Clicks Are Spreading Beyond Position #1 — Why Positions 2-6 Are Worth More Than Ever

For years, the SEO industry treated position #1 as the only result that mattered. The data supported it — position #1 typically captured 25-30% of all clicks, with a steep dropoff after that.

That’s changing. And the change is good news if you rank anywhere in the top 10.

The Q3 2025 numbers.

Advanced Web Ranking’s Q3 2025 CTR data shows position #1 desktop CTR dropped roughly 1 percentage point quarter-over-quarter. That continues a steady decline that’s been underway for several quarters.

But here’s the part that matters: positions 2 through 6 gained a combined 8.71 percentage points for branded queries in the same period. The clicks didn’t disappear. They redistributed.

Users are scrolling more. They’re evaluating more options before clicking. And when they do click, they’re increasingly choosing results beyond the top spot.

Why this is happening.

A few things are converging. AI Overviews and other SERP features are pushing organic results down the page, which means users are already scrolling past the first organic result before they even start evaluating listings. Once you’re scrolling, position #2 or #3 doesn’t feel much different from position #1.

Google’s own layout changes have also made the visual hierarchy less steep. Featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and knowledge panels break up the page, reducing the dominance of the first blue link.

And there’s a behavioral shift happening too. Users have become more skeptical. They’ve learned that the top result isn’t always the best result — especially after years of seeing SEO-optimized content that ranks well but doesn’t always deliver. Clicking on the second or third result to compare has become routine.

What the data says about query length.

The Advanced Web Ranking data also shows that longer queries (4+ words) maintained steady CTR across positions. This matters because longer queries tend to be more specific and more commercial — exactly the type of searches where ranking well has the most business value.

For these queries, the CTR curve is flatter. Position #3 might get nearly as many clicks as position #1. That’s a different competitive dynamic than the one most SEOs have been optimizing for.

The industry breakdown.

Not every vertical is experiencing this equally. Arts & Entertainment saw the steepest position #1 decline at -5.13 percentage points. Other industries saw smaller shifts. But the overall trend is consistent: clicks are spreading out across the top results rather than concentrating at the top.

What this means for your strategy.

If you’ve been treating SEO as “position #1 or nothing,” this data suggests a recalibration is in order. Ranking in positions 2-6 is now more valuable than it was a year ago. The gap between position #1 and position #5 in terms of click share is narrowing.

This also means that CTR optimization matters across a wider range of positions. It’s not just about getting to #1 anymore — it’s about earning more clicks wherever you rank. A well-optimized title tag and meta description in position #4 could capture clicks that would have gone to position #1 a year ago.

SerpClix click orders work across any position on the first page. When real humans search for your keyword and click on your listing at position #3 or #5, they’re sending Google a clear signal that your result is the one users prefer — regardless of its position.

The era of position #1 or bust is over. The era of earning the click is here.

SerpClix uses an army of over 400,000 real human clickers to boost your organic CTR. Get started with a free trial or log in to your dashboard to set up your next click order.

Please note: there are no guarantees in search engine optimization, ever. There are innumerable factors that can affect search engine rankings. And, realistically, most sites should focus their efforts on traditional SEO before even thinking about using non-traditional techniques like SerpClix. All SEO efforts can involve an element of risk. Some techniques are certainly more risky than others. SerpClix employs real human clickers, so we think our service is far less risky than trying to use automated or robotic click methods. But, like all SEO strategies, there is an element of risk because Google’s algorithm is unknown and subject to change at any time. For more information please see our Buyer FAQs.