Search journey: what it is and how Google interprets searches
Every Google search is more than just a “query”: it’s the beginning of a journey. Users start with a question, progressively refine their requests, compare information and arrive at a final choice. This process is known as a search journey, and understanding its dynamics is essential for anyone who wants to gain visibility on the web. We know that in this modern SEO we can no longer limit ourselves to thinking about responding to individual queries in isolation, also because Google analyzes the overall behavior of users – it records the actions following the first search, interprets the intentions behind each click and models the results based on browsing paths. A site that aligns itself with this mechanism has a better chance of emerging in the SERP, intercepting users at the most opportune moment. So let’s understand what the search journey is, how it affects SEO and content strategies, how Google interprets user signals and how all this also affects interactions with our site, and what tools can help optimize the entire process.
What is the search journey
The search journey is the process through which a user explores the search engine to find answers, compare sources and arrive at a final choice. Every Google search is part of a broader journey that rarely ends with a single query: it is not a linear sequence, but a series of interconnected steps in which the user can refine their request, change their search intent and return to certain pages several times before taking a definitive action.
This journey – also called User search behavior or Search intent journey – can last from a few minutes to weeks, depending on the complexity of the information need and the alternatives available. Over time, Google has developed increasingly sophisticated systems to understand and anticipate this behavior, adapting the results based on the evolution of each individual user’s searches.
For those working in digital marketing and SEO, studying the search journey means going beyond the single keyword and creating content that can intercept the user at every stage of the journey. Optimizing a website with this in mind allows you to offer more relevant answers, increase the time spent on your pages and improve the chances of conversion.
How Google interprets the search journey
One of the central points of the discussion on the search journey concerns the way in which Google “reads” user behavior and adapts the SERP to their search paths. The search engine has always stated that its main objective is to return to users the most relevant results for each query, minimizing the need to carry out repetitive or manually refined searches to find what they need. While the initial page ranking was based on more static factors, such as the quality of the content and the authority of external links, over time the algorithm has become increasingly sophisticated in interpreting the real intent behind each search, going beyond a simple match between keywords.
Although it has never been explicitly confirmed that user interactions directly affect ranking, some indirect signals suggest that the system is able to process the context of subsequent searches, dynamically adapting the SERP to offer increasingly relevant answers – Ivano Di Biasi also said this during his speech at SEOZoom Day 2022.
The discriminating factor is the active role of the user in defining the quality of the content in the SERP: it seems plausible that Google uses indirect signals to understand when a result satisfies the intent of the search or when, on the contrary, it does not respond adequately. By observing the SERP over time, we can in fact see patterns that suggest a progressive refinement based on the search journey: if many users, for example, perform a generic search and then refine it with more specific queries, Google seems able to prevent this behavior, by directly proposing more targeted resources among the main results.
This phenomenon is seen, for example, in Google’s tendency to suggest more targeted variations of the initial query or to favor certain types of content based on search patterns repeated by users. Another hypothesis concerns how the SERP works with large volumes of users: if a large number of people tend to ignore certain results, it’s possible that the system recalibrates the layout of the content to maximize the probability that the user finds the optimal answer in the shortest possible time.
We’re not talking about direct influences or instantaneous changes to the ranking, but a process of progressive adjustment, in which Google seems to take into account aggregate search dynamics rather than individual browsing sessions.
How it differs from customer journey and user journey
It is worth spending a few words to clarify the meaning of three expressions that refer to the digital “journey” of people: search journey, customer journey and user journey are three connected but distinct concepts that describe different moments of interaction with a brand.
- The search journey only concerns the research phase and analyzes the way in which a user explores search engines to acquire information on a topic or to solve a problem. It is limited to the actions that precede the first contact with a website or a specific company.
- The customer journey includes the entire experience of a relationship with a brand, from the moment of discovery to purchase and after-sales. In this journey, the search journey represents only a single initial step.
- The user journey refers to the overall experience of the user on a site or app, analyzing how they navigate between pages, what actions they take and how they interact with the content.
To simplify: the search journey is the user’s informative journey before choosing a product or service, while the customer journey covers the entire purchasing experience and the user journey focuses on behavior after entering a site. Understanding these differences helps to manage the digital marketing strategy in a more targeted way, taking advantage of each phase to build an effective relationship with the audience.
