Most bloggers use Google Analytics report for checking their blog pageviews and unique users numbers.
In this post I’ll discuss the bounce rate section, its importance for bloggers and ways to improve it.
What is Bounce Rate Google Analytics for Blogger
“Bounce rate is the percentage of single-page visits or visits in which the person left your site from the entrance (landing) page.” (taken from Google analytics help)
In other words how many of your blog visitors are just “passing by” and how many acknowledge your content and here to stay. The first thing you need to know is that high Bounce Rate is not good. If you just started a blog you do know how hard it is to bring visitors to your new blog. If 80% percent of them leave immediately after they read one post you have less chance to convert them and earn money from blogging.
What is a good bounce rate?
For a new blogger a 65% Bounce rate is a good start. However as your writing experience increase you should aim for 50% and less.
How To Improve Bounce Rate
Constantly check your numbers and set goals for blog success
The first step is awareness. Set yourself a bounce rate goal and every time you go over analytics report check your current average bounce rate.
Spend more time in writing every post
Many new bloggers wrong and write a new post every day, thinking that a lot of content is what keep visitors in their blog. That is obviously wrong. Good content is what makes visitors read more posts. It is reasonable to write a new post every three days.
Go deeper in Google Analytics Report - Google Analytics small tutorial
In analytics left menu click on ‘Content’ and then ‘Top Content’. In the ‘Content Performance’ table click on the bounce rate column header. Learn from your best content what makes visitor stay. On the other hand, don’t afraid to edit posts with high bounce rate. Don’t get too attached to your content, you could do better in those posts.
Select relevant keywords and related search terms
The most frustrating experience a searcher can have is to click on a link that promises him something it doesn’t deliver. You can attract such posts with few seconds as average time on page. Optimize your blog for relevant search terms.
What is your average Bounce rate? And how long did it take you to reach it?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Great to see you back in action again:)
Yes, reducing your bounce rate isn’t easy. I started out with an 80% bounce rate but it has been steadily coming down each month. As you mentioned, it’s not so much the quantity of articles you write but the quality.
Robert´s last blog ..5 Very Reliable And Credible Affiliate Networks
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Yes Great to See he Bounced Back to Blogging.I amusing a Mix of Adgitize and Entrecard for Much of My traffic but it just Bounces but from other Sources it is Quite low
chris´s last blog ..Exposure, Backlinks and More Adsense Earnings all in one Place
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Hi Shay:
As you know, Wordpress has built in analytics and provides a lot of information, but not bounce rate. If my blog is not connected to my Web site, what is the goal of keeping a reader longer in my blog (i.e., if they read more of my posts, they may stumble a few and create exposure)? Please explain.
Julia Kinslow´s last blog ..Using social media: how will you be human?
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Shay Weiner Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Hi Julia,
I think that low bounce rate is more important for new visitors. I’d like new visitors first value my content maybe register for my feed. Later when they return it is reasonable they would read only one post and hopefully navigate from my blog to a product I promote.
You can check new visitors bounce rate at Google analytics as well.
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Julia Kinslow Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Shay – your answer leads me to another question. If a reader subscribes to my blog through RSS feed, are they technically “hitting” your blog each time they read a new post (via feed), or are hits on your posts only counted if they come in through the front door?
Julia Kinslow´s last blog ..Using social media: how will you be human?
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Shay Weiner Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
When user read your blog through RSS it doesn’t count in your WordPress or Analytic stats. For that look in feedburner stats (reach section)
Thanks for the info, this is really good as I never bother about it before, I realised that my bounce rate quite high, I thought that was good. Thanks again.
sabrina´s last blog ..How to Earn Extra Income – Affiliate Marketing
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very helpful article for new bloggers……….thanks a lot
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