Google Analytics, or any other data is only every as powerful as your capacity to interpret accurately what’s happening.

High bounce rates (the % of people who visit one page and leave your site immediately) are bad – we know that. But not universally.

It’s important not to interpret bounce rates in pure black and white. Life and statistics are always more complex than that.

So here are a number of reasons why your site might be experiencing high bounce rates:

• Visitors do not find your content relevant or useful
• If you use Google Adwords, your campaigns driving the wrong traffic to your site
• Even if you’re using Google Adwords efficiently, it’s normal to expect a higher bounce rate for paid advertising than organic results.
• The landing page on your website provides customers with everything they need to know, and therefore customers exit immediately.
• Customers are just looking for a phone number or an email address, nothing more.
• Your page has been optimised for the wrong searches
• Content is misleading and users feel cheated
• Poor usability can drive bounce rates both down and up. A site where you have to look through several pages to find what you want may get lower bounce rates – but it won’t be a mark of success.
• Your page may be slow to load. Not an issue with abundant broadband but still a key factor for 3G connections whether on tablets, laptops or mobile phones.
• Your site may not be optimised for mobile phones
• What you promise in your metatags (title and description) may not be delivered in the body of your page. Customers feel cheated and leave.
• In some way you did not meet the expectations of the visitors
• You attract the wrong visitors

Being close to your own website, it’s often hard to work out why things aren’t working out. But you know it’s important to figure out the puzzle. Often, that’s where a consultant can come in and look at your site impartially. It could be a lot quicker than scratching your head and losing valuable time in which to market your products.

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