Google: King of the Click Through Rate (CTR)

Why are SEO services in such high demand these days? What’s the big deal if a website happens to appear within the first few positions in SERPs (Search Engine Ranking Pages)? The short answer to these questions is Click Through Rate (CTR). Today, we’re going to present you some facts that illustrate just how powerful organic results are when it comes to generating clicks (i.e. when a web user clicks on an ad or search result and transfers to a website).

A recent Optify study found that the first few organic positions in Google account for over half of all user clicks (58.4 percent, to be precise). Looking at the below chart from the report, one can see the significant drop in click through rate from Position 1 to Position 2. Furthermore, you might as well have fallen off the planet if your website happens to be ranked #12 or lower in Google.

Sure, appearing on the first page of Google is more likely to increase clicks, but is it really worth the time and monetary sacrifices often required to climb SERPs organically? After all, investing in paid ads on Google will secure you a listing that is automatically positioned above organic results.

True, PPC ads certainly have their advantages, but you have to keep in mind that web users are significantly less likely to click on a paid listing vs. an organic result. You could say that an organic search result is generally perceived as more trustworthy, and the click through rate takes a hit as a result. In fact, a Oneupweb study indicates that your average internet user is SIX TIMES more likely to click on an organic result than a paid ad. Moreover, organic results are also more conducive to website conversions.

However, this isn’t to say there’s no place for PPC. While SEO and organic rankings can often be synonymous with terms such as “patience” and “eventually,” PPC will yield results almost instantaneously. Hence, why a combination of the two is most often utilized in internet marketing.

Experiment with both (if you can), and you’re likely to develop a very healthy click through rate.