When Google ranks websites for its search results, it wants to provide the most valuable resources to its users. One of the factors Google takes into account when deciding the value of a certain website is user interaction. The more users interact with a particular website, the more valuable it appears to Google, as it demonstrates user interest. We have compiled a list of factors related to user interaction that Google takes into account when ranking websites.
Organic Click Through Rate
Google keeps track of which pages within the SERP are clicked on. The pages with higher click through rates are then seen as more valuable. Over time, higher click through rates will result in a better rank for that keyword, as Google will see your website as a good resource for that particular search term.
Direct Traffic
Google uses chrome to gather information about direct traffic. It tracks how many people visit websites and how often they visit. The more traffic a website has, especially from unique users, the higher quality the website appears to Google. For this reason, the amount of traffic a website has will impact its rank on Google. Websites with more traffic will have a higher rank.
Pogosticking
“Pogosticking” refers to a certain type of bounce on search engines. When users search for the answer to a question and do not find it on the first site they choose, they’ll return to their search results and bounce around different sites to find the answer. If users are often pogosticking off of your site, Google will see that your site does not provide answers to users’ questions and will therefore view your site as a less reliable source. The result of frequent user pogosticking will be a lower overall rank, especially for the search terms that lead to the pogosticking.
Number of Comments
On pages on your site that allow user comments, the more comments the better. When pages have a lot of comments, it shows Google that visitors are interested in your content and that your content is engaging. Google wants to showcase interesting, engaging content, meaning pages with a lot of comments will receive better ranking on Google.
Session Duration
The amount of time a user spends on your site has a big impact on search rankings. If visitors are clicking on your site and quickly moving on, that’s a red flag for Google because it indicates that there’s something wrong with your site. If visitors are spending a lot of time on your site, it means that they are reading your content and that they find your site compelling. The more time visitors spend on your site, the more valuable they find your content. For this reason, your site will rank higher on Google if visitors are spending a lot of time on your site.
Page Views
In addition to the time spent on your site, the number of pages visitors view when navigating your site has an impact on your Google rank. If users only look at one page, it means that they either don’t find your content compelling or that only one page on your site is particularly useful. Either of these issues will negatively impact your Google rank. The more pages visitors view when visiting your site, the more value your site has, as they are finding value on multiple pages. For this reason, the more page views per visit your site has, the better its Google rank will be.
ImageWorks, LLC | CT Search Engine Optimization
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