The link graph used to be the main tool used by Google and other search engines to determine the best content that deserve to be presented to the users. However, as more people now use their mobile devices for browsing and quality mobile listings have grown in importance, Google’s dependency on the link graph has consequently dwindled.
For marketers, improving user experience and positioning as well as increasing site traffic from organic listings are key to attracting their target audience. And if they would want to know if these strategies are working in their favor, they would have to be aware of some common misconceptions in measuring content performance.
Myth #1: Bounce Rate Should Be Kept Low
Bounce rate is one metric that is often misunderstood and take out of content. Contrary to the common practice of keeping the bounce rate low all throughout the site, having a high bounce rate may actually be an indicator of high performing content that is able to effectively provide the information needed by the target audience.
An example would be a page that provides the address for a local branch, where the visitor need not stay for more than a few seconds if the page is able to clearly show the correct information right away.
Myth #2: A High “Time on Site” Average Means Strong-Performing Content
It is common practice for marketers to strategize towards influencing visitors to stay on the site for as long as they can. The idea behind this is, a user is spending more time on the site because they are able to find relevant and engaging content, which then signals search engines that the site offers high-quality content.
However, this is not always the case. In fact, the ideal scenario would be that in which the user is able to get all the information they need as quickly as possible. In fact, in Google’s Search Quality Rating Guidelines, it is emphasized that “Mobile smartphones should make tasks easy, even for mobile users with a small screen device (i.e., size of smartphone, not a tablet). Users want results right away, at that moment, and may not be able to spend a lot of time to find what they are looking for.”
Myth #3: A High “Pages Per Visit” Average Means Positive User Engagement
Not all consumers who visit a site would want to go hopping from one page to another. A page with high quality content can effectively achieve a positive user engagement by providing everything the user needs without having to move to another page. It all boils down to having a good understanding of the purpose of the content and realistic expectations.
These three common misconceptions show the major disconnect between SEO strategies and the actual behavior and needs of the consumer. It is important to note that there should not be just one approach to an SEO content marketing’s measurement framework, because this will only lead to poor optimization decisions. You might find it helpful to attend an online SEO training course to get a deeper understanding of search engine optimization and ensure that you implement effective content marketing strategies.
Michelle Gonzalez has been writing for SMEs across the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK for the last five years. She is a highly-experienced blogger and SEO copywriter, writing business blogs for various industries such as marketing, law, health and wellness, beauty, and education, particularly on creating online courses such as those offered by ClickMinded.com.