The evolution of the search journey over time and its impact on online research
The search journey has not always been a central element in search engine optimization (SEO). When Google entered the search engine industry, it did not base its system solely on the quantity of keywords and the number of backlinks received by a page, as its competitors at the time did: Larry Page and Sergey Brin had the great intuition to introduce the qualitative evaluation of links, developing PageRank, a system that measured the authority of pages based on inbound links, considering them signals of trust and relevance.
This difference compared to other search engines quickly made Google dominant, because the system managed to return better and more relevant results, laying the foundations for the concept of information quality. However, initially each search was considered a separate event, without connections to a user’s previous queries.
Over time, this logic changed. Google began to recognize that a single result did not always fully satisfy an information need, and that users tended to make multiple successive queries, refining their search to obtain better answers. The introduction of the Knowledge Graph in 2012 was a first big step in Google’s ability to understand the connections between keywords, entities and related topics and to make “predictions” about subsequent searches.
In the following years, with algorithms such as RankBrain, BERT and MUM, the search journey became increasingly personalized and dynamic. Here too, as discussed in previous SEOZoom events, SERPs are not modeled in a static way, but respond to a pattern based on the evolution of collective searches. This has prompted SEO workers to completely rethink the way content is structured: no longer focused on isolated keywords, but organized to accompany the user along their entire information journey.
The role of artificial intelligence in the search journey
Artificial intelligence has profoundly transformed the way Google interprets user searches, making the search journey a more dynamic and anticipatory process. While the search engine initially limited itself to returning results based on a direct correspondence between query and content, today it is able to better understand the context of the search, even predicting subsequent information needs.
RankBrain marked the first step towards this evolution, allowing the meaning of words to be interpreted in relation to the context and perfecting the SERP based on less common queries. With the introduction of BERT, the algorithm acquired a more advanced ability to understand natural language, managing to better distinguish semantic nuances within a sentence. MUM has taken this logic even further, processing information from different sources that can be translated in real time, thus reducing the need for sequential searches to obtain complete answers.
Customization of results and implications for SEO
Today, Google progressively adapts the SERP to the context in which the search takes place, shaping the selection of results based on elements such as search intent, geographical location and the evolution of the search journey. The goal is to reduce the number of steps necessary for a user to find the most relevant answer, immediately presenting the most useful resources for their specific need.
This dynamic has direct consequences for SEO. It is no longer enough to focus on optimizing a single keyword, because the visibility of content also depends on its ability to cover multiple aspects of the same topic and to fit naturally into the information paths that Google recognizes as most recurrent. Structuring a site in such a way as to favor navigation between complementary contents helps not only to retain users for longer, but also to improve the site’s recognition as a reliable resource for specific topics. Identifying these paths and building SEO strategies based on the logical progression of searches is more effective than an approach based exclusively on a single query. Websites that manage to anticipate the user’s need for information and offer them related content in an intuitive way gain a competitive advantage both in terms of positioning and engagement.
Even Google uses the search journey
After all, Google is a very normal website, with a very basic interface, with its system of statistics, able to provide it with information on when we search for something, what we search for, how we do it, when we are not satisfied and when instead we have managed to get what we wanted
Google “presents us with only one search box” with which we can interact with (or we can activate a voice search), but there are countless inputs that we provide as users and that Big G collects, analyzes, interprets and uses: the first input we give to the search engine is “when”, the moment we do the search and start our journey, but also the moment we are interested in a particular topic (useful for seasonality statistics). The second, closely related signal is “what” we are looking for and want.
And so, as Ivano Di Biasi said, Google also needs to do search journeys and data analysis to understand what to respond to our queries, and “algorithms certainly do a good part of this work, but in reality the answers are given by us users ourselves using the search engine and providing information with our behavior”.
The search engine collects information on the user’s journey
From here, the search engine begins to collect other information about our journey and to see what we do: in these cases, the feedback is the click (or non-click) on one or more search results shown in the SERP that we choose because they seem to best respond to our needs. “We have told Google that, starting from the search we made, we chose the result that interested us the most. On a large scale, these user actions also give Google information on the liking of its page.
