What is a Reasonable Surfer?

The Random Surfer Model is the algorithm used by Google’s PageRank system. It analysed the Web on the probability that an individual who follows links randomly would wind up on a certain page. The Reasonable Surfer Model is a revised version of Google’s Random Surfer Model. 

This method assesses many possibilities for the likelihood that an individual will click on particular links based on their related characteristics rather than random odds. The odds for these potential outcomes can influence how appealing those links are. For example, the probability that a user will click on a link is one factor determining how much PageRank a connection may pass on.

Link attributes may cover a wide range of elements. They might include the size, colour, typefaces utilized in the links, and many other factors. The Reasonable Surfer Model revealed that the average person who visits websites does not click on random links but is more inclined to click on certain links on web pages. 

The reasonable surfer model is based on the notion that individuals will check out links depending on their attributes. So this is where the term “reasonable surfer” comes from. 

Google’s Reasonable Surfer Model was first announced in October 2010, but it was not fully implemented until a few months later. The update to the algorithm caused quite a stir in the SEO community because it significantly changed the way PageRank was calculated. 

Before the update, PageRank was calculated based on the number of links pointing to a page. The more links a page had, the higher its PageRank. However, with the reasonable surfer model, PageRank is now calculated based on the likelihood that someone will click on a link. So, if a page has a lot of low-quality links, its PageRank will be lower than before.

How Does The Reasonable Surfer Model Affect SEO?

The reasonable surfer model has a few direct and indirect effects on SEO. Let’s look at a few of them.

1. PageRank sculpting.

The main direct effect is on PageRank sculpting. It is the act of strategically placing links on a page to funnel PageRank to specific pages. For example, let’s say you have a website with three pages: A, B, and C. Page A is your home page and has the most PageRank. 

You want to funnel some of that PageRank to pages B and C, so you put links to those pages on page A. With the reasonable surfer model in place, those links aren’t as valuable as they used to be because Google now considers the likelihood that someone will click on them. 

So, if you want to funnel PageRank to specific pages, you need to ensure those links are high quality and relevant; this will make people more likely to click on them, and thus, Google will give more PageRank to the pages you’re trying to promote.

2. Linking.

The reasonable surfer model also indirectly affects SEO. The update to the algorithm caused a lot of low-quality links to lose their value. This means that if you have a lot of low-quality links pointing to your site, your PageRank will be lower than before. 

As a result, you need to be more careful about the quality of the links you’re getting. Make sure they’re coming from high-quality, relevant websites. Otherwise, they might not be helping your SEO as much as you think.

3. Keyword Stuffing.

In the past, keyword stuffing was a popular black hat SEO tactic; this is where someone would stuff a page with keywords to rank higher for those keywords. 

However, with the reasonable surfer model in place, this strategy is less successful since Google now takes the surrounding content into consideration. Previously, it would be commonplace for SEO’s to write a paragraph about pandas and then randomly insert an anchor text like “payday loans.” Previously, Google would use this link for ranking and relevancy. Today, Google understands that the link has no place in an article about pandas, so it will not use it for ranking.

4. Content.

The reasonable surfer model also affects how Google views content. The way this update affects content is two-fold. First, it places more importance on high-quality content because people are more likely to click on links that bring them to high-quality sites. 

Second, keyword stuffing has now been devalued, as we previously said. People are less inclined to click on your content if you stuff it with keywords, so your PageRank will never rank high.

5. Ads.

Ads also play a role in the reasonable surfer model. If you have a lot of ads on your site, people are less likely to click on them since they’re being bombarded with advertisements everywhere they look. 

Ads are still valuable for SEO, but you need to be careful about how many you have on your site. Too many ads can hurt your SEO. Thus, it’s essential to strike a balance between ads and content.

6. User Experience.

Finally, the reasonable surfer model also affects user experience. People are less inclined to stay on your site if it contains low-quality content and links; this will cause users to click away from your site, and Google will notice. 

Your site’s PageRank will take a hit as a result of this. So, if you want to rank higher on Google, you must ensure that your site is chock-full of high-quality information and links.

Bottom Line

The reasonable surfer model is just one of many updates that Google has made to its algorithm. SEO is an ever-changing field, and it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest changes. Both direct and indirect SEO consequences are involved, which is something that all website owners must be aware of. 

You need to have high-quality and relevant links on your website in order for it to rank highly on Google. Otherwise, if Google finds that your website’s overall quality is not up to par, it could reduce the rank of your PageRank. If your website requires a professional to handle your SEO marketing, look no further than our Liverpool SEO experts.