{"id":595,"date":"2022-04-22T20:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T20:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/?p=595"},"modified":"2022-04-22T20:00:31","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T20:00:31","slug":"5-things-that-will-give-you-a-low-ctr-even-if-youre-number-one-in-the-serps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/blog\/5-things-that-will-give-you-a-low-ctr-even-if-youre-number-one-in-the-serps\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things That Will Give You a Low CTR Even If You&#8217;re Number One in the SERPs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you feel like you\u2019re the only one with low CTRs (click-through rates) at the top of the SERPs, don\u2019t worry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEOs everywhere feel the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a handful of reasons that affect your click-through rate. Today, I\u2019ll walk you through the common causes behind a low CTR and show you what you can do to improve.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Your CTR Too Low?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/firstpagesage.com\/seo-blog\/google-click-through-rates-ctrs-by-ranking-position-in-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>average click-through rate<\/strong><\/a><strong> for organic content in the first spot is 39%<\/strong>. However, even a great page can experience significantly lower rates, thanks to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-a95add58 gb-headline-text\"><strong>5 Common Causes for Low SERP Click-Through Rates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SERP Layout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases, it\u2019s not you. It\u2019s Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These days, <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/less-than-half-of-google-searches-now-result-in-a-click\/\">less than half of Google searches result in a click<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google tries hard to serve the right results to searchers, which has caused an uptick in <strong>new features like<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Featured snippets<\/li><li>Answer boxes for simple queries<\/li><li>New ad types<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crowded SERPs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you look up \u201cgardening shop,\u201d you\u2019ll need to scroll down past ads, third-party results, and maps to reach the page that ranks #1.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/o5XOcVE0EldLHnkrw4uwaDMf7TgYE8PTe3bOYWsin36HvfWPXHNWoM7RRQIO8W98-toirU1EHfOQ-FLY2xezI5plEQbeSY8UXZpqKgM5_JAQc1YFCjHwwT030kPq0XwLQz9vo4PN\" alt=\"\" width=\"531\" height=\"378\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many searchers find what they need before they even see the organic results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Images and Videos Take up the Top Spots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your <strong>SERP features a lot of images and videos<\/strong>, your \u201cSERP real estate\u201d will be lower.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An informational query like \u201chow to plant garlic\u201d serves a featured snippet, PAA, videos, and more <em>before <\/em>reaching organic results!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/4Bu-d1jyk2BQ5igiq7hMadIqqSMdA8AxVse-edTESXJ8IEiDCyWhvzggzk0rf6JgeqcPFVFSySjSj9P3Wd_BHfueb6LMSN06JfbCzeE9hhZqsSAgfTlJMWk4OU-sZZhGumJa_qSr\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"412\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instant Answers and Featured Snippets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t target simple queries that an AI can answer.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Search terms that have simple answers provide notoriously low CTR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/TDNi6USEDvVc6o2_O_C5a8_8sfRFb_2kho58XjtR5_qpEeSIOh3UbmQkXpXin4wf07wiW2ZMsUu0VA6HMPi1hkWiJ9J4A34cq7dQYghGiq7vPtEtZ7dVeBNwAM-ygTpZdgaRLVBF\" alt=\"\" width=\"459\" height=\"275\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, <strong>Featured Snippets<\/strong> are a great way to reach position zero, but if they <strong>provide an answer right in the SERP,<\/strong> the searcher has no reason to click through.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/Y4bupSeQuVHb9D57f3jk9XEYRWNEXBJJJb0TkfS04_FDFrdBT7iKoSRxA1WdKugLHWHkV--tQodStH9r9VN3iGLK8zPM9gF70eELGiA6Dfp0l21ZDfm3jGpifUeX1RpeMgFsp-ZF\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"411\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Informational Queries<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Many SEOs strongly suspect that Google serves answers directly in the SERP for informational queries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you look up a purchasing intent keyword, the SERP isn\u2019t as chaotic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/U_Jtaxq-E-A3BgSiU-De6rQOp8QeFvW0Hg-vpq19jDM6wRmvokR_9zrZy6J21NLS2ow6SOO1sbupavQYl7Q_bdvJ1ZkzqZTYJw0QhDrUjuepy19Jb3QEyRJoRS_ZEDulokkFsq_d\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Your main CTR competitors will be ads, and the People Also Ask section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you analyze