Something else to consider. In my experience, I actually get more clicks for position 9 or 10 than i do for positions 5-8. Basic logic says that this is because a person who hasn't already found what they are looking for on the page, is more likely to click on the last listing on the page, rather than the next button. For the user that actually does click the next button, it is highly likely that they will hit the first listing on the second page. You also have to take into account sitelinks and double listings. a first place site with a sitelink (and or site search listing) will be much more likely to get clicks than any other site on the page. A double listing, or "indented listing" will also generate more clicks than both of them combined. This is because having a single domain offering two pages of relevent content instills more trust in the user. Remember, traffic isn't all algorithms and reverse engineering, it's also a bit of psychology mixed in. edit: andy jenkins expands on this in one of the going natural 2.0 videos. http://www.stompernet.net/goingnatural2/video1.asp?vid=1
10 years ago SEOs were saying most People click on the 10th link on Google so really if you can be on the first page your doing good.
I don't think it's as cut and dried as that. It will also depend on the content, the person searching, and why they're searching for it. If they've got to dig deep, they've got good reason to. And that sort of traffic is going to be of higher quality than the ones just clicking out as quick as they click in.
This is making more sense now - so basically i wonder if we could find a study that says 6-10th rankings convert better than 1-5th - that is crazy nice one reprobate
Statistics are not always what they seem. I think the stats posted are probably correct for all searches, but there's a catch. Example: Let's say you are trying to get to the top of the serps for the term "widget", and it has millions of searches a month. If you are able to get to the top position for this term, you are the luckiest person in the world or the best SEO'er. At the #1 position, you will get 40% of the searchers clicks. But you don't have to be at the top of serps for the term "widgets" to have traffic,a nd that is likely impossible anyways. Many people forget about the "Long Tail Keywords". Just because the term "Widgets" is searched millions times a month, that doesn't mean everyone of them searches for that exact term. It may be "blue widgets", "big blue widgets", "big blue widgets in Switzerland floating down the Rhine River". If you look deep into your traffic history, you will be truly amazed (and sometimes grossed out) at what searches have typed in. Don't give up just because the top position is too difficult for a "generic" term. Work the smaller and less searched terms based off the main term, and you will see traffic. Sometimes I think these search reports are too generalized.