Q1 Search Traffic Slows In Most Regions

Search may not be ceding ground to AI just yet, but Q1 data from Chartbeat also shows that search engines are declining as a source of pageviews in most regions around the world.

Chartbeat's global audience insights show that while search actually grew quarter-over-quarter in a handful of regions, most of the world saw considerable declines.

• In Africa, search rose quarter-over-quarter from 47% to 50% of pageviews; one of just three regions to increase in the timeframe (Southern Europe and Latin America were also up slightly).
• Central Asia's search traffic dipped significantly from 45% in Q4 2025 to 38% in Q1 2026, as did the Middle East, dropping from 36% to 30%.
• North America, already the lowest region by search's share of traffic, dropped even further from 16% in Q4 2025 to just 13% in Q1 2026.

With better understanding of where traffic is coming from – both in terms of geography and sources – publishers can make better decisions on distribution and even the content itself. Check out more on the topic, from Chartbeat.