Behavioural factors in SEO: what they are and how to improve them

Search engine optimisation (SEO) — is not merely a set of technical tricks for improving your site's positions in Google. It is rather the art of creating content and a user experience that not only satisfies search engine algorithms but also offers visitors real value. Behavioural factors play a key role exactly where those two aspects intertwine.

While traditional SEO elements such as keywords and external links deal with the «technical» side of the question, behavioural factors are about how real users interact with your site. It is their actions and reactions that determine how highly search engines rank your platform.

In this article we look in detail at which behavioural factors exist, how they affect SEO and what can be done to optimise them. The constantly changing algorithms of search engines make this topic more relevant than ever, so fasten your seatbelt — let us begin!

Table of contents:

• What behavioural factors are
• The key behavioural factors
• Why behavioural factors deserve attention
• How to measure behavioural factors
• Tools for analysis
• Ways of improving behavioural factors
• Improving page loading speed
• Increasing time on site
• Reducing the bounce rate
• Increasing pages per session

What behavioural factors are

If you want to understand how effectively your site engages with its audience, you need deeper research than simply analysing keywords or the quality of external links. This is where behavioural factors come in — indicators that reflect how real users react to and interact with your resource.

Behavioural factors — are metrics connected with users' actions and reactions on your site.

Among the most important are:

• Time on site. The amount of time visitors spend on your resource.
• Bounce rate. The percentage of users who leave the site without viewing other pages.
• Pages per session. The average number of pages a user visits in one session.
• Page loading speed. The time needed to load your site or a particular page fully.
• Interactivity. The number and types of interaction with site elements (clicks, scrolling, form filling and so on).

Traditional SEO metrics such as keyword optimisation, meta tags and the quality of external links focus on how your site is perceived by search algorithms. They most often concern only the «machine» view of your site.

Behavioural factors, by contrast, look at your site through the eyes of real users. If your keywords match potential customers' queries exactly but the site loads slowly, for example, that will most likely show in the bounce rate and time on site.

Examples

A site with a blog: if every article on your blog contains good, interesting material, that increases time on site and reduces the bounce rate.

An online store: if users often add products to the basket but do not complete the purchase because of a complicated interface, that has a negative effect on interactivity and therefore on rankings.

Understanding and optimising behavioural factors will not merely help you climb the search rankings; it will also make your site more convenient and more useful for visitors. Behavioural factors thus become the bridge between technical SEO and the real user experience.

The key behavioural factors

For your site not merely to hold high positions in search results but to be genuinely useful to users, it is worth paying attention to a number of key behavioural factors. These indicators reflect how visitors interact with your site and are an inseparable part of a successful SEO strategy.

Time on site

One of the first factors worth examining is the length of a user's session. This indicator reflects how valuable the site's content is for visitors.

Example:

If users spend a long time reading your blog about healthy eating, that shows a high degree of engagement and trust in your content.

Bounce rate

This indicator shows the percentage of visitors who leave your site without going to other pages. The lower that percentage, the better.

Example:

If the bounce rate in your online store is high, the problem may lie in complicated navigation or in product offers that are not appealing enough.

Pages per session

This shows the average number of pages a user visits in one session. The indicator can be a useful sign of interest and engagement.

Example:

On a news site a high number of pages per session can mean that the material is interesting enough and users want to read various articles.

Page loading speed

Loading speed — is a critical factor that directly affects the user experience and, accordingly, SEO.

Example:

If your flight booking site is slow, users will most likely go to competitors, which increases the bounce rate and reduces time on site.

Interactivity (clicks, scrolling and so on)

Interactivity means the various forms of user activity on a site: from a simple click and scroll to filling in forms and taking part in surveys.

Example:

On an educational platform a good sign of engagement is not only lesson views but also completing assignments or taking part in forum discussions.

Close attention to these factors will not only raise your place in search results but also make the site far more convenient and appealing to users.

Why behavioural factors deserve attention

On the way to building a successful web resource you cannot lose sight of the importance of behavioural factors. These indicators have become key not only for SEO specialists but also for marketers seeking to maximise engagement and conversion. In this section we explain why these factors deserve your attention.

The effect on search engine rankings

Modern search engine algorithms focus more and more on the user experience. That is precisely why behavioural factors are starting to play a decisive role. Search engines such as Google look at time on site, the bounce rate and other metrics in order to assess how relevant your site is for visitors.

