As a digital marketer, you need to be aware of the various tools and programs that can affect our digital marketing and SEO efforts. One of these is Google RankBrain.
Google RankBrain was confirmed by Google in 2015 and even though it’s been in use for 5 years now, most marketers are still unaware of what it is and what it does.
What is Google RankBrain
This is an Artificial Intelligence-driven system that has been incorporated as part of the Google ranking algorithm today. Part of the reason it’s so effective is that it’s capable of machine learning. That means it studies relevant ranking factors e.g. user online behaviors, people’s demographic profiles, click-through-rate, user location, among others to understand a searcher’s true intention.
RankBrain works by analyzing how users interact with search results. It does this by focusing on two main ranking factors – the dwell time and the Click-Through-Rate (CTR).
Dwell time refers to the length of time users spend on your site while CTR refers to the percentage of people who clicked on a particular search result.
Let’s see how RankBrain and both dwell time and CTR affect SEO.
Effect of RankBrain and CTR on SEO
CTR and SEO go together since SEO is one of the ways you can use to get more people to click on your site on the search results page. However, since RankBrain uses CTR as a ranking signal, we should find other tactics and methods to get more organic CTR, instead of only relying on SEO.
Some suggestions include:
- Creating better headlines.
- Ensuring your URL is comprehensive and informative.
- Getting to know your audience so that you can deliver targeted relevant content and effective headlines.
Effect of RankBrain and Dwell Time on SEO
Dwell time is calculated from when a user clicks on the link to your site to when they close that window, enter another search, or hit the back button. According to research, sites that rank in the top 10 on the SERP have an average dwell time of 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
For your site to rank highly, you need to aim for a dwell time of 2 minutes. To achieve this do the following:
- Publish high-quality content that is engaging and relevant for your users.
- Ensure your website is mobile responsive for those visiting from mobile devices.
- Make sure your site loads quickly. Users tend to abandon sites that take time to load.
- Ensure that your site offers excellent user experience (UX).
Contact Me Today
There’ a lot more to digital marketing than just convincing customers to purchase your products or services. You have to understand what goes on behind the scenes as well. Having worked with several clients over the years, I have developed and honed the skills necessary to get your business to the next level.
Contact me today to schedule a consultation and let’s see how we can work together.