A #1 spot on a ranking is worth whatever the people searching for that list are worth to you. Start with the list’s monthly search volume, apply your own assumptions for how many searchers see and click a Sponsored spot, apply your close rate and customer value, and you get a break-even price. If the bid is below that number, the spot is worth testing.
I am not going to tell you what click-through rate a spot gets. Nobody can tell you that honestly before the data exists. What I can give you is the method, the real search numbers BestAdAgency publishes for each list, and a worked example with every assumption labeled.
Where does the search volume number come from?
Every BestAdAgency ranking targets a search phrase, and the site shows how many people search for it each month. The homepage counter says the 235 rankings target 943,920 monthly searches in total. Each list also shows its own figure.
The Get listed page says starting prices for Sponsored spots scale with each list’s monthly searches and cost per click, using Semrush US data. So the volume number is the same input the pricing uses.
How much search volume do the lists target?
The range is wide. Some real figures from the All rankings page:
| Ranking | Searches per month |
|---|---|
| Best Ecommerce SEO Agencies & Services | 43,730 |
| Best Meta & Facebook Ads Agencies | 35,350 |
| Best AI Visibility Tools | 32,690 |
| Best Google Ads Agencies | 32,060 |
| Best 3PL Companies | 29,610 |
| Best PPC Agencies | 21,520 |
| Best Amazon Marketing Agencies | 14,610 |
| Best Amazon Keyword Tools | 8,870 |
| Best Amazon PPC Agencies | 7,930 |
| Best Amazon PPC Software | 3,030 |
| Best Amazon DSP Agencies | 610 |
These numbers measure demand for the search phrase. They are not page visits. How much of that demand reaches any given page depends on where the page ranks in search results, which changes over time.
What is the formula for valuing a #1 spot?
Here is the chain. Every step is a number you choose.
- Monthly searches for the list (published on the site).
- Share of searchers who reach the ranking page (your assumption).
- Share of page visitors who click the #1 Sponsored spot (your assumption).
- Share of those clicks that become qualified leads (from your own website data).
- Close rate on qualified leads (from your own sales data).
- Value of a new customer (first-year gross profit is a sensible, cautious choice).
Multiply them together and you get the expected monthly value of the spot. Compare that to the 30-day price.
Can you show me a worked example?
Yes. This is an illustrative example. Every rate below is an assumption I picked to show the math, not a measured result from BestAdAgency.
Take the Best Amazon PPC Agencies list: 7,930 monthly searches (published figure).
| Step | Assumption | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly searches | 7,930 (published) | 7,930 |
| Reach the ranking page | 5% (assumed) | ~397 visitors |
| Click the #1 Sponsored spot | 3% (assumed) | ~12 clicks |
| Become a qualified lead | 10% (assumed) | ~1.2 leads |
| Close rate | 20% (assumed) | ~0.24 clients |
| First-year gross profit per client | $12,000 (assumed) | ~$2,860 |
In this made-up scenario, the expected value is about $2,860 a month. That does not mean the spot will produce that. It means that if your real numbers look like these, a bid well below that figure gives you room for error.
Now change one input. Halve the share of searchers who reach the page and everything downstream halves, to about $1,430. Every assumption carries the same weight. That is why you should plug in your own numbers and test conservatively.
How does the math change for SaaS?
SaaS companies usually think in trials and lifetime value instead of retainers.
Illustrative example, all rates assumed: the Best Amazon PPC Software list targets 3,030 monthly searches (published). Assume 5% reach the page (~152 visitors), 3% click the #1 spot (~4.5 clicks), 20% start a trial (~0.9), 25% convert to paid (~0.23 customers), and a 12-month gross profit of $1,200 per customer. Expected value: roughly $270 a month.
Lower volume and lower deal value give a smaller number. That is fine. It just tells you how high you should be willing to bid on that list.
Is a bigger list always worth more?
No. Fit matters more than size.
A list with 43,730 monthly searches for ecommerce SEO agencies does not help an Amazon DSP agency. The Best Amazon DSP Agencies list targets only 610 searches a month, but almost every one of those searchers is a potential buyer for a DSP specialist. Your qualified lead rate on a tight-fit list can be far higher than on a broad one.
When you run the formula, use a higher lead rate for a list that matches your exact service and a lower one for a broad list.
What about the board, not just the list?
Your bid also sets your rank on the live bid board, which shows every Sponsored spot on the site ordered by bid. The board appears in short form on the homepage, too. That is extra visibility on top of the ranking you chose, but I would not price it in until you can measure it. Value the spot on the ranking first.
How do I avoid overpaying?
- Start at the opening price. During launch, every open spot starts at $1 for 30 days.
- Track clicks with your own UTM link. Use it as the website the spot links to, so your analytics show exactly what came from the spot.
- Use the monthly report. The Sponsored spot rules say each spot includes a monthly report of impressions and clicks.
- Replace assumptions with data after 30 days. Your real click and lead rates replace the guesses, and your next bid gets sharper.
- Remember the downside is limited. If someone outbids you, unused days are refunded pro rata.
FAQ
How do I calculate what a #1 spot is worth?
Multiply the list’s monthly searches by your assumed page reach, click rate, lead rate, close rate and customer value. Compare the result to the 30-day price.
Where do the monthly search numbers come from?
BestAdAgency shows a monthly search figure for each list. The Get listed page says prices scale with monthly searches and cost per click, using Semrush US data.
Does BestAdAgency publish click-through rates for Sponsored spots?
No. Any click rate in this article is an assumption for illustration. Use your own tracking to measure real performance.
Is the highest-volume list the best buy?
Not always. A small list that matches your exact service can produce more qualified leads than a big general one.
What happens if I am outbid before 30 days?
You are emailed right away and unused days are refunded pro rata to your original payment method.
Run your numbers on a real list
Every open spot, its monthly searches and its price sit in one table. See the open spots on Get listed and plug your numbers into the formula.
