New SEO Priority? Google Now Ranks Based on User Behaviour

Introduction

We recently talked with the people at Pitch Black Digital Marketing, a team that’s knee-deep in everything from SEO to web design and Google Ads. One of the big takeaways from our chat? User experience is now sitting front and centre when it comes to how Google decides which pages deserve to rank higher. The old-school tactics like keyword stuffing and backlink farming just don’t cut it anymore. Google has grown up, and it’s paying more attention to how real people interact with your site.

User signals like how long someone stays on your page, whether they click around or bounce right off, and how they interact with your content are now important indicators of quality. That means if you’re not thinking about how users actually experience your site, you’re probably leaving ranking points on the table.

What Are User Signals?

User signals are basically digital footprints your visitors leave behind that show how they’re engaging with your content. Imagine someone clicks on your blog post, skims a few lines, then hits the back button in five seconds. That tells Google your content might not be what people are looking for. On the other hand, if they stick around, scroll, maybe click on a few other pages or play a video, that sends a much more positive message.

A few of the key user signals include time on page (how long someone stays), bounce rate (how quickly they leave), click-through rate (how many people click your link from search results), and interactions like scrolling, clicking internal links or buttons. These little behaviours help Google figure out if users are finding value on your site or if they’re heading for the hills.

With advances in machine learning, Google has become quite good at picking up on these signals and using them to rank content. It’s not just about what’s on the page anymore, but also about what users do once they get there.

Why Google Cares About User Signals

Google’s main goal has always been to serve up the most relevant, helpful content to users. The better their search engine works, the more people use it. So it only makes sense that they’re paying closer attention to actual user behaviour.

Think of it this way: if users keep bouncing off a page quickly, that’s a pretty solid hint that the content isn’t what they were hoping for. On the flip side, if people are hanging out, reading, and exploring more pages, that’s a green flag that the page is doing something right. Google sees that and thinks, “Alright, this one’s worth bumping up the rankings.”

The introduction of RankBrain, Google’s AI system, was a turning point. RankBrain tries to understand search intent and uses user signals to measure how well search results are meeting those needs. It’s constantly learning from how people behave, which means user experience is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s a core part of SEO strategy.

Key Metrics to Watch

Let’s break down a few of the user engagement metrics that are worth keeping an eye on if you’re serious about improving rankings.

Time on page is a big one. If visitors are sticking around for a few minutes, that usually means they’re actually reading or watching something. It’s a sign your content is useful or interesting.

Bounce rate tells you the percentage of users who leave your site after visiting just one page. A high bounce rate isn’t always bad, especially if your page fully answers a user’s question. But generally speaking, a lower bounce rate means people are interested enough to explore more.

Pages per session shows how many pages a user visits in one go. More pages generally mean more engagement and better internal linking. If someone reads your blog and then checks out your services or contact page, that’s a win.

Click-through rate (CTR) is about how often people click on your site in the search results. If your page ranks but no one clicks, that’s a sign your title or meta description might need a rethink.

Then there are micro-interactions like scrolling to the bottom, clicking on images or buttons, or watching videos. These smaller actions still tell Google that people are engaging with your content.

How to Optimise for Positive User Signals

The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to keep visitors engaged and happy. And the even better news? Most of these changes don’t require a massive site overhaul.

Start with load speed. If your page takes forever to load, people are going to bounce—fast. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to find where you can shave off those extra seconds.

Then think about your content layout. Big walls of text are a no-go. Break things up with subheadings, images, and short paragraphs. Use a conversational tone that makes people feel like they’re reading something written by, well, an actual person.

Your content itself should actually answer the questions your audience is asking. Avoid fluff. Be helpful, clear, and get to the point quickly. People don’t want to dig for the good stuff.

Internal links are also your friend. If someone’s reading about SEO tips, link them to your related posts or service pages. Make it easy for them to stick around and explore.

And don’t forget mobile users. More than half of all web traffic comes from phones. Make sure your site looks good and works smoothly on smaller screens. A clunky mobile experience is a one-way ticket to a high bounce rate.

Real-World Examples

Let’s say a local business had a site with decent traffic but poor engagement. They partnered with a team like Pitch Black Digital Marketing and started making some UX improvements. They sped up the site, redesigned the layout to be more mobile-friendly, and added clear calls-to-action and internal links.

They also reworked their content to be more straightforward and useful, ditching the jargon and focusing on real questions customers were asking. Within a few months, their time on page increased by 40%, and bounce rate dropped by over 30%. Their rankings? Yep, those climbed too.

It’s not magic. It’s just good design, solid content, and thinking about the user first.

Bringing It All Together

If you’re still stuck in the mindset that SEO is all about keywords and backlinks, it’s time to shift gears. Google is getting smarter, and it’s looking at what real people are doing on your site to help decide whether you deserve to rank.

Focus on making your website a place people actually want to hang out. Write content that’s genuinely helpful. Make your site fast, easy to navigate, and pleasant to look at. Think like a user, not just a marketer.

We’re heading into an era where user experience isn’t just important—it’s everything. So if you’re chasing better rankings, it might be time to stop tweaking your meta tags and start paying attention to the people behind the clicks.