91.5% of People Never Click on the Second Page of Google

When someone searches your name or business on Google, they’re judging you based on what appears on the first page – not the second page of Google. 

Unfortunately, high-ranking negative results can overshadow your achievements, credibility, and reputation. On the other hand, if your positive content is stuck on the 2nd page of Google, it’s almost invisible. 

The good news? You can take control of your online reputation by pushing negative results to page 2 (or beyond) and ensuring your owned results ranks on page one. 

Overview

This blog will break down key statistics of Google search rankings, explain why it matters for SEO reputation management, and give you essential tips to take your positive content from page two to one. 

Key Takeaways:

• Page 2 of Google is rarely seen: If positive results aren’t ranking in the first ten results, they might as well not exist.
• Suppressing negative results improves reputation: Moving harmful results beyond the first page reduces their visibility.
• Optimizing owned content increases credibility: Strengthening SEO strategies ensures your website, blogs, and profiles appear first. 

Contents:

What is Page 2 of Google?

Page 2 of Google refers to the second page of search engine results pages (SERPs).

When you search for something on Google, the results are ranked in order of relevance, with the most relevant pages appearing first.

• Page 1 contains the first 10 results – the most visible and frequently clicked.
• Page 2 consists of positions 11-20 – less visible and rarely visited.
• As you move further down in rankings, search results become less relevant to the original query.

While results on page two of Google may be useful, they get nearly as much attention as first page results. 

Which is why SEO experts jokingly call it: 

• “The best place to hide a dead body.”
• “The dead zone.”
• “Where your website goes to die.”

You get the idea. 

For businesses and individuals trying to control their online reputation, ranking on Page 1 is crucial. If positive content is stuck on Google Page 2, it’s essentially invisible.

The goal should always be to rank higher and push negative results further down to reduce its impact. 

What Percentage of People Go to the Second Page of Google?

Most people never bother clicking past the first page of Google search results. 

In fact, studies show that 91.5% of users stay on the first page, meaning only a small fraction ever make it to the second. 

Why top results get the most clicks

Google ranks search results based on relevance, authority, and user experience.

The higher a webpage ranks, the more likely it is to be clicked simply because that’s what the user sees first – and they stop looking once their search query is satisfied. 

So, top positions get the lion’s share of search traffic, while lower-ranking results are mostly ignored.

Google click through rates (CTR) by positon

This table breaks down how Google rankings impact CTR, showing the sharp drop-off in clicks beyond the first page. 

As you can see, search traffic drops significantly beyond position 10.

If your content is stuck on Page 2 of Google, it’s getting little to no organic traffic.

To improve your online reputation, you need to push negative results off Page 1 while optimizing your positive content to rank in the top 10 results. 

Why SERP Rankings Matter

Your Google search rankings have a direct connection to reputation management. 

When someone searches your name or business, the results they see on page one shape their perception of you. 

• If positive results rank high, it builds trust, credibility, and authority.
• If negative results rank high, they can damage your reputation – even if it’s outdated or misleading.
• Since 91.5% of people stay on the first page, anything appearing beyond that is rarely seen.

This is why suppressing negative content and boosting the positive on Google’s first page is crucial for repairing your reputation. 

Pushing negative content to page 2 (and beyond)

When someone Google’s you, you want them to see your best content first – not bad news articles, misleading reviews, or negative publicity.

Since most people never scroll past page one, the first 10 search results act as your first impression. Whatever appears there is what people believe about you. 

But what if something harmful or inaccurate ranks on page one?

• Permanent removal isn’t always an option: While you should try to get negative content taken down, this isn’t always possible. 
• Pushing it to page two (or further) is the next best solution: If it’s not on the first page, most people will never see it.
• The further down it goes, the better: Ideally, you want to bury negative results on page 3, 4, or beyond. 

This strategy, known as search suppression, helps you control your online narrative and ensures that negative results don’t define you. 

Ranking owned content on page 1

The best way to suppress negative content is by ranking your owned online assets higher. 

If the first page is filled with your website, social profiles, and professional listings, there’s no room for anything negative.

What counts as owned content?

• Your website: Personal or business site with optimized pages and blog posts.
• Google Business Profile: Essential for local SEO and brand credibility. Learn how to optimize your Google Business Profile here. 
• LinkedIn profile & articles: Helps boost your professional presence. Get tips for your LinkedIn profile here. 
• Press releases: High-authority sources that rank well.
• Youtube videos: Google prioritizes multi-media over plain text.
• Crunchbase & BBB profiles: And other valuable business listings.
• Author pages on guest blogs: Blogs published under your name on industry sites.

By strategically optimizing and promoting these assets, you control the narrative and make sure your best content ranks on page one—where it matters most.

