Report: Mobile Organic Search Trended Downward in Q3 2020

Although mobile continues to grow in popularity among marketers and their customers alike, new research shows that mobile organic search has trended downward over the past quarter.

Merkle recently published its “Digital Marketing Report” for Q3 2020, and statistics show that mobile organic search visits were up 33% year-over-year in the third quarter, but down from the 35% recorded in the second quarter. Overall, phones and tablets combined to generate 64% of Google organic search visits to brand sites in Q3.

Google organic search visits to company websites continue to increase in general, according to the report. Data suggests that these types of visits increased 28% year-over-year in Q3. This is down somewhat from the 33% growth recorded in Q2, but still above the pre-pandemic historical trend.

The Impact of the Pandemic on Marketers

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt across the marketing industry. However, previous research suggests that CMOs, in particular, are not concerned about the chances of it rebounding in the future.

Gartner released “The Annual CMO Spend Survey Research: Part 1,” and statistics indicated that 73% of CMOs believe that negative impact of COVID-19 will be “short-lived.” Additionally, approximately 60% of CMOs are already building scenario plans that include a second wave of outbreak.

More than half of CMOs predict that over the next 18 to 24 months, the marketing industry will return to “business as usual.” That being said, 44% are currently facing budget cuts as a direct result of the pandemic, suggesting that they are not out of the woods just yet.