Google analytics adjusting search results?

[paulanthony]

Is it possible that Google may be using frequency of visit, number of pageviews etc from Google Analytics to help rate a site in the SERPS. Sorry to be all suspicious an all, but I cant help thinking that giving away a tool for free is all part of the bigger picture. Is their any stuff to suggest this is possible? Small print during the signup process? This would be one way of keeping an eye on the competition, from a global perspective...i.e. hae msn made gains on Google recently etc..Based on referals from MSN in Analytics..

[watercrazed]

Possible.. of course, likely ... what do you think?

[cerebrum]

Google can do anything with the data they have. If you are prepared for that, then only use the service.

[Pico_Train]

If Google are using analytics to tweak the SERPs then good luck to them. If the "quality" of the Google Analytics is anything to go by then the "quality" of the SERPs will be, shall we say, inaccurate.

Bring on the "Why do you say that?" and the "Do you have any data to back that up?" questions.

I used Analytics from day one. Well, used, is the correct tense. Waste of time, bandwidth, effort and all the rest.

[Tearabite]

ok Pico.. i'll bite..
what's wrong with Analytics?

[BigDave]

My guess would be that they are considering ways to do this, but that they haven't implemented a direct connection yet. The same thing goes for toolbar use.

I do suspect that they use both analytics and toolbar data for doing QC work on the SERPs. The problem is that neither tool provides a big enough sample set to use web-wide.

[rkhare]

if you are correct then what will happen to those site which are not using analytics, they'll get punished for not using a google product.

google is not fool to add up to count of litigations against them, they just cant afford to use analytics data for Deciding SERP's.