Difference between 1st place in Google and 4th place

[simonm]

One of the search terms I focus on has recently gone from 4th place in Google to 1st place.

This has resulted in a doubling of site visitors due to that key phrase!

I have had 4th place for some months and have recorded the recent change over a period of 1 month. I have also got an adwords for the search term and have actually seen a marginal drop in the total numbers doing a search for that term over the last few months so the relative increase in site vistors is greater.

Incidentally, taking the adwords stats which shows the total numbers doing a search on that particular search term and my figures showing success from being 1st place, my site now gets 1/3 of all people carrying out that search!

[rlrouse]

Yes, #1 is certainly prime real estate. Many searchers click on the top result and take whatever the landing page says as gospel, therefore they see no reason to continue on to #2.

Of those who do go back and try #2, many of those will be satisfied and not try #3.

Of course there are a couple of things to consider as well:

1 - A great title and description (as displayed by Google) can increase the percentage of clicks on a lower ranked page.

2 - My personal experience has shown that a spot on the bottom of the page (#10) draws more clicks than a spot in the middle (#4-#9). (Of course your milage may vary on this one and I certainly don't recommend aiming for the #10 spot.)

[redcircle]

(not directed to anyone here) it's really funny google spammers have adjusted what results I click on. The address is something I always look at now. If it's plastered with keywords I just go to the next result. It's happening more and more.. I'm getting sick of it. Google should lower scores with pure keywords in them. especially the ones with hyphens. more than one hyphen should be lethal to ranking.

[rlrouse]

Google should lower scores with pure keywords in them. especially the ones with hyphens. more than one hyphen should be lethal to ranking.

Since the average Google user knows zilch about SEO, most probably hold a different opinion. Hyphenated domain names and file names tend to be more descriptive about what they'll find on the page after they click through.

I use hyphenated filenames extensively for this very reason, not for any SEO benefits (which I think are more imagined than real anyway based on personal experience).

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by redcircle

(not directed to anyone here) it's really funny google spammers have adjusted what results I click on. The address is something I always look at now. If it's plastered with keywords I just go to the next result. It's happening more and more.. I'm getting sick of it. Google should lower scores with pure keywords in them. especially the ones with hyphens. more than one hyphen should be lethal to ranking.

This is only agreeable to a point. If your the average Joe user and you enter a search query (long of short) and you find results with the exact search query in the ranking result they would be more apt to click your ranking. Of course if the ranking result looks spammy then they it might lend them to skip the result but I doubt it.

[rlrouse]

The average user who isn't a webmaster (actually, this also includes the average webmaster), isn't even aware of the concept of a "spammy" site. This concept is pretty much shared only by webmasters who have at least a basic understanding of SEO (which is a small minority of the total universe of webmasters I would think).

[SteveF]

Agree with red circle,
again this is not directed at any one,
but directories named with all your keywords seams a bit over the top

Dont want to give examples but you see it all the time.
SteveF

[D4www]

If you see it all the time,

I guess that might mean, for the guys using the "hyphenated-keyword-methods", it must work quite well.

Just thinking out loud here

edited, spelling

[simonm]

Hyphenated keywords in domain names, yes they do work, but I have noticed a consistent relationship to name, numbers of words and search term.

A two word generic search term (not a business name) that matches the domain name: Google seems to penalise!

The same two words but add an additional term, eg "-uk.co.uk" and you score better.

A three word search term works and is not penalised.

[Kenai Alaska]

Originally Posted by rlrouse

Since the average Google user knows zilch about SEO, most probably hold a different opinion. Hyphenated domain names and file names tend to be more descriptive about what they'll find on the page after they click through.

I use hyphenated filenames extensively for this very reason, not for any SEO benefits (which I think are more imagined than real anyway based on personal experience).

I am going to agree with this statement 100%. Add in the aging baby boomer crowd with our eye sight dilemmas and hyphenated file names and size 14 fonts are a real blessing. I am one of these and like the use of this technique. At the bottom of the search results they show the URL path and this makes it far easier to read and decipher. This path when set up correctly tells a story in itself to the end user. Hats off to hyphenated file names and URL in general, used correctly of course.
Look at this example
http://www.crazybearlodge.net/kenai/lodge-interior.html . You can easily tell the topic of the page from the path.

