Pogo-sticking refers to the behavior where users frequently and rapidly navigate back to the search engine results page (SERP) from a website they’ve clicked on, only to select another result almost immediately. This pattern suggests that the initial page they visited did not meet their expectations or provide the information they were seeking.
This action is often interpreted by search engines as a signal of a poor user experience, as it indicates that the content on the page may not be relevant or engaging enough to satisfy the user’s query. A higher incidence of pogo-sticking can be a negative engagement metric, reflecting that the website may not be effectively addressing the needs or intentions of its visitors, which could potentially impact its search engine rankings.