Who has tried paying real people for branded traffic searches?

jamie3000

jamie3000

Elite Member
Executive VIP
Jr. VIP
Joined
Jun 30, 2014
Messages
13,836
Reaction score
5,180
"Google filed a patent, "Ranking Search Results," describing re-ranking pages partly by counting "reference queries" — branded and navigational searches — which it treats as implied links, a popularity signal that's harder to manipulate than backlinks. The 2023 antitrust testimony and the 2024 API documentation leak both pointed to click and navigation data (Navboost, Chrome-derived signals) feeding into ranking, and to site-level authority scores that brand strength plausibly feeds. And branded queries are a huge share of search — an Ahrefs study of ~150 million US keywords found branded queries make up about 46% of search volume".

It seems like branded searches carry some ranking signal, especially now they're visible in Google Search Console.

Has anyone tried a micro-worker search campaign for that brand? I imagine you'll have to include clicks and dwell time, etc.

Thanks
 
Advertise on BHW
I've not tried it, but I'm sure it's one of the ranking factors.

Google focuses more on user behavior than before.
 
I tried that a long time ago, but for CTR manipulation. As you know, most of the traffic comes from third-world countries, and I didn’t want that to affect my website, which targets tier-one countries. I implemented a countdown, and once it finished, it showed a random, original code to each worker. The code could only be seen after they visited every page and spent a certain amount of time on the website. That way, I could make sure they stayed on the site and completed all the requirements.
 
jamie3000 said:
Has anyone tried a micro-worker search campaign for that brand?
Click to expand...
This sounds both interesting and exciting. Worth doing a case study on.
It won't be cheap though, you have to pay more for microworkers from first world countries and you'll need a sizeable volume of searches to see any positive outcome.
 
Branded searches can probably help, but I wouldn’t try to manipulate them with micro-workers or fake clicks. Google is pretty good at spotting unnatural search and click patterns, especially when they’re repeated at scale.I’d rather build genuine branded searches through social media, PR, mentions, referrals, and real customers. It may take longer, but the signal is much more natural and sustainable.
 
No manufacturing of clicks/searches. Real branded demand is worth much more; generate it through content marketing, PR, mentions, etc.
 
jamie3000 said:
"Google filed a patent, "Ranking Search Results," describing re-ranking pages partly by counting "reference queries" — branded and navigational searches — which it treats as implied links, a popularity signal that's harder to manipulate than backlinks. The 2023 antitrust testimony and the 2024 API documentation leak both pointed to click and navigation data (Navboost, Chrome-derived signals) feeding into ranking, and to site-level authority scores that brand strength plausibly feeds. And branded queries are a huge share of search — an Ahrefs study of ~150 million US keywords found branded queries make up about 46% of search volume".

It seems like branded searches carry some ranking signal, especially now they're visible in Google Search Console.

Has anyone tried a micro-worker search campaign for that brand? I imagine you'll have to include clicks and dwell time, etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...
what matters more is what comes out of such searches thereafter. a paid user may search, click nd move away after just a few seconds but this is not the same as someone searrching for ur brand. it is one thing to see a quick increase in ur ranking but what happens once the paid search is over is what matters more.
 
jamie3000 said:
"Google filed a patent, "Ranking Search Results," describing re-ranking pages partly by counting "reference queries" — branded and navigational searches — which it treats as implied links, a popularity signal that's harder to manipulate than backlinks. The 2023 antitrust testimony and the 2024 API documentation leak both pointed to click and navigation data (Navboost, Chrome-derived signals) feeding into ranking, and to site-level authority scores that brand strength plausibly feeds. And branded queries are a huge share of search — an Ahrefs study of ~150 million US keywords found branded queries make up about 46% of search volume".

It seems like branded searches carry some ranking signal, especially now they're visible in Google Search Console.

Has anyone tried a micro-worker search campaign for that brand? I imagine you'll have to include clicks and dwell time, etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Haven't done anything like it before. But wouldn't this be same thing as CTR manipulation but this time with real people doing the searches?


By the way, I have a site that gets decent brand searches but I don't see the effect on non-branded searches, especially for US audience. Unless the branded searches has to be in the several tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per month.
 
T1 would be much more expensive
Can't see a reason why it wouldn't work
 
i havent tried paying people for branded searches myself.i think building real brand demand through content and actual customers is much safer long term approach
 
jamie3000 said:
"Google filed a patent, "Ranking Search Results," describing re-ranking pages partly by counting "reference queries" — branded and navigational searches — which it treats as implied links, a popularity signal that's harder to manipulate than backlinks. The 2023 antitrust testimony and the 2024 API documentation leak both pointed to click and navigation data (Navboost, Chrome-derived signals) feeding into ranking, and to site-level authority scores that brand strength plausibly feeds. And branded queries are a huge share of search — an Ahrefs study of ~150 million US keywords found branded queries make up about 46% of search volume".

It seems like branded searches carry some ranking signal, especially now they're visible in Google Search Console.

Has anyone tried a micro-worker search campaign for that brand? I imagine you'll have to include clicks and dwell time, etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...
i have not used the paid searchers option for this yet, but i would be careful about it. when all the searches nd clicking are directed, it will definitelly appear to be very unnatural. branded searrches that are done by actual users r far more effective in the long run.
 
jevonbb said:
i havent tried paying people for branded searches myself.i think building real brand demand through content and actual customers is much safer long term approach
Click to expand...
Yep, ditto for me. Paid branded searches seem like a quick fix with mixed signals, but actual customers and actual content create demand that is easy to maintain.
 
Interesting, I’ve been looking for a long time to see whether anyone has done this before or not. I should tell you that I actually did it — but not through CTR manipulation; it was completely organic and real.

I created a specific type of campaign tailored to my own business, and it worked. I increased branded search from 0 to 11% of my monthly traffic. But the most important thing is that I haven’t seen the actual impact yet, because my website was hit by the previous Google Core Update.
1790975602964.png
Now, this month is supposedly when the next Google update is due, and it has only been around 50 days since I started this process. So I’ll let you know the results after the update :)
 
Basic CTR traffic rarely moves rankings anymore. Search engines measure post-click user signals like dwell time and session depth, while filtering out cheap low-tier IP traffic. Effective CTR manipulation requires local residential IPs and full-session engagement to pass Navboost-style algorithmic checks.
 
Advertise on BHW
You must log in or register to reply here.
Sign up now!

Main Menu

Home Main Forum List Black Hat SEO White Hat SEO BHW Newbie Guide Blogging Black Hat Tools Social Media Downloads

Marketplace

Account Selling Content / Copywriting EBooks / Methods Hosting Misc Proxies For Sale SEO - Link building SEO - Packages Social Media Social Media - Panels Web Design More

Making Money

Affiliate Programs Hire a Freelancer IM Journeys Making Money Pay Per Click Site Flipping Want to Buy

BlackHat World

Dispute Resolution Forum Suggestions & Feedback Introductions Lounge
Back
Top