your SERP, only to realize it\u2019s full of features pushing your pages down, <strong>focus on long-tail keywords and bottom-of-the-funnel content<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If SERPs are crowded for informational queries, then ads rule the transactional queries. Depending on your searcher\u2019s location, they could see <strong><em>four <\/em><\/strong>ads before reaching the organic results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/CGllkxwfKryxkAw_HO1uQmiZMj_WkO5bcY0XbAJfhqfXBspQgbKGLv344GuEtEVkKyyQ5BDlqKNs1-s2dCZ_sJK2WAcJ2s6LO13VQwcf_4f4mJ3zqlCGaGQpu-GhyJP99KrGpZDk\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"476\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Organic-Looking Ads<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Advertisers are copping on to the appeal of organic results, so you\u2019ll find ads that mimic the look and feel of comparison guides more often these days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly, Google itself is making ads look more like organic results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An average searcher will have a hard time distinguishing them from other pages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Look for Advertising Blind Spots<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, advertising depends on many factors &#8211; including keywords and the searchers\u2019 location.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advertisers still aren\u2019t bidding on <strong>long-tail keywords and particular questions<\/strong> en masse, so there\u2019s still a way to increase CTR on your other pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we look at the PPC side, advertisers need to have specific landing pages to compete successfully for their keywords. They can\u2019t just chuck hundreds of keywords into the same campaign &#8211; they need to be <strong>relevant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This significantly reduces the number of possible queries they can target.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zero Search Volume Keywords<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of queries that aren\u2019t interesting to advertisers, advertisers will rarely use <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/the-power-of-zero-search-volume-keywords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">zero (or low) search volume keywords.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Search volume data isn\u2019t 100% accurate, so <strong>these detailed keywords still get decent traffic<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The volume isn\u2019t high enough for Google Ads, but it\u2019s a fantastic avenue for your website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/5-things-that-will-give-you-a-low-ctr-even-if-youre-number-one-in-the-serps#comments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Is this article helpful? Rate it or share your feedback below!<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, if your target SERP isn\u2019t chock-full of ads or shiny new SERP features, you may have an easily solvable problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first two things searchers see are your <strong>title and your meta description<\/strong>. They need to be compelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/JMvSxdoxCGpDZMlDUW49hkktAYWUBUth4d5POofcZvaKp8MdanNGeAW4e1j369TJD25nUVs65lyHflTX3N9dZAZ79yfhwSjbsZ6OyKiIoxKS41Te8Zh9jzUbmSgAVdUmTl7Z3bjc\" alt=\"\" width=\"485\" height=\"397\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understand the Searcher\u2019s Intent<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Understand the searcher\u2019s journey: if they\u2019re looking for the \u201cbest garden tool for cutting branches,\u201d what does that tell you about their needs?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more detailed the query, the easier it will be to gauge what searchers want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, not a single article responds to the query. They\u2019re all related but not specific.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Searchers are more likely to click through if you can be specific and match the query in full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does It Make Sense to Write Content for a Low-Volume Query?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It depends on the volume, and it depends on the topic.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by writing short content and then evaluate &#8211; how much traffic are you getting from it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/where-do-keyword-tools-get-their-search-volume-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tools show you the search volume is low<\/a>, it may be worth expanding if you\u2019re getting thousands of hits for the query.