When we open the site we clicked on among the search results, we can behave in two ways: either we are satisfied with the content and we read it, or we go back. This in turn generates two different actions: we either go back to Google’s SERP because we don’t like the page and choose another result from those proposed, or we change the search and type in a new query, perhaps more specific and in-depth.
In this case, “as users we give two pieces of information to Google: first of all, the ten results selected are fine, because we clicked two or more times within that SERP”. But at the same time we are telling Google that something is wrong, because we are not satisfied with one of the results or with the entire SERP (if we repeat the search), helping the search engine to obtain information on the quality of its SERPs. Google also has correlation signals between the various search queries, connecting them in a logical path.
Each step generates useful data for Google
The last step is the final choice, the content that completes our journey and expresses a “vote”: it’s as if we were saying to Google “I searched for this thing, I did many other searches to get to what I wanted – you made me waste time with SERPs and pages that didn’t satisfy me – I found the right query to get answers and I also found the right result among the sites”.
And so our path, our search journey, determines a vote for the “best website for the whole search process”, because Google receives the information and saves it in its database together with that of other users who have made their journeys in the same period and on the same topic.
Google also improves its search engine thanks to its users
In short, studying the search journey of its users allows Google to understand everything it needs to improve the functioning of its search engine, and in particular to know:
- When we want something.
- Which result we don’t consider an adequate answer (and if many feedbacks report the same lack of appreciation for a result), it is likely that that page will lose positions and disappear from the first page because it is not suitable for the search intent of the majority of users.
- How we search again when we are not satisfied with the first query.
- Which result we consider adequate and satisfactory.
- How many times the search algorithm has failed to satisfy us during our journey, with indications both on the wrong results and on any misinterpretations of the query.
So, starting from a simple search box we provide lots of information to Google, we give it all our preferences, we simplify its work, we tell it what to show us immediately without wasting time on useless searches.
In short, we tell Google “how to be a search engine”, as Ivano summarizes.
How search journey affects SEO and content marketing
The basic operational line is that organic visibility no longer depends only on simple optimization for isolated keywords, but on the ability of a site to fit into a broader information context. Google does not evaluate pages individually, but establishes connections between them and inserts them by contextualizing them in the overall path of the user, analyzing the search journey to understand the intention behind each search.
A user may start with a general question, modify their query after consulting the first results and, finally, focus on a specific choice. This process means that the ranking is no longer static, but adapts according to user behavior. If a page attracts clicks, keeps users engaged and offers useful answers, it has a better chance of gaining visibility over time.
For those involved in SEO, ignoring the search journey means losing opportunities to intercept the public at the most suitable moment. Content marketing strategies must structure content to accompany the user throughout their search, avoiding focusing only on queries aimed at conversion. A site that oversees multiple phases of the search journey is more likely to consolidate its authority in the eyes of Google and be chosen by users over competitors.
Data and signals that Google uses to interpret the search journey
On the subject of behavioral data, Google has always maintained a cautious official position, stating that user clicks do not directly influence the ranking of pages. As mentioned, however, some SERP dynamics suggest that the search engine may use aggregated search patterns to refine results over time.
One of the most discussed aspects by the SEO community is the possibility that Google analyzes the correlations between successive queries, recognizing when users refine a search after consulting certain results. If many people who type in a specific query tend to carry out a second, more specific search, Google can reorganize the SERP by proposing content closer to the search intent in the initial positions. This is not a static ranking, but an adaptive SERP, which evolves based on search patterns observed anonymously and in aggregate.
Another interesting element concerns the so-called pogo sticking, the behavior in which a user clicks on a result and immediately returns to the SERP. Google has never confirmed that it directly penalizes this phenomenon, but has stated that it is careful to provide content that satisfies the search intent in as few steps as possible. This suggests that the system may interpret the way users interact with the results to refine the quality of the search, ensuring that the most useful answers get greater visibility over time.
Another interesting aspect is that of NavBoost, mentioned during the advanced discussions on SEO and which emerged in some phases of the antitrust dispute between Google and the US Department of Justice. According to some experts, this system could help the search engine to refine the SERP based on the aggregate choices of users, without individual clicks directly altering the ranking. Again, this is not an official confirmation of how the algorithm works, but an observation based on the periodic changes in the SERP and the results that seem to adapt to repeated search dynamics.
