How Might Google Measure Recent SERP Changes

There are a number of indices they may consider. We believe, as most industry watchers do, that Google is a very savvy company and therefore must have a plan to evaluate the success of these changes.

For example, they might consider the following metrics in various combinations: Total Revenue, Revenue per User, Conversion Rates, Ad Clicks, Average Time to a Click, Pages per Session, Bounce Rates, Average Searches per Session, Visitor Loyalty and perhaps most important Searcher Satisfaction.

So what does any of this mean? The largest impact for searchers may be the reduction in the number of organic results. If the searcher is looking for non-commercial information – using Google may begin to be a chore. However since we know that Google is a fan of Big Data – it is likely that they have data that suggests most searchers are looking for commercial results. From Google’s perspective this may be the perfect outcome. Total Revenue and Revenue per User would increase without a loss in Visitor Loyalty.

The next trio of metrics might be Ad Clicks, Conversion Rates and Bounce Rates. Ad Clicks are the bread and butter of Google’s revenue. With more ads front and center Ad Clicks should automatically go up, but if there is significant increase in Bounce Rates both searchers and advertisers will be unhappy. The ads that are being presented would have less relevance and advertisers would see a decline in Conversions. However, once again, it is likely that Google will be watching these metrics closely so that they can ensure a good experience for searchers and therefore for Advertisers. However, Advertisers have a role to play. They need to ensure that they are doing a good job of targeting.

A final set of metrics might be Average Time to Click, Pages per Session, and Average Searches per Session. If there is a significant increase in these metrics it will be a clear sign that Google missed the mark. If searchers take extra time trying to find the results they want or they frequently have to go to the second page of results or if the searcher is forced to make multiple queries for the SERPs they want, then Google will need to tweak the results.For further Reading Check out this link Google's Take.

Of course only time will tell. As we said at the outset, Google is a savvy company and we are certain that searchers and advertisers will adapt to the new normal. Here at Front Man Marketing we understand the new environment and can work with you to develop a marketing campaign that works. Give us a call or complete the contact us form. We are ready to work with you.