5 replies
Hi All,

My bounce rate for Free Fitness Tips | Free, Impartial Fitness Advice is currently around 83%. When I started the website it was around 75% but since my main goal was getting visitors to the site I didn't focus on this metric and it is slowly creeping up. However, I've decided that now it's getting to the level where I need to do something about it. Below is what I have worked out so far:
- My homepage (my top traffic page which represents around 5% of my total traffic) has a bounce rate of 50%.
- The next 9 most visited pages (which represent about 25% of my total traffic) have a bounce rate of between 85% and 90%.

Based on the above points, it seems to be my content pages that are the source of my high bounce rate. The problem is I can't work out why. When trying to look at my site as an objective visitor, I believe there are a number of things that encourage readers to stay on my site. These include:
- "Top Rated Posts" in the sidebar.
- "You Might Also Like..." relevant posts at the bottom of the article.
- Lots of relevant links within the articles to other pages on my website. For example, if I mention "protein" I link to my page on protein.

I understand that there are some factors that may draw visitors away from my website which I have also listed below:
- Email Signup Form.
- Google Adsense Adverts.
- Links to advertisers in the right hand sidebar.
- Affiliate links at the bottom of some articles.
- Trackbacks at the bottom of each post.

However, the amount of people that click the above is nowhere near 80%.

I did a little digging in Google Analytics and found something quite interesting that might explain this. Some of my clicks to internal pages are being classed as "/outgoing/www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/". For example, my top exit source on the page 3 Stomach Toning Abdominal Exercises | Free Fitness Tips is "/outgoing/www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/4-six-pack-ab-myths.html". However, "/4-six-pack-ab-myths.html" is also recognised as a separate exit source. I was wondering if Google is viewing these "/outgoing/www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/" links as a bounce? If so how do I stop them appearing as an outgoing link and get them to start appearing as an internal link?

I understand it's quite a long post so just to summarise:
- My homepage bounce rate is 50% vs the average content page bounce rate of 85%-90%.
- Google Analytics is tagging a lot of clicks on my content pages as "/outgoing/www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/". Does Google count these as bounces when really they are not? If so how do I address this?
- Are there any things you can think of when looking at my site objectively that I could do to improve my bounce rate?

Thanks in advance,

Tom
#bounce #rate
  • Profile picture of the author theebookcavern
    Hi guys,

    Sorry to reply to my own threat but could really do with some help on this.

    Thanks,

    Tom
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    • Profile picture of the author helisell
      Don't get too obsessive about bounce rate.

      It is merely a 'factor' in the site performance overall. Obviously it's an important one but there are many others to consider and they are often interlinked in terms of the overall effect.

      If you want folks to click on your adsense, and the DO, then you'll have a high bounce rate (but that's what you wanted)

      You need to decide on your MDA (most desired action) and focus on that and not on your bounce rate.

      What do you most want your visitors to do?

      Click on ads? Sign up? Read your content?

      I have a very high bounce rate on one of my sites. It also happens to be one of my most profitable. I want them to sign up....they do...=high bounce rate...but that's what I wanted.
      Signature

      Making Calls To Sell Something? What are you actually saying?
      Is there any room for improvement? Want to find out?

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      • Profile picture of the author James Vang
        Well for one thing your opt in form is buried beneath the fold. Get it up there where you "Welcome to free fitness tips" thing is. It needs to be one of the first things people see when they come to the page if you're really trying to build a list.

        Also I have to question your choice of having a HostGator ad on a fitness website. People are coming to your site to learn fitness tips, why would they care about HostGator? Not only is the ad distracting and awkwardly placed but it doesn't suit your target audience. Why not put an ad on there related to fitness?

        Other than those to factors your site actually looks pretty sharp.
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  • Profile picture of the author Suze Thomas
    I do think some of the ads are not best for the theme of your site, but I also think bounce rate isn't that important anyway. If you were making sales, with a 90% bounce rate, would that matter?
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    • Profile picture of the author theebookcavern
      Thanks for the feedback guys. You are probably right about the bounce rate. It just seems a little strange that it's so high to me. I would image for a content rich site I would have more than 20% of people visiting 2+ pages but as you say it's not worth worrying about. I'll answer each of your individual points below...

      helisell - As I said above, you are probably right. If I want people to click adds and sign up I will have to live with a high bounce rate.

      James Vang - The main reason I have the "Welcome To Free Fitness Tips" box at the top of my sidebar is that I have had complaints from fitness professionals in the past who have said I am not making it clear enough that I have no qualifications. This allows me to clearly communicate that I am not qualified straight away and avoid these complaints. Even with this box, the actual form and button are above the fold. It's just part of the form image that is below the fold.

      James Vang/Suze Thomas - The adverts are Google Adsense adverts. They normally show fitness ads. However, if you go on non-Fitness websites Google then tries to serve ads related to the pages you have previously visited.

      Thanks once again for all the feedback guys.

      Tom
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