Last week we looked at website usability and the three golden keys to creating better online user experiences.
Google Analytics can be a useful tool when reviewing your site’s usability and there are a number of ‘red flags’ to watch out for. These red flags indicate that your site is frustrating users rather than engaging them.
Bounce Rate. Bounce rate shows you how many people are landing on your site and then immediately leaving. Your bounce rate should be below 50%. If it’s not, look at your website’s entry and exit points. What pages are visitors landing on? Which ones are they leaving from? A high bounce rate usually indicates that visitors are not finding what they’re looking for or are unsure of what to do on your site. Make it clear – what should visitors be doing? Give them a reason to stay.
Pogo-sticking. Pogo-sticking is when there are a lot of pageviews but a low average time spent on the site. This indicates that visitors are searching around the site and not finding what they are looking for. Similar to a high bounce rate, look at what pages visitors are landing on and where they’re leaving. Are there clear calls to actions to direct visitors through the site? Make sure there are visual cues to lead visitors through common paths on your website.
Exit Pages. If there are pages that are consistently top exit pages, and they are not thank-you or contact pages – in other words, they should not be exit pages – you need to explore why. For example, are these top exit pages confusing? Do they have complicated forms that visitors do not want to fill out? Are pages missing clear calls to action, so visitors do not know what to do or where to go? Review the top exit pages to make them more user-friendly.
Monitoring Google Analytics is ultimately about action. You should identify the problems within your site and make calculated improvements in order to build a more usable and engaging site for your visitors.
For more Google Analytics help, check out our tips to becoming a Google Analytics pro.
Crissy was Boxcar Marketing’s project manager from May 2009 to December 2012. She handled much of our day-to-day business, including working with clients directly on editorial calendars, weekly online activity plans, social media training and outreach opportunities. Crissy holds a Master of Publishing degree and before Boxcar Marketing, she worked at the Fraser Valley Regional Library where she specialized in the development and execution of promotional campaigns to drive traffic to regional library locations. Fun Facts Crissy has seen the sun rise on the Mekong River. She took Japanese in high school. She could beat adults at Memory when she was 5. Crissy loves wine and board games. Together when possible.
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