“It’s enough if you get on the first page, who really cares about being #1?”
If you agree with that fairly common sentiment, you may be in for a rude awakening. While it is true that simply getting on the first page is an impressive and rewarding accomplishment on its own, there is a world of difference between first and tenth place.
To put things in perspective, the top three results usually get more clicks than the other seven combined. If you are “only” at the fourth rank, your competitor at first place is getting four times as many clicks (and leads) as you are. A sobering realization, especially if you have been content with simply getting on the first page up until now.
As a result, niches are highly competitive, and there are often hundreds of players competing for the same top three spots in the search results. Take law firms, for example; this is why the best attorney SEO companies in Denver never take on more than one client for each area of practice and location, since they know that only one firm can get over a third of the traffic for that phrase.
But is it worth chasing the top three?
When it comes down to it, however, percentages do not tell the whole story. The actual volume of visitors and leads you get is far more important. If you are getting more business than you can handle even while you’re in fifth place, then why bother going any higher? It would be a counterproductive use of time, effort, and company resources.
But that’s pretty much the only scenario where you should be content with anything below the top three. If you could use some more organic traffic and increased sales, then it is definitely worth it to keep aiming for the top. Every rank you move up will lead to a staggering increase in traffic to your website, and put your business in a much better position.