Pogo-sticking is not like the pogo sticks many of us grew up as a kid. When we talk about pogo-sticking this is when a person types a search term in the search engines, click on a link and then immediately after reaching a page clicks the back button as the page they landed on was not what they were looking for. In the terms of a business when pogo-sticking happens on their page a lost sale has most likely just happened.
The Pogo-Sticking Damage Effect
We all want to be on page 1, position 1 of the search engine results page (SERP) for an individual search keyword phrase. When we start reaching page 1 a core component is for people to click your link and stay on your site. When a person clicks on your link, clicks the back button, and then clicks and "chooses" another link over yours. When this happens the link the user stays on is considered more relevant for the keyword phrase that was being search for. When this happens with the search engines this event is also closely measured in Google Analytics under the term "bounce rate."
Not Just a SERP Problem
If Pogo-sticking is related to people on search engine result pages clicking on your link and then clicking back how is it not just a SERP problem? The simple answer is you could be creating your own problem internally. If someone clicks on a link on your own site that links to another internal page and then clicks back this is what is called "Internal Pogo-Sticking". This means your link text was either misinforming, the visitor made a mistake (it happens to all of us), or they saw the page and the information at the time seemed irrelevant to them.
Page Speed Matters
Many times we've seen pogo-sticking make people leave your site due to the load speed of your site. Take a look at your page and see if it is loading fast according to Google and the search engines. A great tool we use to test pages is https://testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com/ which is a free tool that gives you some great feedback to improve your site.
Lost Sales Opportunity
When a person comes to your page and immediately leaves you are losing a potential sale. This lost opportunity is in our minds horrible and we are sure it is in yours as well. We all want people to come to our site and love our content. We want the information shared and people coming back to learn more about what we have to offer and then ultimately purchase our products and services.
Finding and Fixing Pogo-Stick problem
With Google Analytics the when you look at the results look for your page bounces. Some of the best ways to fix this from happening is to
- Improve your page titles, descriptions, and keywords
- Improve the page layout and structure
- Improve the visual elements of your page
- Improve the content and how it reads
- Bullets, like this, can improve your user experience (UX)
- Use clear headings for your page and for all sub-headings
- Go easy on pop-ups (even better to use none). We see this as a very easy fix for many sites that have pogo-sticking problems.
- Target your information to your target audience rather than being vague
- Look at the keyword phrases being used on the searches and how adjust your page accordingly
- Mobile friendly and device support is critical
Conclusion
For help with your search engine optimization or SEO you need a team that is dedicated to your success that understands your industry and is committed to helping you build your brand. The team at JM2 Webdesigners is a team that is willing, able, and wants to help you grow. You can reach us at 219-229-1633, email at sales@FawkesDM.com, or through our online contact form here.
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