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23 hours ago
Top Alternative Search Engines to Rank on
- Jessica Gibbins
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
Quick breakdown
Google is not the only place people search online
Alternative search engines attract millions of UK and global users
Many have less competition, making them easier to rank on
Optimising beyond Google improves visibility, resilience and reach
When we talk about search engines, most people automatically think of Google. I get it. It dominates the conversation and the market. But relying on one platform alone is a risk, especially when algorithms change and competition keeps increasing.
As someone who works closely with brands looking to improve discoverability across alternative search platforms, I can confidently say there is real opportunity outside the Google ecosystem. If you are willing to broaden your approach, alternative search engines can deliver targeted traffic, stronger visibility and often faster wins.
Below is a practical list of alternative search engines worth ranking on, and why they matter.
1. Bing
Bing is the obvious starting point. While it sits behind Google in market share, it still powers millions of searches every day, particularly across Microsoft products.
It is also the engine behind Yahoo and DuckDuckGo’s core results, meaning strong Bing optimisation gives you wider reach by default. According to recent analysis shared by Search Engine Journal mid sentence within a wider discussion on evolving search behaviour, Bing users often skew slightly older and more affluent, which can be valuable depending on your audience.
Ranking factors are broadly similar to Google, but Bing tends to reward:
Clear on page optimisation
Strong exact match keywords
Established backlinks from relevant sites
2. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo has carved out a loyal user base by focusing on privacy first search. It does not track users in the same way Google does, which appeals to people who are increasingly concerned about data usage.
Traffic volumes are smaller, but intent is often high. If your content is clear, well structured and genuinely helpful, DuckDuckGo can become a reliable secondary traffic source. It pulls results from Bing and its own crawler, so traditional SEO foundations still matter.
3. Ecosia
Ecosia is an environmentally focused search engine that uses ad revenue to plant trees. It may sound niche, but it has millions of active users and is particularly popular with ethically minded audiences.
For brands with sustainability messaging or educational content, Ecosia can be a surprisingly strong fit. It also relies heavily on Bing’s index, making technical SEO and content clarity key.
People often forget that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. Users are actively searching for solutions, tutorials and explanations.
Optimising video titles, descriptions and transcripts allows you to rank both on YouTube itself and within Google video results. If your audience responds well to visual content, this is a channel you should not ignore.
Brave Search is part of the wider Brave browser ecosystem and is gaining momentum fast. Unlike many alternatives, Brave is building its own independent index rather than relying solely on Bing.
This is interesting because early adoption often brings ranking advantages. Less competition means well written, authoritative content has a better chance of visibility. Coverage in Forbes has highlighted mid sentence how independent indexing could reshape the future of search engines, making platforms like Brave worth watching closely.
Amazon for product based searches
If you sell products, Amazon is effectively its own search engine. Many users start their buying journey directly on the platform rather than Google.
Optimising product titles, descriptions and reviews improves internal rankings and increases trust. Even service based brands can benefit indirectly by understanding how search intent differs on Amazon compared to traditional search engines.
Why alternative search engines matter for SEO
Focusing only on Google creates unnecessary dependency. Alternative search engines:
Reduce competition pressure
Diversify traffic sources
Provide algorithm stability
Reach audiences Google does not fully capture
From my experience, brands that spread their visibility across multiple platforms tend to build more sustainable organic growth over time.
If you are already investing in content, links and technical SEO, expanding your strategy beyond Google is not extra work. It is simply smarter use of what you are already doing.
The search landscape is broader than most people realise. The brands that win long term are the ones that adapt early, test widely and meet users wherever they choose to search.
