"Who in the world does not know you: Understanding the Essence of Google SEO - Notes on 'Climbing to the Top of Google' (2) - Introduction"

Around 84% of search users will not go past the second page of search results. Imagine for a moment that we can think of the internet as a large city, filled with all kinds of shops scattered around, and your website is one of them. If your site ranks in the top 10 of search engine results, it's like having your shop on the main street or in a prime location in a shopping mall. If your ranking is beyond the 20th position, it's like opening your shop in a back alley in the suburbs. The big malls have massive foot traffic, with customers coming in and out almost every moment they are open. Similarly, on the internet, websites that rank at the top of Google enjoy similar benefits.

The latest research shows that being in the top positions has an even greater impact than the 84% statistic suggests. Clearly, the higher your position in the search results for relevant commercial keywords, the greater the chance of converting visitors into customers. Generally, people subconsciously associate websites ranked highly on Google with high quality.

There's a little shop I really like – Teddington Cheese, located in southwest London. This unassuming little store attracts a loyal group of true cheese enthusiasts through its constant innovation. It’s not on a main street in Teddington, yet it sells premium cheeses across Europe, and some passionate fans travel dozens of miles just to buy a slice or two to take home.

I don’t know how many people shop there, but this small Teddington Cheese shop won the UK eCommerce Award and managed to sell cheese worldwide. How did they do it? Simply because it ranked in the top 10 when people searched for "cheese" on Google (it has now dropped to the second page in English-language Google searches – note by editor XiMi CC).