How often is position 1 clicked on in Google?
Position 1 in Google search results is the holy grail of online marketing. Companies strive to land on this coveted position to achieve maximum visibility and highest traffic. But how often is position 1 actually clicked on? In this article, we will shed light on the facts and figures to give you insight into the significance of this top position.
The Power of Position 1
Backlinko analyzed 4 million Google search results and provided the results in May 2023.
Sistrix also published a study on click-through rate in 2020, for which they analyzed 80 million keywords and billions of search results.
Both studies clearly demonstrate: Position 1 in Google search results is the first port of call for many users in their online search. More than a third of users click on the first organic result when searching for information, products, or services.
The Decline in Click-Through Rate with Increasing Position
As the position increases, the click-through rate drops rapidly. The search results in positions 1 to 3 already receive over half of all clicks.
Search results on page 2 are clicked by only about 0.63% of searchers.
Conversely, even moving up one position within the first 10 search results typically brings in a significant increase in clicks. However, it is not evenly distributed.
Deviation from Click Probability by Access Devices
When considering the deviation based on individual devices, one thing is clear:
What's interesting is the disproportionately high clicks from desktop users on the first result, while smartphone and tablet users are less likely to click on position 1. One might have expected the opposite, as scrolling and selecting are easier and more time-consuming for desktop users compared to tablet or smartphone users.
Compared to other countries, Germans are more skeptical about position 1. French and Spanish users click on position 1 much more frequently.
Although search results are constantly improving, the basic principles of click probability have not changed significantly. Positions 1-3 still attract approximately the same number of likely clicks.
The result is very interesting to me because it still confirms the findings of the Cornell study from 2004.
Source: https://www.cs.cornell.edu/people/tj/publications/granka_etal_04a.pdf
The Impact of SERP Features on Click Probability
The Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) has evolved significantly over time, and today, various features are integrated that influence click distribution.
Featured Snippets:
Featured snippets are highlighted information blocks that appear directly above organic search results.
For the page from which Google generates the featured snippet, this typically has negative consequences for click probability, as the requested information is already displayed in the search results.
Interestingly, this has positive effects for positions 2 and 3, as they typically gain clicks.
Knowledge Panel:
The Knowledge Panel combines various content with comprehensive information about people, places, or things from the Knowledge Graph.
Here again, many searchers find the information they need in the panel, which is why positions 1 and 2 lose click probability.
Click Probability of Google Ads
How often are Google Ads clicked?
It is also noticeable with Google Ads that position 1 is clicked much more frequently than the other positions.
However, all Google Ads CTR values are below the average CTR values.
However, this is only the average value – the effectiveness of Google Ads can vary greatly from industry to industry. In some cases, it makes sense to use Google Ads as support because the value is above the average CTR, while in other cases, it may not be necessary.
Trend: Percentage of Clicks is Decreasing
When looking at various studies, such as Backlinko 2023, Sistrix 2020, Sistrix 2015, Moz 2014, etc., a clear trend is evident. Google is becoming increasingly better at providing answers directly, so clicks on positions are not always necessary. Nevertheless, it is noticeable that positions 1-3 receive more than 50% of the clicks. It is expected that the spread of Artificial Intelligence will further reduce the number of clicks and lead to new approaches. For example, one might consider that an AI model might prepare only 3 to a maximum of 5 results as sources. Therefore, it will become increasingly important to include strategies for Google that also consider link building for AI search results.
Conclusion: Improving Position Significantly Increases Traffic
Position 1 in Google search results remains a crucial factor for success in online marketing. The click-through rate at this position is significantly higher than at subsequent positions, and the competition for this top spot is intense. Companies should align their SEO strategies to appear in position 1 to achieve maximum visibility and the highest traffic. However, it is already a success to be among the top 3 search results, as over half of searchers click on one of these results.
It is important to keep an eye on the evolving landscape of search results and adapt to changes to continue being successful in online marketing.
Further Reading:
- Improving Google Ranking: How to sustainably improve Google rankings
- Link Building for AI and EEAT: What is necessary to be found in modern search engines in the future
