Why Your SEO Traffic Has Dropped by 31%


The situation
We've been analysing organic Click-Through Rate (CTR) data on over 13 million keywords since 2020.
This year, we've uncovered three critical trends:
- 70% of our clients' search traffic is from organic search.
- Pages ranking in positions 1-3 now capture 51.1% of all clicks.
- CTR for position 1 results have dropped by 31% since 2021.

We've seen time and time again how a well-executed SEO strategy can turbocharge a client’s online visibility and drive an influx of new visitors to their site.
In fact, we now know that around 70% of our clients’ search traffic comes from their SEO efforts.
But how does your position in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) affect the likelihood that someone will click through to your site?
Our data reveals that over half (51.1%) of all clicks go to the top 3 positions.

While positions 1-3 still hold the most power, they’re not as mighty as they used to be.
Since 2021, SEO traffic for position 1 has dropped by a whopping 31%.
This means if you were ranking in the top spot four years ago, you could expect a CTR of around 42.5%. Today, it’s just 29.5%.
It's a similar story for positions 2 and 3, but here’s the kicker; results ranking 4-10 are actually getting more traffic.


One common cause of low click-through rates is ongoing changes to the layout of SERPs.
From ditching the continuous scroll feature to rolling out AI Overviews, Google is all about making the search experience more user-friendly.
The downside? Popular search features like featured snippets keep users on the results page and reduce their need to click.
Whether you’re using Alexa or Siri — Voicebot.ai’s report affirms virtual assistants are on the rise and reshaping the way we search.
Their ability to provide direct, auditory answers can decrease user interaction with traditional search results, and yep, reduce clicks.
Consumers today are undoubtedly more proficient at searching online. A study from The Nielsen Norman Group found that users have become more skilled at scanning SERPs.
They want to click on results that quickly address their search, leading to decreased CTRs as they make better decisions and click through to fewer websites.
How we adapt
With the arrival of AI in search, it's likely these CTR drops are here to stay.
So, how do we pivot? Here's the game plan:
1. Target zero-click traffic
Can't beat 'em? Join 'em!
Zero-click features aren't going anywhere and answering a potential customer’s question within Google can be just as valuable as doing so on your website.
Let's create content that shines bright on the search results page and positions us as the authority in our niche.
2. Re-define the goal posts
Impressions and brand visibility matter more than ever so it's time to think beyond traffic and conversions.
It's no longer just about ranking high on search engines; it's about staying relevant and accessible to your audience through positive reviews, PR initiatives or a Wiki page.
The brand value of being a go-to answer on Google is huge and we need to use diverse SEO monitoring tools to both measure that result and assign a value to it.

Ready to talk to an expert?
SEO is changing, but it's not all bad news – it's a chance for us to get creative and innovate.
Need help keeping up?
Book in a chat with our Head of Organic Media & Content, Lewis Torossian and let's make it happen.