According to Search Engine Journal, one patent relates to assigning scores to content based on how long people spend watching it. “In general, the system boosts the score for a search result if users historically tend to watch the resource for longer periods of time, and may demote the score if users historically tend to watch the resource for shorter periods of time,” the patent summary stated. Ranking by “watch time” is already used on YouTube but in this case could refer to how long someone stays on a page found in search results, regardless of its content.

In addition, MediaPost has reported that Google has updated an earlier patent application that described a method of establishing whether a particular point on a web page can be seen in a browser window.

This follows news that, according to a survey, 75% of viewers are unable to identify the brand or product being sold within the MRC’s (Media Research Council) minimum two second viewability definition.