Pogo-sticking in SEO is when a user quickly navigates between webpages and search engine results pages (SERPs), only spending a few seconds on the pages.
For example, the user enters a search query in Google and clicks on a search result that takes them to your page. But they almost immediately return to the SERP to click on a different result.
Pogo-sticking in SEO matters for several reasons:
- User experience (UX): Pogo-sticking may indicate that people aren’t finding what they need on your page
- Content relevance and quality: If people consistently return to the SERP after landing on your page, the content may not meet their expectations
- Ranking: If your page ranks high, but people are pogo-sticking, Google might reevaluate and adjust its ranking. Pogo-sticking itself isn’t a ranking factor, but some of the causes could be.
Pogo-sticking is when a user bounces back to the SERP from your site.
A bounce is when a visitor lands on one of your pages and leaves, but doesn't necessarily return to the search results.
Bounce rate is the percentage of unengaged sessions on your site. These are sessions that last fewer than 10 seconds, don’t have a conversion event, and don’t have at least two pageviews divided by the total number of sessions.
A high bounce rate may indicate an issue with your site’s UX or content quality. However, it can also mean visitors found what they were looking for and left.
A common belief in the SEO industry is that bounce rate is a ranking factor, but Google has repeatedly confirmed that it’s not.
When asked in a Q&A if bounce rate is a ranking factor, Google Search Advocate John Mueller said it’s “definitely not the case.” Google Analyst Gary Illyes has also responded to this question, stating it’s not used in search ranking.
Pogo-sticking may or may not impact your search rankings. Because Google prioritizes user experience and satisfaction.
In a Google webmaster hangout, however, John Mueller said pogo-sticking is not a direct ranking factor. While pogo-sticking itself may not cause your rankings to fall, the causes of pogo-sticking can.
If your site consistently leads to pogo-sticking, it can point to a bad user experience, or low-quality or irrelevant content. Both may impact your rankings.
When a user quickly returns to the search results after visiting your site, it can hurt your trust and credibility. People may not perceive your brand or content as reliable. They may not return as often, if at all.
If your goal is to convert visitors into customers, pogo-sticking can certainly impact engagement and conversion rates.
Are you analyzing user behavior to adjust your SEO strategy?
Doing so can help you determine how to prioritize relevant content and an intuitive user experience for better rankings and user satisfaction.
The “Pages and screens” report in Google Analytics reveals user behavior. It can show you which pages get the most attention. And generate the most conversions. And which ones you might want to update.
To find this data, click “Reports” in the left-hand navigation.
Notable engagement metrics for these pages include:
- Views per user: Average number of pages viewed per user
- Average engagement time: Average amount of time the page was in focus in the user’s browser
- Conversions: Number of times users triggered a conversion event
Further reading: Google Analytics for Beginners: Getting Started with GA4
A mismatch occurs when a user visits your page, but your content doesn’t align with their expectations.
Solution: Align your content with search intent. Analyze the keyword intent before creating content. Your page should directly address what people are looking for.
Use the Keyword Overview tool to analyze intent.
Enter a keyword, select a country from the drop-down, and click “Search.”
To ensure your content satisfies the user’s needs, analyze the top-ranking results for your keyword. Then, create better content.
Readability is how easily your visitors can read and understand the content on your site.
If your site is difficult to read because of poor font choices or clashing color elements, for example, people could become frustrated and bounce back to the SERP.
Solution: Maintain good readability by using simple fonts and colors that are easy to read—such as a classic black font on white background.
Accessibility is about making your site easy to use for all types of users, including people with disabilities.
If someone lands on your site and finds that it’s incompatible with their screen reader, the font is too small, or, again, the color contrasts make the text difficult to see and read, they might leave.
Solution: Ensure your site adheres to web accessibility guidelines. This can be done manually or with a plugin, if your site is on a platform like WordPress.
