I’m a believer in the fake eggs helping a lot to direct them where to lay but it doesn’t always work. They do tend to want to lay where another chicken is laying, but not all of them do. I occasionally get one doing this and yes, it can attract others to that area. Where mine typically do it I use a rake to gently retrieve the eggs so I don’t have to crawl on the poopy coop floor.
I’m retired so I’m usually around. I built a couple of nests so I can lock a hen in there if I want to. That’s come in handy for a few different things. When I find a hen laying in some place other than the nest, I try to catch her on the nest and lock her into a real nest until she lays an egg. I lock the pop door and use a fish net to catch her. That fish net may help convince her it’s not really a safe place to lay, I’m not sure about that though. Usually I only have to do this once but I have had a few that once was not enough. Usually the hen lays the egg within a half hour of locking her in but I’ve had some go over three hours.
Something I haven’t tried but a few people on here said it worked for them. Put a nest where they are laying, get them used to using that nest. That might be nothing more than a milk crate or a cardboard box with bedding. After they have gotten used to using that nest, gradually move it toward your real nests. 6” to a foot every few days, you’ll need patience. If you get it to where it’s OK you can stop there. Or move all the way to your real nests and leave it for a while, then remove it and see where they now make their nest.
I tried blocking that area but that did not work, they laid next to whatever I used to block it.
Good luck this can be a challenge.