Most SEO skeptics I've talked to had the same experience. They ranked first page for their target keyword, sometimes even position one or two, and the traffic spike never came. So they concluded SEO was oversold nonsense.

They're half right. Position matters less than people think, and here's the data that explains why.

Search Position	Average CTR	CTR with Rich Snippet	CTR for Branded Query
Position 1	28.5%	43.2%	67.8%
Position 2	15.7%	24.1%	38.4%
Position 3	11.0%	17.3%	22.1%
Position 4-5	8.2%	12.6%	15.3%

Notice how position one gets 28.5% of clicks on average. That means 71.5% of searchers don't click it. Where do those clicks go? Some go to position two and three, but a huge chunk goes to ads, featured snippets, local packs, or people refining their search.

I analyzed traffic for a course platform ranking #2 for "project management certification online" with 8,900 monthly searches. They expected around 1,400 visitors monthly based on the 15.7% CTR. They got 340.

Why? Google showed three ads above them, a featured snippet, and a "People Also Ask" section. By the time searchers scrolled to position two, most had already clicked something else or refined their search.

The comparison gets more interesting when you add rich snippets. That same position with star ratings, price, or other structured data jumps from 15.7% to 24.1% CTR. That's an extra 750 visitors monthly from the same ranking.

For branded searches where people already know your name, position matters even more. Position one for your brand name gets 67.8% CTR because people are specifically looking for you.

The takeaway for skeptics is this—ranking position is one variable in a complex system. Search intent, SERP features, and how your listing appears matter just as much as where you rank.