DuckDuckGo’s Milestones and Growing Influence

In January 2021, DuckDuckGo reached a significant milestone, achieving 100 million searches in a single day for the first time. This raises an important question: Are you optimizing *for* DuckDuckGo?

For years, DuckDuckGo has been quietly attracting users and driving more traffic to websites. My research involved exploring how to improve rankings in DuckDuckGo’s search results.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that there are no instant miracle cures or quick fixes. Much of DuckDuckGo search engine optimization (SEO) involves familiar, straightforward concepts. Let’s take a closer look.

Why DuckDuckGo Is Important

My exploration of DuckDuckGo began in 2018, amid growing concerns about data privacy.

Increased antitrust scrutiny of major tech companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple has raised awareness of privacy rights.

This growing awareness is prompting many to rethink their personal data collection and usage, which is where DuckDuckGo excels. The search engine’s emphasis on data privacy has made it a favorite among information security-conscious users.

According to DuckDuckGo, it never stores personal information or search history. It doesn’t track users with ads or across the web. Their philosophy is clear: “No tracking, no ad targeting, just *pure* search.” They even directly point out that Google collects vast amounts of data for ad targeting.

According to DuckDuckGo, approximately 24 billion searches were conducted on its platform in 2020, a staggering 57% increase over the previous year. By December 2020, DuckDuckGo averaged 79 million searches per day, up from approximately 48 million searches per day in December 2019.

The chart below, published by DuckDuckGo.com, illustrates this growth:

While these numbers are significant, it’s important to put them in context. Compared to giants like Google, Yahoo, and Bing, DuckDuckGo’s market share remains small. According to Statcounter.com, DuckDuckGo held 1.61% of the search market share in the United States in 2020.

However, monitoring your own website’s analytics is essential. In my research across various websites, I’ve found that some are experiencing rapid growth in traffic from DuckDuckGo. While these numbers aren’t huge, they are noteworthy.

For example, one website saw its organic traffic from DuckDuckGo increase by nearly 250% between 2019 and 2020, even though DuckDuckGo only accounted for 2% of their total organic traffic in 2020.

What We Need to Understand About DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo aggregates search results from over 400 sources, including crowdsourced sites and its own DuckDuckBot crawler. Due to its strong focus on privacy, DuckDuckGo doesn’t track users like other search engines, making it a reliable choice for those who prioritize online privacy.

Therefore, optimizing for DuckDuckGo requires clear, concise, and privacy-focused content. As more users adopt this platform, ensuring your website ranks well in DuckDuckGo is increasingly vital for acquiring valuable search traffic. If you’re looking to improve your SEO strategy for platforms like DuckDuckGo, mastering the key elements of SEO is essential. For more information, refer to our SEO Optimization Guide.

Understanding DuckDuckGo and How to SEO Optimize for It

DuckDuckGo is designed with privacy in mind, meaning it doesn’t track or store your search history. While it doesn’t offer precise targeting data, it uses GEO::IP location based on IP address to estimate your location. For example, if you search for “coffee near me” without location sharing enabled, DuckDuckGo will still give fairly accurate results by analyzing your IP address.

DuckDuckGo uses Apple Maps to display local search results, providing additional insights for businesses targeting local customers.

How to Use This Information for SEO Optimization?

When optimizing your website for DuckDuckGo, traditional SEO methods still apply. However, understanding DuckDuckGo’s search approach can give you an edge.

1. Focus on High-Quality Links

Don’t underestimate the importance of high-quality links in your SEO strategy. DuckDuckGo itself emphasizes the value of a robust link-building strategy. High-quality links are one of the best ways to improve your website’s visibility on this search engine.

You can use tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, Ahrefs, and Majestic to find link-building opportunities. The key is to focus on quality—this should always be a priority in SEO efforts.

2. Anticipate User Queries

Because DuckDuckGo prioritizes privacy, searchers may be more deliberate with their search terms. For example, they might include location details in their searches because DuckDuckGo doesn’t always determine the exact location.

Conducting in-depth keyword research is crucial to understanding what your potential customers might be searching for. Tools like Seed Keywords, SpyFu, SEMrush, and SE Ranking will give you valuable insights into how people are searching for your services or products.

3. Optimize for Bing

While DuckDuckGo doesn’t rely solely on Bing, it does pull search results from Bing. Therefore, to improve your visibility on DuckDuckGo, it’s also important to optimize for Bing as well.

Ensure your XML sitemap is accurate and submit it to Bing Webmaster Tools to ensure Bing can properly crawl and index your website. Additionally, use Bing Webmaster Tools to closely monitor your website’s health and performance, which can provide useful SEO insights and help you monitor crawling and indexing performance.

4. Claim and Update Your Business Listings

Take the time to claim your business listings and ensure they are up-to-date. Given the rise of local search, particularly with the increased use of DuckDuckGo, ensuring your business listings are accurate is key to standing out in search results.

By understanding DuckDuckGo’s unique approach, combined with traditional SEO practices, you can effectively reach a more privacy-conscious audience. Remember these strategies to improve your website’s SEO and gain more visibility on DuckDuckGo.

Claim Your Listing on Apple Maps

If you haven’t already claimed your business on Apple Maps, head over to the Apple Maps Connect platform. After claiming your listing, you’ll need to fill out the following basic information:

• Business Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Business Hours
• Category
• Website
• Social Media Links

Incorporate DuckDuckGo Into Your SEO Strategy

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for DuckDuckGo optimization, focusing on these key areas will help:

1. Earn high-quality backlinks.
2. Conduct thorough, user-focused keyword research.
3. Optimize for other search engines (like Bing) that DuckDuckGo relies on.

In short, ensure your SEO strategy is cohesive. Yes, we couldn’t resist reminding you to keep your SEO strategy in order!

More Resources:

• DuckDuckGo Rolls Out Quick Answers In Search Results
• 17 Excellent Google Search Alternatives
• 42 Industry Experts Weigh In On Key SEO Trends For 2021