Example:

If most users spend a long time on your site about healthy living, that is a strong «signal» to search engines that the content on the site is good and relevant.

The effect on the user experience and conversion

Another reason why behavioural factors matter so much lies in their effect on the user experience. Fast page loading, convenient navigation and interesting content will not only improve how users interact with the site but also increase the likelihood of conversion.

Example:

Imagine an online store with excellent loading speed and simple navigation. In such a store users are not only more likely to find the product they need, but also more likely to buy it.

Monitoring behavioural factors will not merely improve your site's position in search results. It will also create more comfortable conditions for your users, increasing the chances of conversion and, accordingly, profit for your business.

How to measure behavioural factors

Before starting to optimise behavioural factors on your site, you have to know how to measure them. Judging how well your web resource performs without concrete data — is like shooting in the dark. In this section we look at the tools and metrics that help you carry out an objective analysis.

Tools for analysis

Google Analytics

This powerful tool offers an extensive set of data, from time on site to conversion metrics.

Matomo

This platform provides a full set of key metrics, can be hosted on your own server, and even offers session recording.

Other tools

Services such as Hotjar or Crazy Egg offer additional capabilities, such as «heat maps» of clicks and views.

Example:

Using Google Analytics you can track which pages on your electronics site are the most popular, and identify those that cause visitors to leave.

Which metrics to track:

• Time on site: shows how long a user spent on your resource.
• Bounce rate: reflects the percentage of users who left the site after viewing one page.
• Pages per session: shows the average number of pages viewed in one session.
• Loading speed: measured in seconds, it shows how fast your site loads.
• Interactivity: here clicks, scrolling and other forms of user activity on the site matter.

With these tools you can determine that the bounce rate on your health site increases on pages with a large amount of text. That can be a signal to add visuals or video which make the content more accessible.

Gathering and analysing this data — is the first step towards optimising your site in terms of behavioural factors. That will not only raise your place in search engine rankings but also make interacting with the site more convenient and more useful for visitors.

Ways of improving behavioural factors

Measuring behavioural factors — is only the beginning. What matters most is knowing how to optimise them in order to reach high positions in search engines and raise user satisfaction. Let us look at effective methods for improving the key indicators.

Improving page loading speed

A fast-loading site — is your first step towards success. Slow loading can increase the bounce rate and reduce conversion.

Optimising images

Reducing the size of graphic files without losing quality can speed the site up substantially.

Using caching

Applying caching technology helps reduce the time needed to load a web page.

Increasing time on site

Holding a user's attention requires interesting, valuable content along with interactive elements.

Creating good, valuable content

Introduce interactive infographics, engaging videos and useful articles to increase time on site.

Adding interactive elements

Use polls, video and interactive charts to increase how much the user interacts with the site.

Reducing the bounce rate

Navigation and mobile optimisation — are the key points that can reduce the bounce rate.

Improving navigation

A clear, understandable interface helps the user find the information they need quickly.

Optimising the mobile version of the site

A convenient, fast mobile version raises satisfaction among users on smartphones.

Increasing pages per session

Pages per session — is another indicator that can and should be optimised. It shows how interesting your site's content is to users.

Internal linking

Building a network of internal links helps users move around the site easily and thus increases pages per session.

Suggesting related material

Recommending similar articles or products on a page holds the user and encourages them to explore your content further.

By applying these methods of improving behavioural factors your site will not only rise in search engine rankings but also make the user experience more pleasant and more productive.

Optimising behavioural factors — is not merely an addition to traditional SEO methods, but a key element aimed at improving the user experience. Improving page loading speed, increasing time on site, minimising the bounce rate and increasing pages per session — all of these elements play a decisive role in shaping your site's reputation.

Tuning these parameters properly will not only improve your site's position in search results but also make it more appealing to users. A satisfied visitor most often becomes your regular customer or subscriber, which can later lead to higher sales and greater brand recognition.

In this article we have looked at the main methods and approaches to improving behavioural factors. Equipped with this knowledge, you can now approach the optimisation of your site far more purposefully. Do not forget that every site is unique, and the optimal set of methods for one project may not suit another. The basic principles nevertheless remain the same, and by following them you take a big step towards building a successful, highly effective web resource.