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Improve Your SERP Click-Through Rate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Target Long-Tail Keywords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, focus on long-tail keywords that don\u2019t make sense for ads. They\u2019re often ignored by SEOs, too, so your position can\u2019t be affected by Featured Snippets and other SERP features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a generic SERP like \u201cgardening tools\u201d will be full of gimmicks that devalue your organic position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But a SERP for a detailed query like \u201cgardening tools for bad backs\u201d doesn\u2019t have gimmicks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The volume is lower, but your CTR will be higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It\u2019s All About the Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Informational queries are fair game to Google &#8211; it\u2019s not profiting off them so that it can keep searchers in its ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, <strong>transactional keywords<\/strong> need to direct searchers to ads\u2019 landing pages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this moment, Google can\u2019t \u201cplay\u201d with them without affecting its revenue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next time you <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/11-ways-to-get-to-know-your-competitors-in-the-competition-tab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analyze your competition<\/a>, pay attention to your PPC competition and learn from them, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll see quite a few advertisers whose ads mimic organic search results to satisfy the searcher\u2019s intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoid Competitive Keywords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid competitive keywords with full ad spots if you don\u2019t want to risk it. If you see 4 ads above the organic results and a few at the bottom of the page, focus on other queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/how-to-find-easy-keywords-in-a-competitive-niche\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tactics to find easy keywords in competitive niches<\/a>, or experiment with <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lowfruits.io\/the-power-of-zero-search-volume-keywords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">low-volume keywords<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Questions<\/li><li>Comparison<\/li><li>Autocomplete suggestions<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\">LowFruits<\/a>, you can insert your seed keyword and generate hundreds (and thousands) of suggestions. Then, filter by modifiers and check out the SERPs within your dashboard to find profitable low-competition keywords.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/Tvu-TvPSKbcJ6Su6AN8DY9NCB5h1QUnt4DCxBwD6N9Zq4ldCwQ3uZtUzzlJIT0iyCoiPOZbCUOCttze1AIxGzgxnSJfcHgfn6oZ-yS_eos5CADFR2PzOV_LqajIVvRFvPRlKHfoa\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Experiment with New Content Types<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t focus solely on written content.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your SERP features videos and images, consider taking a page from your competitor\u2019s book.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/lumen5.com\/\">Lumen5<\/a> to turn your blog posts into videos.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since searchers check Google Images for helpful content, optimize for visuals with infographics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being the Number One Doesn\u2019t Guarantee High CTR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>But it all depends on your keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The search has changed. It\u2019s hard enough to compete against advertisers without having to get through the forest of SERP features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, there are ways to get a higher click-through rate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Focus on different keywords (low volume & long-tail)<\/li><li>Rank for keywords with particular transactional intent<\/li><li>Experiment with new content types<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you found any other methods? Let\u2019s discuss in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[ratemypost]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you feel like you\u2019re the only one with low CTRs (click-through rates) at the top of the SERPs, don\u2019t worry.&nbsp; SEOs everywhere feel the problem. There are a handful of reasons that affect your click-through rate. Today, I\u2019ll walk you through the common causes behind a low CTR and show you what you can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"am_check_title_format":false,"am_check_permalink_format":false,"am_check_check_categories":false,"am_check_image_links_new_tab":false,"am_check_links_new_tab":false,"am_check_flifdn_i_zdilyghwmc3q":false,"am_check_bw5lhchtaays6phnuxaab":false,"am_check_7xjfkeyllswtlb8m4geli":false,"am_check_mmpyavkpnvqakyoa0pswp":false,"am_check_nwzd0q2luski4upg5xkib":false,"am_check_phrpfzy7iv6_4sb6gtmfe":false,"am_check_dt_uokjr34nmlp5i4mai5":false,"am_check_ck0ix72zhwrmtntdo09mi":false,"am_check_m0uc7nzckg1x33rffydya":false,"am_check_joaqzpt1pujl4bkkyurpx":false,"am_check_wmavsh39a3yxl49ptxfe7":false,"am_check_v_r5yh0urz2icvtljws0m":false,"am_check_00ob2jv86fnniwqec_pzr":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[131],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lowfruits.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}