The real challenge for those working on SEO is to understand the relationship between these factors without taking anything for granted. Google continues to deny the use of some direct parameters, but at the same time introduces tools and updates that seem to respond in an increasingly refined way to users’ browsing patterns. Analyzing how queries evolve over time and which results tend to emerge based on collective behavior is one of the central aspects for those who want to optimize their presence in the SERP effectively.
Content marketing strategies based on the search journey
Creating effective content means going beyond the single optimized page and building an ecosystem of information that progressively responds to the user’s needs. Each phase of the search journey requires a different approach, from the production of more informative content at the beginning of the journey, to in-depth materials for those who are ready to make a decision.
Integrating related content and guided paths within the site helps keep the user engaged, limiting the risk that they will abandon the page to continue their search elsewhere. Structuring topic clusters that cover each phase of the search not only improves the user experience, but also reinforces thematic relevance in the eyes of Google.
Another effective strategy is to study user behavior through navigation data and subsequent queries. Understanding which questions emerge after an initial search allows you to anticipate information needs and offer content that naturally guides the user to the next step of the journey.
The phases of the search journey and user behavior
A user’s search path is never entirely predictable, but follows recurring dynamics that define their behavior patterns. The progression is not linear: it can include interruptions, returns to previous searches, changes of intent or progressive refinements of the initial query. However, it is possible to identify three main macro-phases that characterize the search journey, following the funnel model: the awareness phase, in which the user becomes aware of a need and searches for information, the consideration phase, in which he refines the search and compares solutions, and the decision phase, in which he is ready for a definitive action.
The transition from one phase to the next depends on many factors, including the quality of the content found, the ease of finding relevant information and the level of trust that the site manages to convey. In its role as intermediary, Google tries to facilitate this transition by showing increasingly targeted results as the user continues on his journey, to progressively guide him to the decision phase.
- Awareness – From the birth of a need to the first search
The search journey often begins at a time when the user is aware of a need, but is not yet clear how to satisfy it. This first phase is characterized by exploratory searches, in which the need is expressed in a generic way and the query is formulated to gather a panorama of preliminary information. Those who start a search at this stage don’t always know exactly what they are looking for: the objective is to understand the context of the problem and identify possible ideas or solutions.
Searches at this stage tend to be formulated with more generic and interrogative keywords. The user could type open questions, such as “how does it work”, “what are the options”, or focus on introductory topics. This type of query indicates a purely informative intent and Google responds by returning results that broadly cover the topic. The most useful content at this stage is that which is able to provide a clear and structured overview without aiming directly for conversion. In-depth articles, introductory guides and well-optimized blog posts are more effective than product pages or overly specific content.
When a user encounters a topic for the first time, they should be able to easily access materials that offer them reliable and structured answers. Google evaluates the quality of content based on parameters such as the relevance of the answer to the query and the authoritativeness of the source. If a piece of content manages to provide a clear and complete answer to the user’s initial search, it is more likely that they will come back to it in the following stages of their exploration. Creating well-referenced pages, with reliable sources and a logical organization of information, allows you to position yourself as a point of reference in the search journey of your target audience.
- Consideration – Comparison and in-depth research
After acquiring basic knowledge, the user enters the phase in which he explores in depth and compares different solutions. Unlike the awareness phase, here there is not only the desire to inform oneself, but a concrete evaluation of the available options begins to take shape.
A distinctive feature of this phase is the progressive modification of the initial query. After viewing the first results, the user becomes more aware of the correct terms to use and directs their search towards more specific aspects. If in the awareness phase the search could be “best content marketing strategies”, now it could turn into “content marketing for e-commerce” or “how to improve lead generation with content”.
Google recognizes these refinements and models the SERP to provide more focused answers, often introducing results with a more commercial or comparative intention. Sites that offer well-organized and interrelated content manage to retain the user within the same information ecosystem for longer, preventing them from returning to the SERP in search of other sources.
In this phase, the quality of the user experience and the perception of reliability become decisive. After identifying a few alternatives, the user tends to focus on those that offer clearer and more accessible information. Well-structured content, with internal insights and links to complementary resources, increases the likelihood that the user will stay on a site rather than return to the SERP. Other elements such as testimonials, case studies and reviews from other users can also reinforce the perception of authoritativeness and encourage further exploration of the site.
