Google’s SERP Click Stopwatch

Dec 08 in Search Optimisation Written by: Harris

Is it possible that Google is now recording the duration a user stays on a website after a click from the Search Engines Results page?

When we do a search for “business website design” we see the following link in Google;

You will notice that the URL is reported as:
www.xecommerce.com.au/professional-ecommerce-websites.php

However the actual URL is:
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=business%20website%20designs%20link%3Axecommerce.com.au
&source=web&cd=14&ved=0CFsQFjADOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2F
www.xecommerce.com.au%2Fprofessional-ecommerce-websites.php&ei=wIzcTovrEIaeiAfs2tHjDQ&
usg=AFQjCNFyR_2M7_nxN_vMDbqk9PDzy8FW0g

This demonstrates that Google is intercepting the click, and suggests they are then recording certain details about the click.

1. First thing recorded is of course the URL that is clicked.
2. Second, in my opinion, is the time spent on the site.

Google could easily measure this to determine if the user found the information valuable. A click on the following next link within a few seconds would suggest to Google that the content was wither not appropriate to the search term, or that the content is not good quality. Either way, the URL would likely be downgraded for that search phrase.

What can a buiness website owner do to keep user on their landing pages?

• Make the META description – descriptive!
• Make sure the content is up to scratch
• Make sure targeted search phrase is relevant to content
• Include lists, images, and other visually compelling content, users generally prefer these to huge blocks of text.

Your comments and opinions are welcome…

Tags:

analytics, business strategies, content users, ecommerce websites, google, meta description, professional ecommerce, search engines results, Search Optimisation, search phrase, search term, seo, targeted search

About the author

Harris
I have been in the Internet industry since 1994, when I was one of the directors and owners of Cyberloom Pty Ltd - an early ISP based in Sydney, NSW. Cyberloom was sold in 2001. That's when I started X Pty Ltd as a website development company. xEcommerce.com.au is now my primary focus. xEcommerce.com.au builds small business sites on two platforms - Magento & Wordpress. One day I would like to operate the business from the Greek Island of Meganisi - and why not? The Internet is everywhere! ;)