As Google’s global search market share slips below 90% for the first time in years—down to 89.6% in late 2024—people are wondering: is the giant stumbling, or just reinventing itself?

Google’s dominance is cracking, with global traffic at 89.71% in March 2025, part of a slide that started in October 2024. On desktops, it’s worse—down from 87.65% in May 2023 to a dismal 79.1% by March 2025.

Google’s dominance is cracking—global traffic slid to 89.71% in March 2025, with desktops plunging from 87.65% in 2023 to a dismal 79.1%.

Europe? Even more brutal, dropping from 87.08% to 77.78% in the same period. Yet, Google still snags nearly 90% of queries worldwide. Come on, that’s like being the biggest kid on the block but tripping over your own feet.

Meanwhile, AI upstarts are crashing the party. Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are stealing the spotlight, with a survey showing 8% of folks now using ChatGPT as their main search engine—up from a measly 1% six months ago. Additionally, Bing has been steadily gaining traction, with its market share just under 4% for the last five months of 2024.

Younger users? They’re ditching Google for TikTok‘s quick vibes on products and recommendations. Oh, the irony—Google’s own AI might be its undoing. This could splinter the search world into niche corners, where platforms like Undermind.ai challenge Google Scholar for academics.

Fragmented? You bet, and it’s hilarious how the king is getting outflanked.

Then there’s Google’s AI Overviews, summarizing answers right there, which is great for users but a nightmare for websites. Studies show clicks plummeting—Ahrefs reported a 34.5% drop in top-spot click-through rates, while Amsive saw an average 15.49% dive.

Informational searches? Hit hardest, with some publishers screaming about traffic losses up to 91%. Ouch, that’s a punch to the gut.

Algorithm tweaks aren’t helping much. Google made 4,725 changes in 2022 alone, pushing for better content with updates like the Helpful Content one.

But critics call it a mess—too many ads, spam creeping in, and results that ignore the full query. Leaked docs from May 2024 revealed 14,000 ranking signals. Seriously, overkill?

User habits are shifting fast. People are mixing it up with TikTok, Perplexity, Amazon—whatever fits the moment.

Appending “Reddit” to searches? That’s becoming a thing, ditching Google’s generic answers for real talk. This shift is critical as 60% of Google’s revenue is derived from search, highlighting potential financial risks for the company. Is Google declining or just evolving?

It’s messy, emotional even, like watching a legend adapt or fade. Time will tell, but don’t hold your breath.