- Decision – The last search before action
The last phase of the search journey is when the user, after analyzing information and alternatives, is ready to make a final decision. Here the search becomes extremely specific: the user already knows what they are looking for and is looking for a definitive answer or a concrete action, such as a purchase, contacting a supplier or requesting a quote.
At this point, in addition to the quality of the content, factors related to the user experience come into play. If a user lands on a page that takes too long to load, presents unclear information or a cumbersome conversion process, they can easily change their mind and return to a previous result.
For a site to be successful at this stage of the search journey, it must guarantee not only well-constructed informative content, but also an intuitive interface, smooth navigation and a clear path to action. Elements such as well-placed calls to action, easy-to-fill out forms or comprehensive product pages can make the difference between a conversion and abandonment.
When a user is close to making a final decision, small details can influence their choice. The presence of positive reviews, easily accessible customer support or exclusive offers are elements that can push the user to take the final step. Retargeting also plays a key role at this stage. Google keeps track of recent searches and information on interactions can be used to show personalized content or targeted ads. A company that manages to maintain a constant presence throughout the search journey has a better chance of achieving conversion than those who focus their efforts only on the final phase.
What did the Google Leak 2024 reveal about the search journey?
In May 2024, the accidental release of internal Google documents confirmed many hypotheses that had been circulating in the SEO community for years. Until then, the official information released by the search engine had always maintained a certain degree of ambiguity on some key aspects of ranking, but the Google leak revealed concrete details on the use of navigation data and the role that the search journey plays in the positioning of pages in the SERP.
One of the most interesting aspects that emerged from these documents concerns the way in which Google models search results based on the behavior of users over time. The search journey is not evaluated only as a sequence of independent queries, but as an interconnected system in which each search influences the subsequent ones. The search engine analyzes clicks, time spent on pages and changes in search terms to continuously refine the answers provided to a specific user.
This information has direct implications for SEO strategies, as it confirms that it is not enough to create content optimized for a single query: it is necessary to build information ecosystems capable of intercepting and accompanying users throughout their search journey.
The elements of the search journey confirmed by the Google Leak
One of the most discussed aspects that emerged from the Google Leak 2024 concerns the way in which the search engine could interpret user behavior. Among the leaked documents, there is a reference to “short clicks” and “long clicks”, indicating that Google distinguishes between interactions that suggest satisfaction and others that could indicate the need to refine the results.
According to the leaked material, the system uses attributes such as “goodClicks” and “badClicks” to categorize interactions with search results. This suggests that, although there is no explicit confirmation of their direct impact on ranking, this data is used at least in the analysis phase to assess the ability of a page to effectively respond to the user’s search intent.
At the same time, the correlations between successive queries have been confirmed as a key element in the ranking logic. The leaked documents indicate that the system keeps track of search progressions, recognizing when a significant number of users modify a query to obtain more specific information. If a large number of users refine an initial search with a more detailed variation, Google could interpret this trend as a sign of implicit intention, adapting the results to anticipate information needs and avoid the user having to repeat the refinement process manually.
This information reinforces the idea that Google no longer evaluates queries as independent events, but tries to build a predictive model of search paths, improving the relevance of results based on the dynamics observed on a large scale. However, the way in which these elements are concretely translated into the ranking system remains an open question, as it has not been clarified to what extent these metrics influence the ordering of the SERP in a deterministic way.
Which aspects of SEO strategies need to be updated in light of these revelations
The information revealed by the Google Leak forces us to reflect on traditional SEO strategies and which aspects need to be updated in order to remain competitive. If in the past it was enough to focus on the correspondence between the query and the content of a page, today the priority is to design a continuous search experience that can retain the user and encourage them to explore.
The first element to consider is the quality of interaction with the content. Google uses advanced metrics to evaluate the level of user engagement, therefore on-page optimization can no longer be limited to satisfying a single query, but must stimulate interest and encourage more in-depth navigation. Well-structured internal links, in-depth sections and related content can help to prolong the visit session and reduce the risk of pogo sticking.
