Is bounce rate the future of SEO? - GoFuckYourself.com

Snake Doctor · 02-11-2009, 08:32 AM

Or are we already there?

By bounce rate I mean how long a visitor stays on your page after clicking your link in the SERPS.
If he stays for a long time, browses a few pages, then the SERPS will assume that you have some useful information there on the topic and adjust your ranking accordingly.
If he clicks the back button right away or clicks an off site link right away then maybe google decides the relevant info is contained in that off site link and not on your page?

HorseShit · 02-11-2009, 08:37 AM

I've noticed good productivity helps in the search engines on my own sites

Slappin Fish · 02-11-2009, 08:46 AM

I think it is already here.

Not always for the best either since sites with creative redirects tend to have a low bounce rate.

jimmy-3-way · 02-11-2009, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Doctor

Or are we already there?

By bounce rate I mean how long a visitor stays on your page after clicking your link in the SERPS.
If he stays for a long time, browses a few pages, then the SERPS will assume that you have some useful information there on the topic and adjust your ranking accordingly.
If he clicks the back button right away or clicks an off site link right away then maybe google decides the relevant info is contained in that off site link and not on your page?

So what's a good number?

Agent 488 · 02-11-2009, 08:48 AM

there have been some tests and experiments on the seo sites pointing either way - as usual the only way to know for sure is to do your own tests -

DarkJedi · 02-11-2009, 08:50 AM

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

EscortBiz · 02-11-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Jones

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

maybe they can see how quick you come back to the search results to click another link?

cherrylula · 02-11-2009, 08:54 AM

do tell more info please

Snake Doctor · 02-11-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy-3-way

So what's a good number?

I started a thread with a question, what makes you think I have any answers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Jones

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

They've had access to this info for a long time from what I've heard....I'm not sure how, I'm not a programmer.

webmasterchecks · 02-11-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscortBiz

maybe they can see how quick you come back to the search results to click another link?

exactly, or if you do at all.

which may mean that you found what you wanted.

Slappin Fish · 02-11-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Jones

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

They don't, but they know how quickly he either comes back or loads google again.

jimmy-3-way · 02-11-2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Doctor

I started a thread with a question, what makes you think I have any answers?

I was looking for an opinion, really.

mpahlca · 02-11-2009, 09:24 AM

a good bounce rate is under 40% and they only have the info if you have analytics on your site. (it is the number of people who leave your site in under x seconds)

fatfoo · 02-11-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpahlca

a good bounce rate is under 40% and they only have the info if you have analytics on your site. (it is the number of people who leave your site in under x seconds)

Yeah, that's a good bounce rate.

DarkJedi · 02-11-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscortBiz

maybe they can see how quick you come back to the search results to click another link?

That's the only thing i can thnk of. And it's very unreliable.

DarkJedi · 02-11-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpahlca

a good bounce rate is under 40% and they only have the info if you have analytics on your site. (it is the number of people who leave your site in under x seconds)

Usign google analytics on your site is pretty dumb.

Good stats, but it lets google spy the hell out of you sites/network.

tranza · 02-11-2009, 09:47 AM

google tools owns everything...

DaCaptain · 02-11-2009, 09:56 AM

Google has different ways of determining stats such as bounce rate. The google toolbar is certainly one way. Another is putting cookies in surfers' browsers. Who knows what else.

KillerK · 02-11-2009, 09:57 AM

Some google links are tracked when you click them

InternetIsForPorn · 02-11-2009, 10:00 AM

It's already within the formula and from what I'm seeing it's becoming a big deal.

The experiment went like this:

Site A had a very crawlable structure, no javascript or whatever and aimed the keyword X. It had a lot of indexed content, but the bounce rate and time spent was very poor.

Site B had next to no indexed content (all ajax), yet had very loyal visitors and a bounce rate of under 5% and also targetted the keyword X.

Result? B dominated A.

woj · 02-11-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Jones

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

google toolbar, chrome, web accelerator thing, how quickly visitor comes back to google.com from the site... probably dozen different ways altogether...

woj · 02-11-2009, 10:25 AM

I would be surprised if they don't use it, it makes too much sense to use bounce rate info in the rankings...

rowan · 02-11-2009, 10:31 AM

Did you know Google phones home clicks on results, even if you're not logged in? It's not done in an obvious way like Yahoo's redirect URLs; to the browser it's hard linked, but some additional background javascript quietly phones home each click.

DarkJedi · 02-11-2009, 10:34 AM

google is evil

Snake Doctor · 02-11-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowan

Did you know Google phones home clicks on results, even if you're not logged in? It's not done in an obvious way like Yahoo's redirect URLs; to the browser it's hard linked, but some additional background javascript quietly phones home each click.

WiredGuy · 02-11-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Jones

How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

Google Toolbar, they can have javascript detect on the google results page, plenty of ways.
WG

WiredGuy · 02-11-2009, 10:49 AM

I don't think the retention time (bounce rate) has that much of an impact, at least not yet. I've put disable back button code for surfers (but not bots) to increase the retention time and it had no effect on rankings. It does make sense to me though to use that as a guage of relevancy but its something blackhats could abuse pretty easily (faking a hit to google search and another fake hit to your site).
WG

Iron Fist · 02-11-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowan

Did you know Google phones home clicks on results...

TheSenator · 02-11-2009, 10:52 AM

SsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssHHHHHhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Damn....stop fucking telling people about the "bounce rate" and effects on SEO.

