy-to-use size guides to help these on-the-go researchers make a decision.

More Mobile Google Search Facts

• 51% of smartphone users have found a new company or product while searching on their phones.
• 90% of smartphone users aren’t sure which brand they want when they start researching online.
• 79% of people are more likely to revisit or share a mobile site if it’s easy to use.
• Featured snippets cover 50% of a mobile phone screen, making them important for search visibility.
• Organic click-through rates are higher on desktop searches and 50% lower on mobile searches.
• Mobile users are more likely to perform multiple searches, with 29.3% of mobile queries using new keywords compared to 17.9% on desktop.

Local Google Search Stats: How Businesses Are Found Online

Google features like Google Business Profile and Google Maps are making it easier than ever for users to discover local brands. We have found some interesting stats to demonstrate that:

24. Google is the most widely used online review site (81%), followed by Facebook (45%) and Yelp (44%).

If you have a local business and you’re not on Google, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Having a Google Business Profile is the first step you can take to show up in these local searches.

For a comprehensive guide on optimizing your WordPress site for local search, check out our detailed tutorial on local SEO for WordPress websites.

Our article will walk you through how to set up a Google Business Profile and optimize it for local search.

25. ‘Shopping near me’ searches on Google Maps have increased by 100% globally year over year.

To optimize for these local searches, you should keep your business information consistent across your Google Business Profile, website, and other platforms.

Be as detailed as possible with your information. Include accurate opening hours, pin the exact location, and provide a complete description of your business.

This consistency helps Google understand and trust your business information, making it more likely to show your listing in relevant local searches.

If you have multiple online listings, then we suggest using Semrush Local to make sure all of your information is consistent. This tool can crawl all over the web to see on which platforms your business is present and what details you need to fix.

26. 47% of consumers find the ‘Sort by newest’ review function most useful when looking at business reviews.

Fresh reviews let potential customers know that your business is active and maintaining high quality.

One effective way to encourage reviews is by offering customers a small incentive, like a coupon code, in exchange for their feedback.

If you’re running a WooCommerce store, we have a handy guide on how to automatically send a coupon after a product review.

Other than that, consider displaying customer reviews throughout your website, such as on your product pages, homepage, or even a dedicated customer reviews page.

Besides boosting your site’s E-E-A-T score. these reviews may even appear in Google search results. As a result, potential customers can look at some real social proof before they even click on your site.

More Statistics for Local Google Searches

• 54% of smartphone users search for business hours.
• 53% of mobile device users look up directions to local stores in search.
• 18% of local smartphone searches lead to a purchase within a day, compared to 7% of non-local searches.
• 60% of smartphone users have directly contacted a business using search results, like the ‘Click to call’ option.
• Businesses with complete Google Business Profiles are 2.7 times more likely to be seen as reputable.
• Customers are 70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to consider buying from businesses with complete Google Business Profiles.
• 89% of consumers say local branch reviews influence their decision to use a store.
• 91% of consumers believe local reviews of chains and franchises affect their overall brand perception.

Google Voice Search Statistics: The Rise of Hands-Free Search

Voice search is transforming the way people interact with Google, opening up new opportunities for website owners to connect with their audience.

Let’s take a look at the latest trends for Google voice search:

27. Over 500 million people use Google Assistant every month, mainly in English.

As this number keeps rising, needing to optimize your content for voice search is unavoidable.

One effective way to do this is by creating FAQ sections that address common questions in your industry. This approach works well for voice search because it directly answers questions people might ask their Google Assistant.

To make your FAQ section even more effective, you can add FAQ schema. This structured data helps search engines understand and potentially feature your content in voice search results.

AIOSEO can help you with this, as you can easily insert your FAQ section in the Schema feature in the block editor.

28. 7 in 10 Google Assistant requests use everyday language, not typical search keywords.

For instance, instead of searching for ‘best pizza in New York,’ users might ask, ‘Hey Google, what is the best pizza in New York City?’ This trend shows that your SEO strategy should focus on long-tail keywords and natural language phrases.

Instead of merely inserting keywords, you will want to optimize your content to answer specific questions and handle more complex, conversational queries.

Also, natural language queries often provide deeper insights into user intent. Therefore, your SEO efforts should aim to understand and address this intent rather than just matching exact keywords.

To assist with this, you can use LowFruits, which offers keyword clustering. This feature groups similar long-tail keywords based on shared intent using real-time search data.

By targeting these clusters, you can address a broad range of relevant search queries and improve your chances of ranking for multiple related keywords.

29. Having accurate business info on Google, Yelp, and Bing can make your business 90% more voice search-friendly.

People often use voice search when they’re on the go. They might ask, ‘Where’s the nearest coffee shop?’ or ‘What time does the hardware store close?’

If your info is correct and consistent, you’re more likely to be the answer to these voice queries.

This isn’t just about showing up in search results. It’s about getting more people through your door.

Every voice search that leads to your business is a potential customer walking in.

More Stats About Voice Search in Google

• Google Assistant is the second most popular voice search app worldwide, with Alexa being the first and Siri being the third.
• Google Assistant has over 85 million users in the United States.
• 27% of searches in the Google App are done by voice.
• Google’s voice recognition is said to be 95% accurate.
• 52% of voice-activated speaker owners want to receive info about deals and promotions from brands.
• 44% of regular voice-activated speaker users order products like groceries at least once a week.
• 51% of people over 55 use voice-activated speakers to get instant answers and information.
• 72% of voice-activated speaker owners use their devices as part of their daily routine.

Sources:

Ahrefs, Authoritas, Backlinko, Bright Local, Databox, Detailed, EngineScout, EnterpriseAppsToday, First Page Sage, Google Search, HubSpot, Milestone Inc., Moz, Photutorial, PR Newswire, Schema App, Search Engine Land, Semrush, StatCounter, Statista, Textmetrics, The Keyword, Think With Google, Uberall, Vixen Labs, and Wordstream.

We hope this ultimate list of Google search statistics can help you with your own SEO strategy.

Looking for other research findings to improve your digital marketing? Check out these guides:

More Statistics and Trends You Should Know

• Surprising AI Statistics – Everything You Need to Know
• Blogging Statistics, Trends & Data – Ultimate List (UPDATED)
• Impressive eCommerce Statistics You Won’t Believe
• Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics (Expert Insights)
• Affiliate Marketing Statistics You Need to Know
• WordPress Market Share Report – Latest Trends + Usage Data
• CMS Market Share Report – Latest Trends and Usage Stats
• Creator Economy Statistics That Will Blow You Away

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