Another crucial aspect is the need to monitor not only searches aimed at your sector, but also those that could represent subsequent steps in the search journey. Creating content that responds to different facets of the same need allows you to intercept the user at different points along their journey, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Finally, in light of the information on behavioral signals, it becomes essential to monitor how users interact with your site. Analysis tools such as Google Search Console and heatmap platforms allow you to identify critical points that could lead to loss of traffic. Achieving a good ranking is important, but without proper optimization of the user experience, negative signals collected by Google could compromise its stability over time.
Applying the search journey to SEO: useful strategies and tools
Understanding the search journey is not enough if this knowledge is not translated into a concrete application within your SEO strategy. Each search carried out by users contributes to building a path made up of questions, comparisons and decisions, and the role of those involved in content optimization is to intercept these moments with relevant and well-structured answers.
In practical terms, this means going beyond an approach based on individual keywords and developing a content strategy designed to meet the needs of the user at every stage of their search journey. Structuring materials that cover different angles of the same topic, linking complementary content and constantly analyzing user behavior are three key elements for effective implementation.
In this context, SEO analysis tools play an essential role, allowing you to identify user entry points to the site, study the correlations between searches and optimize content based on real information needs.
Structure content based on the user journey
To make the most of the search journey, the SEO strategy must include the creation of content that can anticipate the user’s future searches and guide them through the path of in-depth research. Queries should no longer be considered as isolated instances, but as stages of a broader process, in which each phase has its own specific function.
An effective approach is to build information ecosystems, in which each piece of content is linked to other complementary materials, covering all possible user needs. Creating a well-structured topic cluster, for example, allows you to segment information into several levels: from more general content, useful in the awareness phase, to more specific resources for those in the decision phase. This not only improves visibility on search engines, but also increases the likelihood that the user will remain on the site rather than returning to the SERP to continue the search elsewhere.
Within the content itself, it is useful to include guided in-depth paths, with well-placed internal links and references to related materials. A reader satisfied with the first answer will be more inclined to follow the flow of information proposed and to interact with more pages of the same domain, sending positive signals to Google about the quality of the browsing experience.
Finally, the content structure must also facilitate the way in which Google interprets the user’s subsequent queries. If, after a first visit, a user slightly modifies their search and Google again suggests the same site among the results, it means that the content has been recognized as relevant to their information needs. This reinforces the site’s authority in the eyes of the search engine and increases the chances of a better ranking in the long term.
Useful tools for analyzing the search journey and optimizing the strategy
Having a well-structured strategic plan is essential, but to optimize it effectively you need the support of advanced tools that can monitor real user behavior and search patterns over time. SEOZoom, for example, offers powerful tools for the analysis of keywords and emerging queries, helping to understand which topics are developing a greater demand for information and how users modify their searches along the search journey.
By using semantic analysis and studying correlations between keywords, it is possible to identify recurring search paths and anticipate the needs of the public with targeted content. This not only improves ranking on the most competitive queries, but also attracts traffic on more specific searches that are less frequented by competitors. Analyzing search intent also plays an essential role, allowing you to classify queries based on their function in the search journey: even if it is “simple” and indicative, the segmentation of keywords between informational, navigational and transactional intent allows you to structure the pages of the site with greater precision, aligning them with the exact phase in which the users are.
Google Search Console, on the other hand, offers valuable data on how users find the site, showing which queries have generated impressions and clicks and which pages are best meeting the audience’s information needs. Analyzing this data helps to understand if there are any critical points in the search journey, such as pages that attract traffic but don’t retain visitors for long, signaling the need for a review of the content or user experience.
By combining these tools with a coherent editorial strategy, it is possible to create content that not only ranks well in SERP, but also responds progressively to the audience’s questions, guiding them at every stage of their search journey.
Search journey: FAQs and main concerns
The search journey is a concept that has revolutionized the way we interpret online research, SEO and content marketing strategies. Understanding how and why users refine their searches, modify their queries and navigate through the results helps not only to adapt content to their needs, but also to improve visibility on search engines.
The information that emerges over time and the data analyzed by SEO tools allow us to make increasingly accurate hypotheses about how Google organizes the SERP, even if the exact functioning of the ranking remains a complex and constantly evolving topic. What is certain is that sites capable of responding effectively to the various needs of the user throughout the search journey have a competitive advantage: contextualized and useful content not only improves positioning, but also creates a more satisfying experience for the reader.