Now every fucking low life blackhat scum master is gonna exploit that feature.

crockett · 02-11-2009, 11:03 AM

I'm sure bounce rate will eventually have a big diffrence in serp listings. It makes since because it would be the best way to gage the value of a page for the surfer.

If no one stays on the page and bounces right off, it's a damn good chance the site is a link farm or a spam page.

BlackCrayon · 02-11-2009, 11:07 AM

if the only way they can tell is when the surfer returns to google, I think it will only be an issue for seo spammers who sites are nothing but garbage. I have one page sites that are just ads but have very nigh click through rates so the amount returning to google would be very small in comparison.

02-11-2009, 08:32 AM	#1
Snake Doctor I'm Lenny2 Bitch Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: On top of my soapbox Posts: 13,449	Is bounce rate the future of SEO? Or are we already there? By bounce rate I mean how long a visitor stays on your page after clicking your link in the SERPS. If he stays for a long time, browses a few pages, then the SERPS will assume that you have some useful information there on the topic and adjust your ranking accordingly. If he clicks the back button right away or clicks an off site link right away then maybe google decides the relevant info is contained in that off site link and not on your page? __________________ sig too big

02-11-2009, 09:24 AM	#13
mpahlca Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,821	a good bounce rate is under 40% and they only have the info if you have analytics on your site. (it is the number of people who leave your site in under x seconds) __________________ I could give two shits wether you read this sig or not.

02-11-2009, 09:47 AM	#17
tranza ICQ: 197-556-237 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: BRASIL !!! Posts: 57,559	google tools owns everything... __________________ I'm just a newbie.

02-11-2009, 09:56 AM	#18
DaCaptain Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the South. Posts: 797	Google has different ways of determining stats such as bounce rate. The google toolbar is certainly one way. Another is putting cookies in surfers' browsers. Who knows what else. __________________ Email me at jeff at rouge dot net

02-11-2009, 10:25 AM	#22
woj <&(©¿©)&> Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 47,882	I would be surprised if they don't use it, it makes too much sense to use bounce rate info in the rankings... __________________ Custom Software Development, email: woj#at#wojfun#.#com to discuss details or skype: wojl2000 or gchat: wojfun or telegram: wojl2000 Affiliate program tools: Hosted Galleries Manager Banner Manager Video Manager Wordpress Affiliate Plugin Pic/Movie of the Day Fansign Generator Zip Manager

02-11-2009, 08:37 AM	#2
HorseShit Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 17,513	I've noticed good productivity helps in the search engines on my own sites

02-11-2009, 08:46 AM	#3
Slappin Fish Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thailand Posts: 2,512	I think it is already here. Not always for the best either since sites with creative redirects tend to have a low bounce rate.

02-11-2009, 08:48 AM	#5
Agent 488 Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 22,511	there have been some tests and experiments on the seo sites pointing either way - as usual the only way to know for sure is to do your own tests -

02-11-2009, 08:50 AM	#6
DarkJedi No Refunds Issued. Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: GFY Posts: 28,300	How the hell can google know how long the surfer stays on your pages? (unless you're using google analytics)

02-11-2009, 08:54 AM	#8
cherrylula lol Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 15,969	do tell more info please

02-11-2009, 09:57 AM	#19
KillerK Confirmed User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3,406	Some google links are tracked when you click them

02-11-2009, 10:00 AM	#20
InternetIsForPorn Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 848	It's already within the formula and from what I'm seeing it's becoming a big deal. The experiment went like this: Site A had a very crawlable structure, no javascript or whatever and aimed the keyword X. It had a lot of indexed content, but the bounce rate and time spent was very poor. Site B had next to no indexed content (all ajax), yet had very loyal visitors and a bounce rate of under 5% and also targetted the keyword X. Result? B dominated A.

02-11-2009, 10:31 AM	#23
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	Did you know Google phones home clicks on results, even if you're not logged in? It's not done in an obvious way like Yahoo's redirect URLs; to the browser it's hard linked, but some additional background javascript quietly phones home each click.

02-11-2009, 10:34 AM	#24
DarkJedi No Refunds Issued. Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: GFY Posts: 28,300	google is evil

02-11-2009, 10:49 AM	#27
WiredGuy Pounding Googlebot Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 34,476	I don't think the retention time (bounce rate) has that much of an impact, at least not yet. I've put disable back button code for surfers (but not bots) to increase the retention time and it had no effect on rankings. It does make sense to me though to use that as a guage of relevancy but its something blackhats could abuse pretty easily (faking a hit to google search and another fake hit to your site). WG __________________ I play with Google.

02-11-2009, 10:52 AM	#29
TheSenator Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 13,336	SsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssHHHHHhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Damn....stop fucking telling people about the "bounce rate" and effects on SEO. Now every fucking low life blackhat scum master is gonna exploit that feature. __________________ ISeekGirls.com since 2005

02-11-2009, 11:03 AM	#30
crockett in a van by the river Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 76,806	I'm sure bounce rate will eventually have a big diffrence in serp listings. It makes since because it would be the best way to gage the value of a page for the surfer. If no one stays on the page and bounces right off, it's a damn good chance the site is a link farm or a spam page. __________________ In November, you can vote for America's next president or its first dictator. Last edited by crockett; 02-11-2009 at 11:04 AM..

02-11-2009, 11:07 AM	#31
BlackCrayon Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa Posts: 19,631	if the only way they can tell is when the surfer returns to google, I think it will only be an issue for seo spammers who sites are nothing but garbage. I have one page sites that are just ads but have very nigh click through rates so the amount returning to google would be very small in comparison. __________________ you don't know you're wearing a leash if you sit by the peg all day..