Can Google Ads Get You on the First Page?

Google Ads can put your name or business at the top of search results, but they won’t improve your long-term rankings. 

Here’s why Google Ads aren’t effective for reputation management: 

• Most people ignore paid ads: Studies show that users trust organic search results more than paid ads, with 54% of users more likely to click on the organic listing (SmartInsights). 
• Ads disappear when you stop paying: Unlike organic rankings, which can last for years, ads only appear as long as you keep spending money.
• Google Ads don’t suppress negative results: Even if you run an ad, the negative results will still show up right below it.
• Paid ads work better for selling products and services: Businesses use Google Ads to drive sales, not to manage reputations.

If you’re trying to push negative results down or get positive content on page one, organic SEO is the better investment.

A strong SEO strategy ensures that positive information ranks naturally, bringing long-term improvements to rankings without the ongoing cost of ads. 

How to Identify What’s Ranking on Page 2

Before you can get on the first page of Google, you need to know what’s currently ranking on Page 2. 

Identifying which search results need suppression and which need optimization is the first step in managing your online reputation.

Check your search rankings

To see what’s ranking on Page 2 of Google, use these methods:

• Google search console: Check where your website pages rank for specific keywords. Look for anything stuck in positions 11-20 that you can optimize.
• Incognito searches: Perform Google searches in Incognito mode to get unbiased search results. Google personalizes results based on browsing history, so using incognito gives you a neutral view of what’s out there.
• SEO tools (Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush): These provide deeper insights into rankings, keyword performance, and which websites are competing for top positions. 

Identify which results to suppress or promote

Once you’ve identified what’s ranking on Page 2, you can decide what to do next:

• Negative results: Try to remove them when possible or push them further down through SEO suppression tactics. 
• Owned, positive content: Optimize it by strengthening SEO, backlinks, and writing high quality pages and blogs. 

Understanding where you stand in search rankings is the foundation for improving your online reputation and ensuring your best content is seen first.

How to Tweak Your Content for First-Page Rankings

If your positive content is stuck on Page 2 of Google, it’s time to optimize it for better rankings. 

#1: Strengthen on-page SEO for your branded keywords

To improve rankings, your content must clearly signal to Google that it’s highly relevant to searches for your name or business. 

Here’s how to do that:

Optimize key SEO elements

Make sure your name or business name (aka your key search term) appears in:

• Title Tag: The clickable headline on Google search results. Example: John Doe | Industry Leader & business Consultant
• Meta Description: The short preview text under the title tag. Example: Learn more about John Doe’s expertise in business consulting and leadership development. 
• Headings (H1, H2, H3 tags): Include your branded name naturally in headers for better search visibility.
• URL structure: Use your name or business name in URLs when possible. This is why it’s so important to claim your name or your business’s name as a domain.

Add LSI (related keywords

Google looks for Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords – aka works and phrases closely related to your name or business. 

For example, if your name is John Doe and you’re a business consultant, related keywords might include:

• John Doe business strategy

• John Doe leadership coaching

Adding these naturally helps to reinforce relevance, increasing your chances of ranking higher.

Pro Tip: Do some free keyword research by checking Google’s “related searches” section at the bottom of search results to find LSI keywords specific to your name or industry.

#2: Build internal links from your strongest pages

Utilizing internal linking is one of the best ways to boost Page 2 content onto Page 1. 

By linking to your underperforming pages from high-ranking ones, you pass authority and improve their chances of ranking higher.

Here’s how to use internal links for better SEO:

• Link from your homepage: Your homepage often has the most SEO power. Adding a strategic link to underperforming content helps boost its visibility.
• Leverage high-ranking pages: Identify your best-performing blog posts or web pages (using Google Search Console) and link to your underperforming content from them.
• Create fresh content that references the page: Publish new blog posts, FAQs, or case studies that naturally include links to the page you want to rank higher.
• Use keyword-rich anchor text: Instead of generic text like “click here”, use descriptive anchor text that includes your branded keywords. 

Internal links help Google understand the importance of a webpage and distribute SEO value across your website. 

The more relevant, high-authority pages link to your underperforming content, the more likely it is to move up in search rankings.

#3: Get more backlinks

Backlinks—links from other websites to yours—are one of the strongest website ranking factors in Google’s algorithm. 

The more high-quality, authoritative websites linking to your content, the higher it will rank. If your positive content is stuck on Page 2, building strong backlinks can help push it into the top results.

