This was the announcement : “ In the few months it has been implemented, RankBrain has become the third most important signal contributing to the outcome of a search query .”
And as Google refines its algorithm, RankBrain will become even more important in 2018.
The question is:
What is RankBrain, exactly? And how can you optimize it?
Google RankBrain: A Simple Explanation
RankBrain is a “machine learning system” that helps Google rank its search results.
That may sound complicated, but it isn't.
RankBrain simply measures gambling data turkey how users interact with search results… and ranks them accordingly.
For example, let’s say you search for “cold brew coffee” on Google.
rankbrain explanation
Source: Google
Result 2 looks especially tempting. So, you quickly click on it. And when you get there… Wow! It’s the best article about coffee you’ve ever read. So you devour every word.
RankBrain is going to take note… and likely give that 2 result a ranking boost. On the other hand, let’s say you do the same search. But this time, you click on the 1 result without even looking.
But the content is TERRIBLE. So you leave the page after a few seconds. And click on result 2 to find something about coffee that's actually worth reading.
RankBrain will notice this too, and if enough people quickly bounce off that result, Google will bump it up to the 1 spot.
As you can see, Google RankBrain focuses on two things:
1. How long someone spends on your page (Dwell Time)
2. The percentage of people who click on your result (Click Through Rate)
Let's go into the details of each one.
RankBrain and Dwell Time
Dwell Time = how long a Google searcher (user) spends on your page. As a result, RankBrain pays A LOT of attention to “Dwell Time.”
In fact, the director of Google Brain in Canada recently confirmed that Google uses “dwell time” as a ranking signal. He stated that RankBrain measures when: “Someone clicks on a page and stays on that page, as well as when they return.”
Dwell time
And a recent industry study by SearchMetrics backs this up. They found that the average dwell time for a Google result in the top 10 is 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
If you've spent time understanding Google Analytics, you'll know that a dwell time of 3+ minutes is legitimate. And it's no coincidence that pages with incredible dwell times tend to rank better. In fact, RankBrain is updating these pages for that reason.
This makes sense if you think about it:
If you spend a lot of time on a page, you probably like the content on that page. And if enough people feel the same way, Google will update that content to make it easier to find.
RankBrain and organic CTR (Click Through Rate)
Google engineer Paul Haahr caused a stir in the SEO world when he presented this slide at a conference:
SEO CTR - google rankbrain
Source: Google
This slide basically says:
«RankBrain sometimes ranks pages higher than they “should” rank.
And if that page gets a higher than average CTR (click-through rate), we use that as a signal that the page should get a permanent ranking boost.»
This shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, if no one clicks on your result, why would Google keep it on the first page? And if your site is being clicked on like there's no tomorrow, why would Google keep it buried in the 9 spot?
Increasing CTR is therefore an important activity in the SEO of any website . In a future post I will share strategies to achieve this.
Now it's your turn!
Remember, Google RankBrain focuses on how long people stay on your content and the click-through rate, especially organic ones. Whether or not they return to your content. What actions are you taking today to validate these aspects? Can this improve the acquisition of potential clients? Well, if you need help with your site’s SEO, we are always here to talk.
