Does CTR Manipulation Work Long-Term?

Ever wondered if you could hack your way to a higher Google ranking by faking engagement and clicks? We did too. So, we ran an experiment to find out if click-through rate (CTR) manipulation still works – and the results might surprise you. Here’s what happened when we asked hundreds of people to “boost” a restaurant’s ranking on Google by clicking on their profile.

The Experiment: Does CTR Manipulation Work?

Back in June, digital marketing expert Rand Fishkin joined our webinar and decided to do a test to see if CTR is still a ranking factor. Viewers were asked to search for “Vietnamese Restaurant Seattle” on Google and click on a restaurant buried on page two of the search results.

The immediate goal? Push this business up in the rankings.

The long-term goal? Determine if these ranking changes would stick.

We tracked this restaurant’s rankings daily for months after the experiment. Spoiler alert: The results were eye-opening.

The Short-Term Boost: CTR Manipulation Works… Briefly

Almost immediately after the experiment, the restaurant shot up the rankings, climbing all the way to position two. It seemed like CTR manipulation worked like magic.

But here’s the catch: Those gains didn’t last.

Over time, the restaurant’s ranking slowly slipped back to where it started. The data we gathered showed that while CTR manipulation can offer a temporary boost, it’s not a lasting solution.

Take a look at this ranking graph. You’ll see the restaurant’s position spike after the experiment, only to decline over the following weeks and months.

Why CTR Manipulation Isn’t Worth It

So, does this mean CTR manipulation is a valid strategy? Not really. Here’s why:

1. It’s Not Sustainable

We’ve tested this multiple times and found the same results. Rankings go up as long as the fake clicks continue. The moment the campaign ends, the rankings drop back to their original position.

Imagine paying an agency for months, only to lose all the benefits when you stop the campaign. That’s exactly what happens with CTR manipulation. 

2. It’s Risky

CTR manipulation isn’t just unsustainable—it can also backfire. If Google detects fake clicks, they might penalize your business. I was listening to a podcast that Craig Campbell did where he interviewed an agency that does CTR manipulation. They talked about one of the risks you have if you do it wrong. 

• Fake clicks may push your business higher initially.
• But if Google notices unusual behavior (like excessive clicks from the same IP range), they could drop your ranking instead of boosting it.

In the podcast, they say that if you continue to send fake clicks when it hits page two and three, Google know they’re fake clicks, and they can actually drop your ranking as a result.

This happened during our test. The business we manipulated experienced a massive ranking drop. 

Other businesses in the same market, which weren’t targeted with fake traffic, didn’t see these fluctuations. 

A Smarter Approach to SEO

If you’re serious about improving your rankings, my advice is to focus on strategies that offer long-term value instead of quick fixes.

CTR manipulation is like a band-aid: It hides the problem temporarily but doesn’t address the root cause.

Personally, this isn’t how I want to run my agency. I want my clients to view SEO as an investment. If they want short-term results, I recommend ads. Strategies like quality content, local SEO optimization, and genuine engagement drive sustainable results. A solid SEO strategy should deliver benefits that stick, even if you part ways with your agency.