Glue / Instant Glue
The counterpart to NavBoost for special Google elements like carousels, 'People also ask' boxes, or news features.
What it measures
The counterpart to NavBoost for special Google elements like carousels, 'People also ask' boxes, or news features. Glue measures whether users interact with these elements — tapping a carousel, expanding an answer in a PAA box, or arriving at a page via a news feature. Instant Glue is the real-time variant for fast-moving events.
Derived from
Hover and click interactions with SERP features (carousels, PAA boxes, news features) on Google search result pages.
Metric detail
Measures interactions with SERP features (hovers, clicks on carousel/PAA) rather than web clicks; Instant Glue = short-term real-time aggregation of the same signals. [B/C]
Why this attribution
Works by the same logic as NavBoost: authority and trust are confirmed through lived demand. When users reach a page via SERP features and stay, it counts exactly like a regular web click.
Strategic consequence
Content should be prepared for Google feature inclusion: structured data (Schema.org), clear widgets, timely reports with news value. Appearing in carousels and PAA boxes and generating clicks there earns the same ranking signals as organic web clicks.