[nehurd]

wow; that's amazing the jump just from going from 4 to 1. guess it's really worth the effort to jump those last few slots!

[Phiber]

moving from positions 124 to position 118 certanly helps :-)

[arpecop]

Yeah I heard somewhere that 80% from users click ot the 1st result

[DrTandem1]

Yes, I'm sure the lion's share of traffic hits the number one spot on Google. However, the idea that the majority stop there is incorrect. If they don't find what they want, they continue.

By not finding what they want I mean the site is slow-loading, poorly designed or doesn't have the content they want.

Also, many like to compare products and prices.

[sandis.viksna]

I agree with DrTandem1,
becouse it is normal in human nature to compare, seek for the best solution.

And it is realy rare to have high quality content at one place. Of couse, some sites does provide, but if they are universal, like these super duper geographic catalogues and so, they have 10-20 articles on the subject, but there are and must be a whole lot more content-richer sites!

just my 2 cents.

btw, you can apear in google #4, but if your title/description haves maximum revelancy to the subject, i believe, many users will clink on that link, than on some spamy way generated bla bla bla

just another my 2 cents.

doh, i am 4 cents poorer now ;D

[footix2]

Although it worth noting if your selling a product and service that people tend to be a little more selective and will surf away from the No 1 site to compare the price/service on other serch results. In that respect there is some benefit in being 2-5.

Although id agree that most people see the site at number as being the "authority" website on the search term...

[sem-seo-pro]

Hi there

While it is quite anachievement to get to # 1 on googles frontpage, the keyword term used would be relative to how much of an achievement this is.

There are cetain terms SEO for a website will never move from googles frontpage such as "accounting software" "car parts" "car manufacturer" "computers"

In the general categories hitting # 1 will be virtually impossible. Google gives websites length of time online crediting. So an accounting software firm like Peachtree Accounting will never fall from the # 1 spot short of severe scandal or security exploitation.

Great job none the less and I hope it is helping you convert those surfers to sales.

Also research has found that the # 1 position on googles frontpage is not as valueable as # 2 and # 3.

People believe the # 1 position is a sponsored listing and so they dont click it. This is also seen in PPC campaigns where # 1 on the top right does not fare as well as # 2 in drawing traffic.

Clint

[JennyFine]

People believe the # 1 position is a sponsored listing and so they dont click it. This is also seen in PPC campaigns where # 1 on the top right does not fare as well as # 2 in drawing traffic

This can be true about "average users" who do have some idea of what SEO is. What concerns ordinary people, who surf the net for say, bicycles, many of them are not familiar with sponsored listing and therefore, don't doubt the authority of the top rated websites.
Of course, it all depends on the kind of product people are searching for, but in most cases people will start from the top-rated website and continue till at least the third even if the first one seems to offer them exactly what they need. People always want more and they hope to get more than they were looking for in the first place. Even if they've found the product they were looking for at the most reasonable price, they will still proceed with the thought "what if" ( what if I find the same quality at a lower price?.. Or even better).

[Curious George]

I equate ranking to the "early bird gets the worm" cliché. The lower the ranking the lesser the possibility of the site link being clicked on (and vice versa) unless the links at the top are not relevant to the search subject.

Curious George

[The Generator]

I noticed a parallel between what your traffic increase and the way things work on Overture. Basically, if your 1st on Overture you'll get roughly 60% of the traffic running through MSN and Yahoo. The % drop is amazing when you go from 1st to 3rd or 4th. These figures are difficult to estimate and obviously depend on the nature / industry of the keywords.

In the same way, some websites do not even list the below #2 sponsored listings that they receive from smaller search engines like Searchfeed.

[Basylica]

Perhaps being computer savvy, or just weird, but I always click on the second result first.

Guess i'm just weird :)

I always do the skim of the URL before the description first too....

[Phiber]

2 Basylica: So, you never use "I'm feeling lucky" button? :-)

[Basylica]

I don't get lucky often, I'm married :P

But nah, I either know the site, or i'm doing a very broad search (for myself that is) so I seldom use the feeling lucky search button :)

[Phiber]

So, that's what marriage is all about? getting lucky.
I'll write it down when my time comes :-)