Further reading: How to Check Website Accessibility
Gated content—content hidden behind a form or paywall—can frustrate people who expect to view it immediately.
Solution: Avoid gating essential information. Visitors should be able to find what they need without facing a virtual roadblock. Otherwise, users may pogo-stick to one of your competitors.
If you have a valuable asset with the potential to generate leads—such as the Semrush Content Marketing Starter Kit—consider gating this content.
If you want someone to share their personal information, your content must be worth it. If possible, provide a preview or summary before asking for people’s information.
Consider gating these content types while still providing helpful overview information to help users understand the value:
- Free templates or tools
- White papers, ebooks, and reports
- Webinars
- Product demos
In a Digital.com survey, 19% of respondents said they’ll leave a webpage that takes longer than 2-3 seconds to load.
In fact, the probability of people bouncing from your site jumps from 32% to 90% if your page takes longer than 3 seconds to load.
- Compress images
- Enable browser caching
- Minify JavaScript, CSS, and HTML
- Reduce HTTP requests
- Use a content delivery network (CDN)
Analyze your page load times with the Site Audit tool.
To set up, click “Start Audit.”
Once completed, you’ll see a dashboard with an overview of your site’s health and related reports.
To check your load speed and performance issues, click “View details” in the “Site Performance” box.
Solution: Reduce ad intrusiveness:
- Control the number and placement of ads: Too many ads can clutter your site, slow down page loading, and distract users. Optimize how often and where they appear to balance them with content.
- Test and measure the impact of ads: Use analytics to evaluate how ads affect your page's performance and engagement. Remove ads that harm engagement.
- Use alternative ad formats away from your site: Including paid search ads, social ads, and email ads
Pop-ups disrupt people from consuming your content. They can annoy visitors and lead to quick exits.
Solution: Avoid intrusive ad formats, such as pop-ups, interstitial ads, and auto-playing videos.
If pop-ups bring you leads and newsletter subscribers, use them wisely and sparingly so they don't hinder the overall user experience.
Cluttered layouts, outdated designs, and unresponsive sites can frustrate visitors and lead to pogo-sticking.
People may not have the patience to deal with tiny text, too-small buttons, or slow-loading pages.
Solution: Invest in a modern, SEO-friendly design that works well across devices.
Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing, assessing sites' mobile versions to inform rankings. Opt for a responsive design to keep mobile visitors satisfied, which adjusts your site's layout based on device specifications.
You can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to evaluate how well your page will perform on mobile devices and identify issues to fix.
Further reading: SEO Web Design: 10+ Tips to Build a Better Website
If users click on your search listing but find the content irrelevant, your title tag or meta description could be misleading.
If people land on the page and see the main heading doesn’t align with the title tag they saw, they may return to the SERP to look elsewhere.
Solution: Write accurate meta tags that align with your page's content so visitors are met with the content they expect when clicking through.
Here’s an example of a meta description for the Semrush homepage that aligns with the page's content:
But you can analyze user behavior while they're on your site. And mitigate pogo-sticking by improving user experience.
To measure factors related to pogo-sticking in Google Analytics, track bounce rates, average engagement time, and exit pages.
Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko, shared how his team reduced pogo-sticking.
Here are some strategies:
- Understand user intent: Backlinko created content that directly addresses user queries. By aligning content with what users seek, they reduce the chances of pogo-sticking.
- Enhance user experience: Backlinko placed internal links strategically, especially above the fold. These links guide users deeper into the site, reducing the likelihood of returning to search results.
- Font size: Backlinko used a readable font size (at least 15pt) to ensure users don’t bounce due to readability issues
- Reducing bounce rate: Backlinko focused on minimizing bounce rates. Improved dwell time positively impacts SEO and user satisfaction.
Many factors affect pogo-sticking in SEO: search intent, accessibility, page speed, and more.
By consistently evaluating your site’s performance and making adjustments to improve user satisfaction, you can minimize pogo-sticking.