Google Analytics Bounce Rate
As I was listening to episode no. 78 of Six Pixels of Separation with Mitch Joel, I heard Avinash Kaushik talking about the bounce rate on Google Analytics. He was explaining how a high bounce rate could mean that your site suck, he went on and on explaining his idea and I just had to say something about it. Don’t think that Mr. Kaushik has no clue about what he’s saying, the fact is the he has write books about Google Analytics, he is a pro on this industry.
I understood his point of view and how this will apply to some sites, especially if your site sells stuff, or has multiple pages of content. But a big percentage of people that listens to Mitch podcast are bloggers, and as bloggers we usually have a blog page on our home page. This means that our content is on our home page and if you are a regular reader, the probabilities that you are going to keep wondering around my site and low.
The normal reader on a blog will get to the point, read what they have to and leave. Unless you have a “campaign” going on, or a story that has related post that are a must to understand the current one, you wont see people searching around your site. My site has over 77% of bounce rate and I think this is not that bad for a blogger. If you are a blogger, what is your bounce rate?
To give a relevant point of view for my blog site using this approach, I will go with the “cup half full” attitude. The fact that over 23% of my readers actually wonder around my site is flattering to me, I don’t have anything else of importance on my site. Of course I have some ideas of what else I could do but for now every other page on my site are stuff I would like to profit from in the future.
You can tell more about my personal interest by reading my other pages than finding actual information that will help you do anything. The bounce rate is not a bad thing, this is my personal opinion, I don’t totally disagree with Mr. Kaushik but he’s statement was kink of directional when in fact it can take many directions.
Whether you agree or not, learning about Google Analytics is very important for you if you have a web site. The most important feature is the price, free; can’t beat that. If you are a blogger, what is your take on this? Do you think the bounce rate a something that the higher the worst? Do you, blogger, even care or know how to read this information? Share your thoughts with our community.
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Mitch, happy to see you around. Yep, Avinash did his part explaining his point of view. I’m so happy that you take the time to interview people that really make the difference in our little online world.
Keep it up Mitch.
Well, looks like Avinash beat me to the punch here.
My work is done
Avinash,
These links are really useful, I encourage anyone that wants to learn more about “bounce rates” to read the post on the second link that Avinash provided. The first link is as good as well.
My point with this article was to make sure bloggers wouldn’t get frustrated with high bounce rates, the way I understand it is that for bloggers the rules is slightly different.
Great job, I’m glad I came across your website.
Cheers, Luis.
Luis: I am sorry that I was not more clear in the podcast. You are right that bounce rate is not the most optimal metric to measure success of a blog. Time on site is the other one that is not very relevant.
That’s becuase blogs are a unique animals where most people on the blog will be there to read the latest post and then be on their way. And that is quite ok.
I recommend a different approach to measuring success of a blog, here is a post outlining those metrics:
http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2007/11/blog-metrics-six-recommendations-for-measuring-your-success.html
But bounce rate is a great metric if you are running a “business” website of any sort. Here is post with my top five tips on how you can use bounce rate to your advantage:
http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2007/08/standard-metrics-revisited-3-bounce-rate.html
Thanks,
Avinash.