Mikä on Pogo-Sticking?
Pogo-sticking occurs when a visitor searches for something on a search engine, clicks on a result on the search results page, visits the webpage, and then quickly clicks the back button to return to the search results page, where they click on another result.
The visitor may repeat the same thing on the next webpage and continue visiting and leaving webpages until they find the one they want or abandon the search results page altogether.
Pogo-sticking usually indicates that the visited webpage does not meet the searcher’s expectations. This has caused bloggers and SEOs to speculate that it may be a ranking factor. However, this remains unverified, and there is no indication that Google considers it a ranking factor.
Difference Between Pogo-Sticking and Bounce Rate
Pogo-sticking is different from the bounce rate. Pogo-sticking refers to the situation wherein a person clicks on a webpage on a search results page and then quickly returns to the search engine results after arriving on the page.
On the other hand, bounce rate refers to a situation wherein the visitor arrives at a site from any source (not necessarily the search results page) but does not perform any action on the site before leaving.
The bounce rate does not necessarily indicate whether the page satisfied the visitor’s hakutarkoitus. However, pogo-sticking typically indicates that the page does not satisfy the search intent.
Causes of Pogo-Sticking
Pogo-sticking can be caused by various factors. However, the most common reason is mismatched search intent. This occurs when the content on the page is different from what the visitor expects to see.
Typically, a search intent could be informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial.
- An informational search intent indicates the visitor wants answers, explanations, or additional knowledge on a topic.
- A navigational search intent indicates the visitor wants to visit a webpage or site belonging to a brand, product, or service.
- A transactional search intent indicates the visitor wants to purchase a product or service but has not decided where to get it.
- A commercial search intent indicates that the visitor wants to purchase a product or service but requires some final information before doing so.
A mismatched search intent could occur when visitors arrive at content that is not helpful to them. For example, visitors may arrive at a webpage containing informational content when they require a commercial one.
However, it is important to note that a mismatched search intent could also occur if the visitor believes the content does not satisfy their intent, even if it does.
This could happen when the introduction, above the fold content, and other elements at the top of the page do not accurately reflect the rest of the page’s content. In such cases, the visitor would assume the rest of the content does not satisfy their intent and would leave the page.
That said, while the search intent is a significant cause of pogo-sticking, it is not the only one. Multiple on-page ja technical SEO issues may also cause your visitors to pogo-stick. For example, the on-page SEO issues below could cause pogo-sticking
- Clickbait headlines
- Misleading meta tags
- Irrelevant or low-quality content
- Unclear or unhelpful information
- Inaccurate search engine rankings
Multiple technical SEO issues may also cause pogo-sticking. In this case, visitors can leave your page even when they know it satisfies their search intent. For example:
- Slow page speed
- Poor user experience (UX)
- Excessive or intrusive ads and pop-ups
- Confusing navigation or site structure
- Non-mobile friendly site
- Paywalled content
Overall, pogo-sticking can occur when your content ranks for keywords it should not rank for or fails to deliver a positive user experience to visitors.
Should You Worry About Pogo-Sticking?
SEOs and bloggers have conflicting opinions about pogo-sticking. Some believe it is a ranking factor, while others insist it is not.
However, even those who do not consider pogo-sticking a ranking factor agree it is something to worry about, as it can negatively impact user experience and indirectly affect search engine rankings.
When users quickly return to search results after clicking on your page, it signals to search engines that your content may not be relevant or useful.
While this behavior may not directly cause search engines to lower your rankings, it can still indicate that your content may not be valuable to visitors, which could influence your site’s performance over time.
Additionally, pogo sticking reduces the likelihood of conversions and engagement, which harms your site’s ability to convert visitors into subscribers and customers.