The pattern resembles a right triangle, and indicates that people pay very close attention to the top results on a search results page. Studies have shown that around 100% of people see the top 3 results, but only 20% of people get to the last result on the page. In the world of search engine optimization, the importance is obvious, since a top ranking on the first page gets 5 times the visual exposure of the bottom listing. Thus, the term “Golden Triangle” is not just a reflection on the heat map’s coloring, but of the potential profit margin for a company that holds such a coveted spot.

Getting a top 10 ranking in a search engine like Google can be incredibly difficult, but getting the top is even more of a challenge. However, the investment can be worth the money if you’re going for competitive terms. There aren’t too many other advertising mediums where a little extra effort can quintuple your exposure, so if you have a website that is doing a good job in search engines, but may need that extra push, then hiring an SEO consulting firm may give you the leverage you need to claim the Golden Triangle positions with the most exposure.