- The Fold is Dead: On 62% of commercial B2B queries, the #1 Organic Result is no longer visible on initial load.
- The “AI Tax”: AI Overviews have pushed organic results down by an average of 450 pixels.
- Mobile Enclosure: Users scroll 2.5 full screens before seeing organic links.
- The New KPI: Rank Tracking is obsolete. Optimize for Pixel Share of Voice.
1. The Methodology: Measuring “Vertical Pixel Depth”
We didn’t just check rankings. We measured geometry.
Traditional SEO tools tell you if you rank #1. They do not tell you if anyone can see you. For this study, we analyzed 5,000 high-intent B2B SaaS keywords (e.g., “Best Enterprise CRM,” “Cloud Security Platforms”) using a headless browser to render the DOM.
We introduced a new metric: Vertical Pixel Depth (VPD).
Vertical Pixel Depth: The number of pixels from the top of the viewport to the top edge of the first organic (non-ad, non-AI) result.
DATA: AVG PIXEL DEPTH BY INDUSTRY
| Industry | Avg. VPD (Desktop) | Avg. VPD (Mobile) | Dominant Blocker |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarTech / CRM | 1,240px | 2,100px | 4 Ads + AI Overview |
| DevTools | 850px | 1,400px | Code Snippets (AI) |
| FinTech | 1,450px | 2,400px | Comparison Tables (Ads) |
| Cybersecurity | 920px | 1,600px | “People Also Ask” |
2. The “Invisible” #1 Ranking
For decades, the “Fold” (the bottom of the screen before scrolling) was approximately 900-1080 pixels on a standard desktop.
Our data shows that the Average VPD for high-intent keywords is now 1,115px.
This means that 62% of the time, a user with a standard 1080p monitor sees ZERO organic results when the page loads. They are presented exclusively with Paid Ads and the AI Overview container.
“Ranking #1 used to mean you owned the digital shelf.
Today, ranking #1 just means you are the first option in the basement.”
3. The “AI Tax” on Real Estate
The biggest contributor to pixel displacement is the AI Overview (SGE).
Because AI Overviews often include interactive elements (dropdowns, follow-up prompts), users spend 40% more time “above the fold” without ever scrolling to organic results.
4. The Implication
If your SEO agency is reporting on “Rankings,” they are lying to you with truth. You can rank #1 and be invisible.
To win in this environment, you cannot rely on the “Blue Link.” You must optimize for the sections that are actually visible:
- The AI Citation: Being cited inside the AI Overview text (which sits at pixel 0-600).
- The Brand Entity: Ensuring your brand appears in the “Comparison Table” snippets often generated by AI.
