Google Algorithm Update, Post Panda ? Is Bounce Rate a Ranking Signal?

[Linda Buquet]

Interesting read, but the image makes me dizzy. So does the topic actually.

When you think about the concept of "content is king" and the saying "write for visitors, not for engines" - it all adds up to the same thing. Create good content and a sticky site, so visitors will bookmark it, link to you and stay longer - then traffic and conversions will increase.

According to this article maybe your rankings will even go up too!

Google Algorithm Update – Is Bounce Rate a Ranking Signal?
User Bounces in the Post-Panda World

Forget for a moment everything you think you know about Google and how they rank content. Put yourself in the role of a person who is tasked with ranking results. One result gets clicked often, but most of the time the user only stays on the page for a few seconds (if that), returns to the results page, and clicks on another result.

Meanwhile, another result on the same page gets clicked on a lot too, but when users click on that one, they stay on the page longer, and don’t even return to the results page to find another result to click on. Nor do they refine their query. Which page is most likely the one that has the better content for that particular search?

Should bounce rate be a ranking signal?

Interesting... what do you think???

 

[djbaxter]

The author himself notes:

This is not exactly bounce rate, but it’s related.

He's not talking about bounce rate really but clicks from a Google results page to a Google search result item and then back to the same Google results page.

I doubt that it's a factor at all, to be honest. Could it be? Anything is possible but if it's a factor at all I don't think it's a big factor.

The problem with speculative articles like this is they ask "what if Google did this?" instead of "what is the evidence as to ranking factors actually used by Google?"

And let's go way out on a limb and say, "OK... let's assume for a moment it is not only a factor but a big ranking factor... now how should we react to exploit this factor for our own sites?'

The fact is there are so many factors controlling user behavior on a search engine that we really can't do anything at all as webmasters to change that behavior, other than what we are already doing to accomodate KNOWN ranking factors, which makes this hypothetical rankinjg factor irrelevant. If my site is not what the searcher is looking for, no matter what I do at that moment I am not going to keep that visitor. If my site IS what the searcher is looking for AND the search engine is doing its job properly to list my site as a result for the search query, then all of the factors known to be related to "true" bounce rate come into play.

But that has little to do with Chris Crum's article.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Good points all David!

I have to admit, I didn't read it (sheepish grin ) just scanned the 1st paragraph and thought it could spark a good discussion.

 

[bigcat1967]

Personally, I don’t think that a single page visit is a bad thing. To me, it tells me the visitor found what they were looking for. Isn’t that what Google would want? If I were Google, I’d want a searcher to find the answer to their search on the exact page they clicked on in a search result…not 1 or 2 clicks in. If I were Google, I’d look more at ‘Who Bounces off that page, and returns to the same Google search, and clicks on someone else, and then never returns to your site,’ but I’m not Google, and that’s just my ‘if I were Google’ thoughts”.

I'll have to agree w/ the above on what the writer said. If you found your information on the first page - and you, the user are satisfied OR you click on an amazon affiliate link because it was exactly what you were looking for...the website (if other users are looking at one page as well and happy w/ what they read and "bounce out") starts receiving a high bounce rate. I'm thinking Google should "dial down" the bounce rate.

 

[djbaxter]

I'm thinking Google should "dial down" the bounce rate.

If indeed it was ever dialed up.