We are always hearing about how important SEO is in today’s online-driven world, whether it’s optimization for a toe band-aid company, professional athlete’s clothing line, or an internet marketing firm. Proper search engine optimization can definitely impact a website’s ranking on search results lists, and if you don’t believe it’s true, use Google to look up the word “cat.”  While the top two results bounce back and forth quite a bit, one is for the Wikipedia entry for domestic and feral felines and the other is for the heavy-equipment company, Caterpillar.

Google uses over 200 ranking factors to determine a website’s placement in search results, and they are keeping mum on exactly what those factors are.  Despite their justifiable reticence, there are many ways a site can be optimized to improve its rank that we are aware of, as well as quite a few tactics to avoid that can cause a site to lose position.

In 2006, data was leaked that revealed traffic patterns and click rates for visitors to Google.  At that time, the results showed that over 40% of all Google traffic was offloading to the number one ranked position on the search results.  By comparison, the #10 rank position was only receiving just under 3% of the traffic routed from a Google search result.  A study was independently developed that determined that 42% of Google visitors clicked the #1 result, and when the #1 and #2 results were switched, 34% still selected the first position result.

In 2013, traffic pattern trends were examined again and it was stated that the #1 spot in Google’s organic (non-sponsored) search results receives 33% of the visitor traffic, with the subsequent positions receiving substantially less clicks with 18% for the 2nd rank position and less than 2.5% for the #10 search result.  And if your site happens to fall on the second page of search results lists, you might as well be invisible.  The results on the first page get over 95% of all attention and traffic.

More visitors to your site means more interest in what you are marketing, so it is imperative that your site performs well on search engine results.  High quality SEO and optimizing content toward a positive user experience can boost your visibility, increase your ranking, and provide your company with immeasurable benefits in the online world.