The Adverse Effects of Self-Googling and How It Disrupts SEO Efforts

By Mitali Purkait Ghosh on September 16, 2025

What do you think entrepreneurs and celebrities have in common?

The habit of self-googling! Celebrities do it to see where they stand in terms of popularity. And entrepreneurs do that to see where their business ranks in SERPs. All they wish is to see whether their businesses are popping up among the top 5 ranks of search results in Google or Bing.

But did you know that self-googling, especially for entrepreneurs, is a disruptive habit that can wreak havoc on organic SEO efforts? Yes, you read that right! And that’s exactly what we at Digital Concepts, a renowned SEO outsourcing company in India, have discussed in this blog. So, stick till the end to know what all adverse effects it can bring on the SEO efforts of a business.

How Does Self-Googling Affect SEO?

Why do you think marketers or business owners stick to analytical tools to check their performance?

That’s because they know that self-googling can bring more harm to their website and affect their business in the long run. Let’s take a look at the adverse effects of self-googling right away-

It affects your click-through rate (CTR)

Click-through rate (CTR) is a metric that showcases how often users see your ad, or product listing, and end up clicking it. Therefore, a page with a high CTR means Google will see that webpage as something that is highly relevant to users’ search queries. This becomes an important ranking factor as well.

So, if you self-google your business, you are basically targeting some of your most-valued keywords. And every time you hit enter, you will be clicking on your competitor’s results, just to see what they are strategising, right?

That’s what is considered a bad practice by SEO services in Kolkata. Why? Because each time you click on your competitor’s link, Google understands that the competitor’s page is better than yours! Hence, if you repeat this pattern, your competitors will consistently outrank your website!

It increases your website’s bounce rate

Although bounce rate itself is not a ranking factor, higher bounce rates might signal to Google that the website offers an inferior user experience.

What happens is, supposedly, you googled your own business. Now, you click on your own website, take a glimpse of the landing page, and hit the back button instantly. But when you’re entering your competitor’s website, you’re surfing through multiple webpages to see what they are working on. Sounds familiar enough?

This instant hit on the back button as soon as you’re landing on your website signals Google that your website isn’t up to the mark! And this very element causes the bounce rates to rise, and causes Google to assign a negative SEO value to your website. That’s why the best SEO company in Kolkata always prefers to use analytical tools rather than googling their client’s business to see their performance.

It decreases your website’s average dwell time

Dwell time means how long users stay on your website after entering. And much like bounce rates, dwell time also signals Google about the overall relevance and experience of a user on a website.

And people who self Google their businesses mainly spend more time analyzing what their competitors are doing rather than entering their own website. And this automatically increases your dwell time on your competitor’s website, which helps them to outrank your business! That’s another reason why any reputable digital marketing company in India will advise you not to engage in such disruptive practices!

To Conclude

It is important to know where your business stands in SERPs. But that doesn’t mean you have to self-google your business every time and dig your own grave! Instead, hire us at Digital Concepts. We are a renowned SEO outsourcing company in Kolkata that can help you understand how AI has changed the SEO landscape and can help you stay on top of organic search results! Click here to learn more about our offerings, and avail our services today!

Mitali Purkait Ghosh

Mitali Purkait Ghosh, the Co-Founder of Digital Concepts, brings a wealth of knowledge and innovation to the marketing sphere. Mitali and her dedicated team offer unparalleled expertise in digital marketing and content writing, among other key online strategies.