Widespread pogo-sticking after a result click signals user dissatisfaction to Google and can cause that result to drop several ranking positions.

Cited by documentation

Sources

• Plaintiffs' Proposed Findings of Fact [Redacted]: U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Google LLC

  U.S. Department of Justice · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “Navboost memorizes all clicks that have been issued for all queries received in the last 13 months” — PDF page 84 of 509; lines 1965-1981

• Google Does Not Use Pogo-Sticking As a Ranking Factor

  Search Engine Journal · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “We try not to use signals like that when it comes to search.” — Mueller quote from hangout at 51:18

• 2024 Google Search documentation leak

  Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “Google representatives had previously downplayed or denied the use of click-based signals in rankings.” — Background and confirmation sections

• NavBoost: Google's Hidden Click Ranking System Revealed

  Hueston · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “Pandu Nayak—Google's VP of Search—confirmed that NavBoost, a click-based ranking system” — Introduction summarizing trial and leak

• Google responds to leak: Documentation lacks context

  Search Engine Land · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “inaccurate assumptions about Search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information” — Google spokesperson statement

• Pogo-Sticking in SEO: What It Is & What to Do About It

  Ahrefs · retrieved 2026-08-20

  “Pogo-sticking is almost certainly not a ranking factor.” — Is pogo-sticking a ranking factor? section

Related claims

• CONTRADICTS_ASSERTIONSearch Engine Journal reported John Mueller saying Google tries not to use short visits, back-to-search behavior, or similar pogo-sticking patterns as direct per-page ranking signals.Under evaluation
• CONTRADICTS_ASSERTIONSearch Engine Journal reported John Mueller saying Google tries not to use short visits, back-to-search behavior, or similar pogo-sticking patterns as direct per-page ranking signals.Under evaluation