To further clarify these concepts and explore practical aspects related to SEO and content optimization, below are the answers to frequently asked questions about the search journey.
- What is the search journey?
The search journey is the path that a user takes when using a search engine to find information, solve a problem or make a decision. This process is almost never linear: a user can start with a generic search, progressively refine the queries based on the results found, modify the intent and finally arrive at the definitive answer.
Google analyzes this behavior and adapts the SERP based on the user’s navigation signals. For those involved in SEO, understanding the search journey means optimizing content so that it accompanies the user throughout their search, improving the probability of intercepting them at different points and increasing the visibility of the site.
- What is the difference between search journey and customer journey?
The search journey describes the process of searching within a search engine, while the customer journey represents the entire path of a user in their relationship with a brand, from initial exploration to purchase and after-sales. The former focuses on the dynamics of information search, the latter on the relationship between a company and the customer. In digital marketing, both concepts are fundamental for structuring effective strategies and optimizing communication based on the needs of the user in every phase of their experience.
- How decisive is the search journey for positioning on Google?
The search journey is a key element for SEO, because Google no longer evaluates content individually, but within the user’s search path. If a page manages to intercept a user at different stages of the search journey and retains them by offering them relevant answers, the probability of improving its positioning in the SERP increases. The time spent on the page, navigation between related content and the type of interaction are all signals evaluated by the search engine to determine the relevance of a result.
- What does it mean to avoid “pogo sticking” and how can it be reduced?
Pogo sticking occurs when a user clicks on a result in the SERP, but immediately returns to the results page because the content is not useful or does not meet their expectations. This behavior is bad for SEO because it signals to Google that the page may not be relevant. To reduce pogo sticking, it is essential that the content is aligned with the search intent, that the main information is accessible in the first few lines and that the page offers a clear and intuitive experience. Clear calls to action, a fluid structure and strategic internal links can help retain the user for longer.
- How does Google use browsing data when assigning a ranking?
The information that emerged from Google Leak 2024 confirmed that Google uses browsing data to evaluate the quality of a result. Elements such as clicks, time spent on the page, number of pages visited and subsequent searches help the algorithm understand if a piece of content is really useful for users. If the interaction with a site is positive and leads to progression in the search journey, the page gains greater relevance. Consequently, SEO optimization shouldn’t focus only on the single query, but on the ability of a site to accompany the user throughout their search journey.
- Are there specific tools for tracking the user search journey?
Yes, there are several tools that allow you to analyze the search journey and optimize content accordingly. Google Search Console offers data on the queries that bring traffic to a site, while SEOZoom allows you to analyze search intent and identify correlations between keywords. Google Analytics helps you understand user behavior within the site, identifying the pages that retain visitors for the longest time or highlighting critical points of abandonment. Semantic analysis and keyword clustering tools support the planning of SEO strategies based on the real information needs of the audience.
- How can I adapt my content to the different phases of the search journey?
It is necessary to differentiate the content strategy based on the phase the user is in. At the beginning of the journey, informative content such as in-depth articles and introductory guides are essential. In the comparison phase, more detailed materials are needed, such as case studies and structured comparisons, while in the final phase reviews, testimonials and conversion-optimized content are more effective. Creating an information ecosystem, with interconnected content and guided paths, increases the chances of intercepting the user several times along his decision-making process.
- What content works best to respond to evolving searches?
The most effective content is updatable and scalable, capable of adapting to the evolution of the search journey. Frame articles that explore a topic in a flexible way, practical guides that can be updated at any time, and multimedia content (such as videos and infographics) offer greater longevity and can reach a wider audience. The structure of the pages is also important: including frequently asked questions, dynamic sections, and references to updated sources improves the ability of content to respond to constantly changing searches.
- Do search journeys vary by industry or are they similar for all types of business?
While there are common dynamics, each industry has unique characteristics that influence the search journey. Searches in the B2B sector, for example, tend to require longer decision cycles, while in the retail sector choices can be made quickly. The type of product or service also has an impact: sectors such as health or finance have more complex search journeys, with a greater need for trustworthy content and authoritative sources. Understanding these differences helps to optimize websites in a more targeted way, calibrating content and SEO strategies according to the specifics of the sector.