Here’s how to secure high-quality backlinks:

• Get featured in positive news articles: If you or your business has been mentioned in the media, ensure the article links back to your website. If not, reach out and request a link.
• Guest blog on industry websites: Write expert articles for reputable sites in your industry, including a link to your page in the byline or body of the article.
• List your business in online directories & profiles: Submit your website to trusted directories like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Crunchbase, and other industry-specific directories.
• Use consistent branded anchor text: When securing backlinks, make sure the anchor text (the clickable words in a hyperlink) is branded and relevant.

#4: Refresh & expand your content

Google prioritizes fresh, relevant content when ranking search results. 

If your positive content is stuck on Page 2, updating and expanding it can signal freshness to Google, increasing its chances of ranking on Page 1.

Plus, Google’s algorithm changes often, so updating your content with the latest best-practices can help.

Here’s how to refresh and expand your content for better rankings:

• Update your existing blogs with new information: Revise outdated sections, add new insights, and ensure your information is current and accurate. Google favors content that is regularly updated over static pages.
• Add FAQs to answer common search queries: Check Google’s “People Also Ask” section to find frequently asked questions related to your name or business. Add an FAQ section to your content, making sure to avoid negative keywords that could reinforce harmful search results.
• Include multimedia elements: Multimedia elements are more engaging, improve the user experience, and can boost rankings. Consider embedding videos or social media feeds, or adding images, PDFs, case studies, etc. 

#5: Improve click-through-rate (CTR) for better engagement

Even if your positive content ranks well, it won’t help your online reputation if no one clicks on it. 

A high click-through rate (CTR) signals to Google that your content is relevant and valuable, which can boost rankings over time. 

Here’s how to optimize for more clicks and engagement: 

Use Schema Markup to Enhance Your Search Listing

Schema markup helps Google understand your content better and enhance your search listing with rich snippets, which increase CTR.

• FAQ Schema: Helps your search result stand out with common questions and answers.
• Person Schema: Tells Google that your page is about an individual, increasing relevance for name-based searches.
• Organization Schema: Great for business listings, ensuring key details (location, industry, reviews) appear in search results.

Adding schema markup improves visibility and increases the likelihood of ranking higher.

Use Clear Headings & Structured Sections

Google favors well-organized content. Structuring your page with clear headings (H1, H2, H3 tags) makes it easier for search engines to understand your content and rank it higher.

• Break up long paragraphs into easy-to-read sections.
• Use bullet points & numbered lists to improve readability.
• Ensure key topics are covered in headings to help Google match your content to search queries.

Optimize for Featured Snippets

Google’s Featured Snippets display concise answers at the top of search results. These highly visible results can boost your organic traffic and increase CTR.

• Find common search queries about you or your business using Google’s People Also Ask feature.
• Answer questions concisely (in 40-60 words) in your content.
• Use a question-and-answer format to increase chances of getting featured. 

To learn more about optimizing for featured snippets, check out our guides:

What Not to Do

Yes, it’s frustrating when it feels like your content is stuck on the second page of Google. It’s tempting to try quick fixes – but some tactics can hurt your rankings, rather than help.

Avoid these common SEO mistakes:.

Keyword stuffing

Keyword stuffing is when you repeat your name or business name too many times in a single article can make your content look spammy. Google penalized pages that overuse keywords unnaturally. 

Better approach: Use branded keywords naturally. Include related (LSI keywords) and long tail keywords instead of excessive repetition.

Buying backlinks

Google cracks down on websites that purchase low-quality, spammy backlinks. Paid backlinks from irrelevant sites can result in SEO penalties, causing your rankings to drop.

Better approach: Earn high-quality backlinks from trusted sources like guest blogs, news articles, and industry directories. 

Duplicating content

“Duplicate content” happens when you copy and paste the same text across multiple pages – and it won’t help your rankings. 

Google prefers unique, valuable information, and duplicate pages can compete against each other, diluting SEO value.

Better approach: Refresh & expand your content instead of duplicating it. Add new insights, multimedia elements, and updated FAQs to make each page and blog post unique and valuable. 

Ignoring mobile-friendliness

Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it ranks websites based on how well they perform on mobile devices.

If your website is hard to navigate on a phone, it could hurt your rankings.

Better approach: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and is easy to read on all devices. 

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Google Search Results

If your positive content is stuck on Page 2 of Google, it’s practically invisible. With 91.5% of users never clicking past the first page, ranking on Page 1 is essential for protecting and improving your online reputation.

By pushing negative results down and optimizing your owned assets, you can ensure that the first impression people see is the one you want them to have.

Need help managing your online reputation?

At Reputation911, we specialize in SEO-driven reputation management, helping individuals and businesses take control of their Google search results. 

When you need to suppress negative results, rank positive content higher, and build a stronger online presence, we have the expertise to get it done.

Contact us today to start improving your search rankings and protecting your reputation!

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