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How important are behavioural factors in google search.

Is the importance of Google's use of behavioural ranking factors such as bounce rate back to the SERPs from results clicked increasing or decreasing?

Posted: 30-10-2008

erik

User Level: SEO Trainee

Member Since: 10-10-2008

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yoms

User Level: SEO Pro

Member Since: 09-10-2008

whilst i am not sure of this for certain, i imagine it is increasing.

The problem with Google's algorithm is that it relies so heavily on link popularity and link analysis. SEOs are linkbuilding towards domains and can manipulate the results doing this just as before they could use other techniques like keyword stuffing.

So, in order to deliver quality results again, Google will have to start looking at what is happening in social spaces and look at alternatives to link popularity. Google has tested Digg-style user voting on results to affect rankings and the launch of things like Google chrome give Google even more data which it can use to assess the quality of a site - and therefore its ranking.

Posted: 30-10-2008

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decabbit

User Level: SEO Pro

Member Since: 30-10-2008

Google is beginning to rely heavily on this and has relied on it for paid search for some while.

There is a cookie dropped on your machine (browser dependant) which tracks and reports on behaviour. This is then fed in and can help spot obvious spam. It can also help educate the SE about what site is relevant to what query.

SEs will argue that this analysis is for behavioural targeting but really this is as much for ranking as understanding language usage.

The new "search-wiki" may be a new way to influence rankings. Melissa Meyers has said that there is a possibility that what people do to the search results may affect the ranking of some sites.

A new way to game search results may be to pay farms of workers all over the world to vote up sites.

Posted: 23-12-2008