Our study of 2,001 websites and 16,008 data points reveals key SEO benchmarks for 2025. Discover the average bounce rate, visit duration, traffic sources, and domain authority. Optimize your site and set realistic KPIs with our data-backed study.
- The average website bounce rate is 44.43%
- The average website visit duration is 155 seconds
- 5-6 pages is the average page web visitors see per visit
- 43% of website visitors are direct website traffic.
- 40% of web visitors are organic (they come directly from search engines)
We have always wanted to know the average website bounce rate to benchmark our performance.
Online searches were not giving us what we wanted—26% to 70% is not good enough for us. To us, they are purely speculative. We wanted something solid and data-backed that we could rely on.
So, Adilo, an online video platform, conducted a study to figure this out.
The research team looked at 2,001 random websites across different industries, analyzing 16,008 data points sourced from SimilarWeb. And after a month, we found what we were looking for.
And here we shared everything and more. Follow along to learn all we found.
Other Studies From The Adilo Research Team
- YouTube SEO Study: Which Techniques Improve Video Ranking
- Optimal eCommerce YouTube Video Length: A 2025 Study
- 17 Experts Share 14 Biggest Video Marketing Predictions for 2025
- Best Marketing Video Types (2025): 15 Experts Share Their Preferences
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Understanding SEO Benchmarks
SEO benchmarks are essential metrics and key performance indicators (KPI) that allow you to assess your website’s SEO performance in comparison to industry standards.
They help you gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your current SEO strategies, pinpoint areas where your website excels, and identify areas that require improvement.
For example, if your organic traffic is significantly lower than the industry benchmark, it’s a pretty good sign that people aren’t finding you when they search online.
This could be due to several reasons. Like maybe your keywords are off, the content isn’t cutting it, or the website is experiencing technical issues. Figuring this out and fixing it can improve your traffic.
Similarly, if your bounce rate is higher than the industry benchmark, it may indicate that your website is difficult to navigate or your content is not relevant to the search queries of your target audience.
Keeping tabs on how your website stacks up against these benchmarks is key. It helps you spot patterns and make smart choices to boost your SEO game based on real data.
Key Benchmarks to Track Your SEO Performance
Track your SEO performances with these benchmarks to power your growth.
Average Website Bounce Rate is 44.43%
Bounce rate measures the percentage of website visitors who leave without taking action or viewing only a single page. The metric tells you the proportion of your unengaged sessions.
Our study found that the average website bounce rate is 44.43%.
This means that about 44 of every 100 website visitors typically leave without taking any action or viewing more than one page. This SEO benchmark helps you optimize your websites for maximum engagement.
A high bounce rate kills your conversions and can hurt your SEO.
Best Way to Optimize For Bounce Rate: Use compelling CTAs to encourage visitors to take action.
Average Website Visit Duration is 155 Seconds
Website visit duration measures how long visitors typically stay when they visit a page. The metric tells you how people find the website valuable, effective and easy to navigate.
From the research, we found that the average website visit duration is 155 seconds.
Visitors stick around for about 2 and a half minutes per visit. So, your site needs to get your message across and help them find what they need in under two minutes. Always compare your average visit duration to this benchmark to see if you’re giving visitors what they’re looking for.
Best Way to Optimize For Visit Duration:
- Deliver a clear value proposition
- Streamline site navigation
- Use compelling CTAs
- Add stunning images and graphics
- Embed engaging videos on landing pages or blog posts
Average Page Per Visit Is 5.6 Pages
How many pages do people usually check out when they land on your site? That’s what “average page per visit” tells you. It shows how visitors browse around your website.
Our SEO benchmark study found that the average page per visit is five to six pages.
That’s to say, web visitors usually visit up to six pages when they visit websites. If the average number of pages visited is low, it might mean the website’s value proposition is not compelling enough for visitors to want to learn more, visitors are not finding the information they need or navigation is not smooth.
Best Way to Optimize For Average Page Visits:
- Craft a compelling value proposition
- Make the website easily navigable—add a navigation menu
- Use multiple CTAs on the landing or home page to guide visitors through the website
- Use internal links and the right anchors to streamline navigation
Direct Traffic Accounts for 43.4% of Websites’ Traffic, On Average
Direct traffic is visitors that come to a website by directly entering the URL into their browsers, from bookmarks or offline sources like a PDF. It signals brand recognition and customer loyalty.
We found that on average, about 43.3% of websites’ traffic is direct.
This means that about 43 of every 100 website visitors are direct traffic. Low direct traffic could mean poor brand recognition and loyalty, visitors are not finding the value they want, or your website is not retaining visitors enough.
Best Way to Optimize For Direct Traffic:
- Deliver excellent customer services
- Run enticing loyalty or reward programs.
- Share flyers and brochures
- Run TV commercials, billboards and transit advertising
- Offer recurring services or subscription plans
Organic Traffic Contributes 40% of Websites’ Traffic, On Average
Organic traffic is the people who find your site through search engines like Google or Bing. It gives you an idea of how much of your website’s traffic comes from people searching online.
Our study found that 40% of websites’ traffic is organic.
So, aim for 40% of your website visitors to come from search engines. If it’s less than that, you’re probably not showing up enough in search results and other sites might be grabbing those visitors instead.
Best Way to Optimize For Organic Traffic: Perform search engine optimization on your website.
Average Social Media Traffic to Websites is 7%
Social media traffic tells you the number of visitors your website is receiving from social media platforms. The metric helps you understand how effective your social media strategies are.
According to our study, around 7% of websites’ traffic comes from social media.
