What's the top slot on Google worth?

[Morticia]

Found this interesting article on SEO and Google placement. What's also interesting are athe comments below the article.

 

[Copperhead]

Oh, I thought you were a telemarketer trying to sell us to be on the 'First page of Google' and I was wondering how much that cost since I always hang up at the beginning of the spiel.

Really this is interesting on the drop in placement but the cost usually drops as well which is a good indicator of what to expect traffic wise. But I am going to forward this to my SEO (aka DH) for him to ponder over a little more! Thanks!

 

[swirt]

AS the study indicates, there is often a big difference between #1 and #2. (There can be only one). The numbers in the article are pretty similar to eytracking and click tracking studies that have been around for quite a while.
However, it varies by niche. In our niche it is rare that someone looking for a place to stay only looks at one. They often keep digging for more to compare. So it is good to be number 1, but if you can't be #1, then make sure that you are a more attractive option than whoever sits at.#1.
And of course in our niche, #1 is rarely an individual B&B but is one of the big directories.

 

[Morticia]

AS the study indicates, there is often a big difference between #1 and #2. (There can be only one). The numbers in the article are pretty similar to eytracking and click tracking studies that have been around for quite a while.
However, it varies by niche. In our niche it is rare that someone looking for a place to stay only looks at one. They often keep digging for more to compare. So it is good to be number 1, but if you can't be #1, then make sure that you are a more attractive option than whoever sits at.#1.
And of course in our niche, #1 is rarely an individual B&B but is one of the big directories..

I think the eye tracking was mentioned in there somewhere.
The reason I thought the comments were good was because they brought out different POVs concerning that first place slot and how the business you're in makes a determination, too.
Our little band of merry men (and women) has done a lot of work to knock the directories out of the first slot on Google. Go team! In most searches, only 2 directories show up, leaving the other 8 slots for us.