#1 & #2 rank only provide 2% CTR

[gfonline]

I have been ranked between #1 and #2 for a keyword which google adword keyword tool and MS tell me gets 60,500 local monthly searches. On average I only get about 40 unique visitors a day for that URL,(a is a single post/article of my WP blog optimized for that KW/search term) or 1200 visitors a month.



That means that i am only getting about 2% CTR. I know the title and description of the listing have a lot to do with it, but the title and description are very bold, optimized, and targeted to the search term. I was expected about 50% CTR for #1 so, 2% has been an eye opener.


What is has anyone else experienced (actual numbers) with this and what should be expected in #1 or #2 position?

[LMC]

What is the phrase?

and is that a Broad indication or Exact indication

[gfonline]

mortgage modification, phrase match. see my signature line

[socialbookmark]

In Google adwords, limit your searches to Exact instead of default mode ( Broadband ) and search for your term, then you can see the accurate number of searches for that keyword.
You can limit your searches to "Exact" mode, by clicking on its icon which is in left side of Google adwords tool.

[Sparhawke]

I was thinking about this phenomenon about 30 seconds ago before I loaded Warriors, I have apparently a term that gets a modest 3000 exact searches, my small site is resting on page 1 in the second position which is bloody damned good and gets about 2 visits a day.

I am seriously thinking about ignoring Google completely.

[JFVJ]

Originally Posted by gfonline

I have been ranked between #1 and #2 for a keyword which google adword keyword tool and MS tell me gets 60,500 local monthly searches. On average I only get about 40 unique visitors a day for that URL,(a is a single post/article of my WP blog optimized for that KW/search term) or 1200 visitors a month.

That means that i am only getting about 2% CTR. I know the title and description of the listing have a lot to do with it, but the title and description are very bold, optimized, and targeted to the search term. I was expected about 50% CTR for #1 so, 2% has been an eye opener.

I have had this problem before. But then i understood how to calculate the "realistic" expected visitors.

When you want to see a keyword traffic you have to use [EXACT MATCH]. On google keyword and using [Exact], that keyword has about 4400 monthly searches.

So this means that there are about 147(4400/30) searches for that keyword a day.

According to AOL's Leaked Search Data, the 1st spot usually gets about 23% CTR and the 2nd spot around 6.5%. Doing the math, the number of visitors is the expected.

1st spot: 147*0.23= 34
2nd spot: 147*0.065= 10

Also if you have(if you don´t then you should) google webmaster tools in your site, then it lets you see it the approximately CTR.

Hope it helps

[MisterMunch]

If you are not seeing a good CTR you can try to change your aperance in Google for that post.

First you can edit your <title> tag for that post. That is the headline in the google search.

Second you can edit your meta description. This is the text that comes under your headline.

Similar to CTR on adwords ads, headlines in the free search are very important to get a lot of clicks. People only click if they think they will find what they are looking for.

[Tom Goodwin]

Originally Posted by gfonline

That means that i am only getting about 2% CTR

No you're not.

The problem is relying on Google's keyword numbers (and as already mentioned, the difference between a broad and exact search). Even with the exact term search, Google numbers are often WAY off.

[gfonline]

Originally Posted by Tom Goodwin

No you're not.

The problem is relying on Google's keyword numbers (and as already mentioned, the difference between a broad and exact search). Even with the exact term search, Google numbers are often WAY off.

Hey Tom. So what do you feel is a more accurate way to determine how much traffic you should expect from a KW when doing KW research and finding niches?

[Delboy Trotter]

Originally Posted by gfonline

I have been ranked between #1 and #2 for a keyword which google adword keyword tool and MS tell me gets 60,500 local monthly searches. On average I only get about 40 unique visitors a day for that URL,(a is a single post/article of my WP blog optimized for that KW/search term) or 1200 visitors a month.

You need to look in Adwords tool when logged in (more accurate way!). It shows 5,400 monthly searches for keyword "mortgage modification". That's maximally 150 UV/day.

Originally Posted by gfonline

That means that i am only getting about 2% CTR. I know the title and description of the listing have a lot to do with it, but the title and description are very bold, optimized, and targeted to the search term. I was expected about 50% CTR for #1 so, 2% has been an eye opener.

The expected CTR for #2 is about 15% and 35-50% for #1. You could double visits by going on #1.

Originally Posted by gfonline

What is has anyone else experienced (actual numbers) with this and what should be expected in #1 or #2 position?

In your case, 40 UVs is an excellent and realistic traffic volume.

Good luck!

[gfonline]

So the big point here is Exact Match is the only way to project search traffic.

Does anyone else disagree or have different actual results that provide for a better method to project search traffic for a particular KW?

[Mr.S]

I have to agree look for exact match. I used to look at keyword research the same as you and was proven wrong. Now I only look at exact matches to estimate. Again this is just an estimate so no 100% guarantee.

[Tom Goodwin]

Originally Posted by gfonline

So the big point here is Exact Match is the only way to project search traffic.

Absolutely.

Ranking for "free mortgage modification" (would be include in phrase and broad search"), is different than ranking for "mortgage modification", and you shouldn't be using search numbers for that keyword when determining the traffic for just plain "mortgage modification."

Tom

[John Williamson]

You have to look at your on-page stuff. How exactly are you monetizing this site? If it's just that banner image ad, that's why it's not converting well. I bet if you threw Adsense blocks at the top and top-left of the page you'd get some great CTR's.

[gfonline]

Originally Posted by John Williamson

You have to look at your on-page stuff. How exactly are you monetizing this site? If it's just that banner image ad, that's why it's not converting well. I bet if you threw Adsense blocks at the top and top-left of the page you'd get some great CTR's.

Thanks John.
The banner is for my ebook so I am trying to get as much traffic to that money site as possible, but if yo think the CTR to adsense blocks on the top left would do well then i should just have a rotating ad that looks like adsense but is really my own ad.

[Delboy Trotter]

Originally Posted by gfonline

So the big point here is Exact Match is the only way to project search traffic.

Does anyone else disagree or have different actual results that provide for a better method to project search traffic for a particular KW?

You will get about 60% from exact and other from long tail keywords (example of searches: "definition + keyword", "how to + keyword", "keyword1 +keyword2")

For some keywords long tail gets up to 80% of SEO traffic, while for others 10%...

Can I ask you, how did you get so many backlinks- you have PR3

[Tom Goodwin]

Originally Posted by John Williamson

You have to look at your on-page stuff. How exactly are you monetizing this site? If it's just that banner image ad, that's why it's not converting well. I bet if you threw Adsense blocks at the top and top-left of the page you'd get some great CTR's.

John,

I think you are talking about something completely different here.

The OP is speaking as to CTR for his/her site on Google's search results page (which really isn't accurate, as it was based on an inflated monthly search volume), and not the CTR of actual visitors to his site.



Tom

[gfonline]

Thanks Delboy. For backlinks I have used Forums, blog comments, articles, web 2.0 sites, etc.. the standard, just a lot of it. It took a lot of time to get to that point.

[levmonch]

what I do take the whole amount and one percent of that is how much visitors you'll be getting a day from exact.