If yours is below this benchmark, then your social media strategy is not up where it should be and you’re likely leaving potential clients and revenue on the table.
Best Ways to Optimize For Direct Traffic:
- Maintenance of active presence on multiple social media platforms.
- Post regularly to drive real conversations and engagements.
- Repurpose blog posts into social media snippets or infographics.
- Run a weekly or monthly LinkedIn newsletter.
Referral Traffic Powers 4.7% of Websites’ Traffic On Average
Referral traffic is visitors to your website from other websites. It tells how effective your referral or affiliate marketing and link-building strategies are.
The SEO benchmark study found that 4.7% of websites’ traffic comes from referrals.
So expect four to five of every of your 100 website visitors to come from other websites. If not, then you might need to roll up your sleeves. Referral traffic can boost your website authority and credibility, impacting your search ranking.
Best Way to Optimize For Referral Traffic
- Distribute your latest blog posts as email newsletters.
- Integrate affiliate or referral programs to your services.
- Reach out to relevant niche websites and blogs for collaborations.
- Invest in high-authority link building.
The Average Website Domain Authority is 61
Domain authority is an SEO metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website can do in search ranking. It measures your website’s overall strength and credibility.
Our study found that the average website domain authority is 61.
About half the websites we studied (49.4%), have a domain authority lower than the average of 61. Then, 34.5% of sites are doing better with a DA of 70 or higher.
Here’s a quick summary of what we found.
| S/N | Domain Authority | Percentage |
| 1 | 0 – 10 | 0.75% |
| 2 | 11 – 20 | 0.4% |
| 3 | 21 – 30 | 1.3% |
| 4 | 31 – 40 | 7.6% |
| 5 | 41 – 50 | 14.24% |
| 6 | 51 – 60 | 25.1% |
| 7 | 61-70 | 18.9% |
| 8 | 71-80 | 20% |
| 9 | 81-90 | 9.2% |
| 10 | 91-100 | 2.6% |
Best Way to Optimize For Domain Authority
- Publish authoritative and linkable articles, like original studies and research.
- Build natural backlinks from high-DA websites.
- Get brand mentions or featured on mainstream media outlets.
- List your website on reputable business directories.
- Maintain active social media presence on all popular platforms.
How Benchmarking Can Drive Your SEO Growth
Here are three ways benchmarking your SEO performances can help you stand out.
Set Realistic Goal
SEO benchmarking is super helpful for figuring out what’s achievable.
This study says bounce rates average about 44%. This gives a realistic benchmark to set your KPIs. While aiming for a 10% bounce rate sounds great, let’s be real, that’s ambitious and a pretty big stretch.
Pro Tip: Set goals around industry averages.
Identify Areas for Improvement
Comparing where you’re at to what everyone else is doing in the industry helps you figure out what you need to work on. Plain and simple. Like, if your SEO is bringing in 25% of your site’s traffic, but the average is 40%, you know you’ve got some work to do to catch up.
Pro Tip: Benchmark your performances to track progress and adapt Strategies
Communicate the Value of Your SEO Efforts
Benchmarking helps you evaluate your SEO efforts and investment.
Like, say your bounce rate is 20%. You can tell your boss or clients, “Hey, check this out, the average is 40%, so we’re crushing it!” It’s a simple way to show the real value of your work.
Pro Tip: Compare your results to industry benchmarks in your reports to highlight the impact of your efforts.
FAQs
Why are SEO benchmarks important?
SEO benchmarks help set realistic goals, identify areas for improvement, and communicate the value of SEO efforts. They allow you to compare your website’s performance against industry standards, track progress, and adjust strategies based on real data.
What are some key SEO benchmarks to track?
Use benchmarks to:
- Communicate the success of your SEO efforts by showing how you compare to benchmarks.
- Set realistic KPIs based on industry averages.
- Identify areas where your website underperforms compared to benchmarks.
- Adjust your SEO strategies to improve performance in those areas.
How can I use SEO benchmarks to improve my website?
Use benchmarks to:
- Communicate the success of your SEO efforts by showing how you compare to benchmarks.
- Set realistic KPIs based on industry averages.
- Identify areas where your website underperforms compared to benchmarks.
- Adjust your SEO strategies to improve performance in those areas.
What does a high bounce rate indicate, and how can I improve it?
A high bounce rate indicates that many visitors leave your website after viewing only one page. This may suggest that your content is not relevant or your website is difficult to navigate. To improve it, use compelling CTAs, enhance website navigation, and ensure your content matches search queries.
New SEO Benchmark Study: Final Thoughts
The SEO benchmark study provides valuable insights for optimizing website performance.
Key findings include an average website bounce rate of 44.43%, a visit duration of 155 seconds, and 5-6 pages per visit. Traffic sources are 43.4% direct, 40% organic, 7% social media, and 4.7% referral. The average website domain authority is 61.
These benchmarks can help you set realistic goals, identify areas for improvement, and communicate the value of your SEO efforts.
Ferderick is a seasoned content strategist and data analysis expert with a proven track record of driving business growth through data-driven insights. He leverages his expertise in statistical modeling, data visualization, machine learning, storytelling, and media relationships to inform strategic decision-making and optimize business outcomes.
Felix is the Senior Content Strategist at Adilo, where he harnesses his expertise in social video marketing, online video platforms, search engine optimization, e-commerce, e-learning, and marketing to help businesses drive results. With a keen eye for storytelling and a pulse on industry trends, Felix crafts actionable content that empowers brands to elevate their marketing and thrive in the digital landscape.
