The first in-content link earned 4.2x the clicks of the same link placed below the fold

The first in-content link earned 4.2x the clicks of the same link placed below the fold

Link position drives click-through, which drives EPC at the page level. Click share by position (n=64k pageviews, long-form review):

— First link (above fold / first 200 words): ▇▇▇▇ 44%
— Mid-article: ▇▇ 31%
— Conclusion/CTA box: ▇ 17%
— Sidebar/footer: ▁ 8%

The first contextual link captures readers before they bounce. Sidebar 'banner blindness' is brutal.

So what: Put your highest-EPC product in the first contextual mention, not the comparison table at the bottom. Moving the top recommendation up cost zero words and lifted page EPC measurably here. Audit whether your best earner is buried.