 Time Spent On Website By Visitor, Can Google track this somehow? |
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High Rankings Search Engine Optimization Forum > Search Engine Marketing > Web Analytics, Server Logs and Tracking ROI  |
 Jul 1 2004, 09:35 AM
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#1
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HR 2  Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: 16-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM Member No.: 3,953  |
Hello everyone!
I had this thought today, is it possible for Google to be able to track(with the use of cookies) how much time a visitor spends on a website after clicking on a website link in the Google website results page and then by how soon the visitor returns to the same web results page of Google using the Back button? If many visitors only spend a few seconds on a particular website, Google could drop its ranking. If I owned a search engine, I would find this useful. Anyone more knowledge on this subject? I'm trying to convince a customer that his cluttered website will do him no good with a high ranking. Thanks! Leontine (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/cheers.gif) |
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Jul 1 2004, 09:52 AM
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#2
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HR 3 Group: Active Members Posts: 70 Joined: 15-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM Member No.: 3,937 |
Once you click the link in google, there is no way google can check your duration. Cookies can only be written and read by the domain that created them.
Duration doesn't really make sense in my opinion. Someone can just get in your website and add the site to favorites to check it later on. |
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Jul 1 2004, 10:04 AM
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#3
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HR 2 Group: Active Members Posts: 37 Joined: 15-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM Member No.: 3,942 |
Even if they did check the duration, what significance would it have when so many people don't close their window while on a site. I think it wouldn't give you any accurate measure of anything.
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Jul 1 2004, 10:12 AM
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 Psycho Mom  Group: Admin Posts: 6,124 Joined: 21-July 03 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM From: Columbia, SC Member No.: 3 |
Look at entrance and exit pages as a good metric for usability along with average page views... if they come and leave on the same page and have a high number of 1 page visits, it can tell you a lot.
Personally, I'm not taking anymore clients who aren't prepared to do what it takes to succeed. The ones who want a band-aid on a poor design, poor layout, and bad copywriting and think that more traffic is going to solve their problems are not going to be satisfied when you are done. I spend way more time on the "just get higher rankings' people for less result than I do for the people who are willing to make changes to their site first and then drive traffic. It just doesn't work in reverse- it wastes everyone's time and money. |
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Jul 1 2004, 10:47 AM
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#5
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 Convert Me! Group: Admin Posts: 17,377 Joined: 17-August 03 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 01:14 PM Member No.: 551 |
Amen Scottie. (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/appl.gif)
You just described exactly why I got out of the SEO game and started creating my own e-comm sites instead. Easier on my stress level, and frankly better for the old bank account too. |
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Jul 2 2004, 04:45 AM
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 HR 3 Group: Active Members Posts: 57 Joined: 20-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM From: India, Kolkata Member No.: 4,015 |
It cannot know but It does one thing
Say there are 2 sites with all parameters same and one is displayed at 10 and other some higher than 10. If from different IP clicks are made to say the 10th on regular basis with set of keyword it will move the 10th a bit higher. This has been tested and you can find it on sitepoint forums but I dont have the URL at hand. Thanks -Shabbir |
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Jul 2 2004, 01:37 PM
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#7
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HR 2 Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: 16-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM Member No.: 3,953 |
Thank you everyone for your comments, I really appreciate it!
I especially agree with Scottie's view of the customers with poorly edsigned websites, thanks again! Leontine |
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Jul 3 2004, 02:16 PM
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 HR 2 Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: 25-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM From: Miami, Florida Member No.: 4,088 |
If you're using Google's Conversion Tracking tool (comes with every Ad Words account) then I am sure time spent on site is one of the factors they can record.
Keep in mind that time spent on site is a function of many variables: * Site content. How much time would you spend on weather.com? Probably one or two pageviews - type in zip code, get results, get out. * Traffic quality. If the visitor has low affinity for your product or service, does it mean the traffic source is bad or your website is bad? Google don't know either. So even if Google have the means of tracking time spent on site, we think it's highly unlikely it can affect your PR. Visit depth, expressed in absolute terms ("time spent on site," "number of pageviews per visitor"), has limited meaning. But if you compare two traffic sources, the difference can tell you a lot. This post has been edited by Clicklab: Jul 3 2004, 02:31 PM |
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Jul 3 2004, 02:23 PM
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#9
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HR 2 Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: 25-June 04 User's local time: Feb 9 2010, 03:14 PM From: Miami, Florida Member No.: 4,088 |
QUOTE Personally, I'm not taking anymore clients who aren't prepared to do what it takes to succeed. It's only a matter of time until such clients slowly disappear from the picture whether they want it or not. This situation reminds me of the early days when web designers had to be web evangelists first. |
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