Top Search Engine Ranking Can’t Really Matter! Can it?

Are SEO specialists just trying to pry our hard earned money out of us by beating the mantra that it is important to get top search engine ranking? Is there any evidence that search engine rank optimization makes a difference? What could be the impact of effective search engine optimization?

Website Usability Testing

In recent years, specialized research methods have been employed to assess how search engine page results are viewed. The general approach is called usability testing because it’s testing how people use the search pages. There are many approaches to usability testing, ranging from simplistic to sophisticated.

Some recent technological advances make it possible to measure and map eye movements as people observe search engine pages. This research provides valuable insight into the impact of search engine page position.

Viewing Organic Listings

A study was conducted by Eyetools, an eye tracking firm, which was commissioned by search marketing firms Enquiro and Did-it. It evaluated visual response to Google search pages.

The study demonstrated that, during a search, attention focuses on a triangular area at the top of the search results page. The triangle extends from the top of the results over the top of the first result, then down to a point on the left side at the bottom of the “above the fold” visible results. This key area was looked at by 100 percent of the participants.

On Google, this area includes top sponsored, top organic results and Google’s alternative results, including shopping, news or local suggestions.
Viewing of search results started at a high of 100% for the top organic listing and dropped to 85% at the bottom of the “above the fold” listings. It then dropped dramatically for results below the fold. It went from 50% at just below the fold to 20% at the bottom of the page.
Organic vs. Paid Listings
The research also points out that organic listings and paid ads at the top of a search page are similarly viewed by 80%-100% of users. But sponsored ads on the right side of the page in the top 4 positions are viewed by only 20%-50%. Sponsored ads in positions 5 through 8 have only 10% viewing.
Conclusions
It appears that SEO wisdom is upheld by this research. It is well worth it to apply best SEO practices to have a website ranked in the top positions because such an approach will result in more people looking at the site.
The research results also suggest that it may be more worthwhile to spend on SEO, to achieve top search engine results, rather than on pay-per-click. This would especially be the case if there is a very high price to pay for the top of page paid ad position.

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