Any Benefit to Artificially Boosting the CTR for rank?

[ExploreConsulting]

I've read articles that indicates Google will provide a higher rank to listing with higher click through rates (i.e, http://bit.ly/132mUd0, "If a search result achieves a higher than average click through rate then it may be given a higher ranking.")

First, this seems like a chicken-and-egg scenario: it seems like results with higher rank will have higher CTR from increased exposure, no?

Second, if this was an accurate ranking signal, it seems like it would be so easy to black hat (as well as other web usage signals, such as goal conversions and time on site).  I'd just pay some Indian dude to search for my website on different IPs and click through in the SERP.

Your thoughts about this scenario?

[TakeshiYoung]

User behavior on your site is definitely a ranking factor, although no one can say exactly how large it is. It is theoretically possible to manipulate this, but it is perhaps not as easy as you make it seem.

You would need multiple people clicking in from different computers and different IPs. Also, Google doesn't just look at CTR, but time on site and how the user interacts with your site, so your contractors would need to act like actual visitors to your site. Then this would need to be done with enough volume to actually make a difference. Maybe that's not so difficult with a low search volume term, but good luck trying to make a meaningful difference on a high volume term. And again, no one knows how big of an impact user behavior has, or exactly what user behavior metrics are counted.

So it's possible in theory, but difficult in practice. You'd probably see a higher ROI spending your resources creating new content or building links, and just having an awesome site that results in positive user behavior.

[EGOL]

I'd just pay some Indian dude to search for my website on different IPs and click through in the SERP.

I think that you will get away with this for a short time unless you are paying to have this dude on a permanent world tour, staying in quality hotels in many parts of the world just to click your links in the SERPs.

Don't underestimate Google.

[NakulGoyal]

Let's say for a second that you are able to manipulate this one ranking signal. Keep in mind there are well over 200 ranking signals. What would one do for the other factors ? There's too many items to manipulate. And if you have naturally been able to achieve 140 of those signals, would you really want to risk all your good and hard work and try to manipulate it ? I wouldn't.

I hope this helps.