A Reminder (like we needed one)
Undeniable Facts about a Top Position in Search
We all know how important it is to be found near the top of the search results when someone uses a keyword phrase that we would like to be found for. For many businesses this is a necessary aspect of being successful online.
In case we needed a reminder here is some data from a recent study performed by Advanced Web Ranking. This study was conducted in July of 2014.
It is important to mention that these numbers reflect the click through rate (CTR) across all the searches included in the study. Advanced Web Ranking did not study the aspects that relate to user intent, the features that appear in the search results pages, or whether the keywords used in the search included a brand name. They may address these items in a future report.
Being on Page 1 is Vital
On average, 71.33% of the searchers clicked through to something that was presented on page 1. Note also that it is important to be high on page 1. The first 5 results account for 67.60% of all the clicks and the results from 6 to 10 account for only 3.73%.
Page two and three get only 5.59% of the clicks!
“These numbers serve as a useful reminder of the importance of organic rankings, and reconfirms the importance of the top few positions on Google. Although the first spot is still the most valuable for CTR, it seems to have become less so. I’d guess that part of the reason is that the increased use of ads, universal search results and Google’s own comparison and shopping results have reduced the prominence of top slot.”
Graham Charlton – Econsultancy
In case you wonder where the other 23.08% of the clicks are, here are some possible scenarios:
- Some people may click on the ads.
- Some people may not find what they are looking for after an extensive scan and give up.
- Others may not find what they are looking for after viewing the 1st page so they don’t click on anything. They then refine their search query to be more explicit.
- Also, with Google providing more “instant answers” people may very well find the answer to what they are looking for in the displayed search results so there is no need for them to click on any of the results.
Conclusions
We can conclude that to be found near the top of the search results for relevant keywords is significantly important for a business striving to achieve online success. We did not have to be reminded about this but it is good to see some updated figures.
From a search engine optimization placement perspective, it is important to realize that to be at or near the top you need to define a weak competitor that is at or near the top. You then need to do what it takes to replace this competitor. Since your competitors that are near the top are typically very good (there are of course exceptions) it means that you also have to be good. You cannot be lax and expect good (top placement) results.