Improve site visit length with Google Analytics
You can use Google Analytics in 2 main ways: as a bloated Webalizer or as a list of possible improvements for the site in question (or both of course).
If you just start using it the second way, the number one improvement suggestion that has always been in front of your nose is the list of Top Landing Pages (which you’ll find under “Content” in the menu) and their bounce rate. Keep it sorted by “Entrances” and the only thing you then have to do is pick the page with the highest bounce rate in the top 10. Now fix that page (as clearly something is wrong).
Make sure people that hit that page find ways to lengthen their visit to other parts of the site. Clearly visitors to that page aren’t noticing your navigation or other links.
You can use this knowledge to direct them to the content that you want them to see or to the content that they are looking for. To get a hint of the latter, click on the page in question in your report and click on the “Entrance Keywords” under “Landing Page Optimization”. The list of search keywords used to reach that page, for instance, could set you off in the right direction.
Of course you can continue with other high bounce rate-pages but it may be a good idea to monitor if your changes had any effect first.
The more data available, the more relevant the Top Landing Pages report is. But even if your site only attracts a few visitors per day, just stretch the time span your report covers to have a larger data sample.
Hopefully this helps to improve retention bit by bit.
Tags: google analytics
