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NahidHasan
01-10-2016, 04:01 AM
Do you really think bounce rate influences SEO rank? If someone is not using Google analytic, can Google still track their bounce rate?

Harold Mansfield
01-10-2016, 11:55 AM
Do you really think bounce rate influences SEO rank? If someone is not using Google analytic, can Google still track their bounce rate?

Google is still determining whether or not your site is worthy of placement in their SERP's whether you read the stats or not. By putting your site in the search index you are only helping yourself, but not doing anything definitely won't help you avoid being seen and evaluated by them. If it's online, they see it.

Brian Altenhofel
01-10-2016, 11:57 PM
If someone is not using Google analytic, can Google still track their bounce rate?

Yes.

When a user clicks a link through Google, it first goes through Google with information about the result set before redirecting the user to the actual destination. Google can see what position a destination was in the SERPs, what keywords were highlighted, what (if any) subpages were listed, and the time between when a user went to the destination and the time they returned.

Bounce rate isn't bad in itself; it could be that the destination has all of the information the user was seeking. It's bounce rate with a low time on page that is bad.

krymson
01-11-2016, 11:31 AM
Short answer, yes, bounce rate matters to Google.

Clarification: Google Analytics does not determine bounce rate, it's a tool that gives you stats about your website that Google is tracking. Regardless of whether you have an Google Analytics account or not, those stats are something Google still tracks.

Long answer, yes, Google views bounce rate as people visiting your site and if they're on there for a certain time, and/or they click through other pages, then that means the searcher views that information as relevant. Google bases is SERPs on "did this page meet searchers intent?". If your site met those criteria then you're much more likely to get ranked higher because Google's main goal is to satisfy the searcher.

stevepalladous
01-12-2016, 08:15 AM
Pogosticking is more likely to impact your rankings than just pure bounce rate. Google couldn't just look at bounce rate - say the query demanded a simple answer (what time is it now in New York - I know they answer that one themselves now, but those kind of questions) and you go to a site, get the answer, and bounce. That's actually a good user experience - the user got exactly what they wanted. What is definitely of interest to them is when that user experience is BAD. Users who don't find what they want hit back and click another Google search result. That's called pogosticking - going back and trying to find another result. It's also a clear sign to Google that the user didn't find what they were looking for on the first site. Rand Fishkin from Moz did a WhiteBoard Friday on pogosticking if you search for that you'll find a much more detailed explanation and what you can do to improve your site's performance there.

David Hunter
01-12-2016, 11:51 AM
So, last week I found out I had Google Analytics installed wrong on my site. I had a very high bounce rate and couldn't understand why, and it only looked like people were on my main pages, never the blogs or private pages I have direct links to. And, every time I sent out a blog post I'd see people would click on the email to go back to my site, but I never saw it on Google Analytics.

Whelp, long story short... be sure the analytics link is installed on EVERY SINGLE PAGE, POST, ETC. if you want to see it show up on your dashboard. (simple fix was getting a plugin off Wordpress.)

Harold Mansfield
01-12-2016, 12:39 PM
So, last week I found out I had Google Analytics installed wrong on my site. I had a very high bounce rate and couldn't understand why, and it only looked like people were on my main pages, never the blogs or private pages I have direct links to. And, every time I sent out a blog post I'd see people would click on the email to go back to my site, but I never saw it on Google Analytics.

Whelp, long story short... be sure the analytics link is installed on EVERY SINGLE PAGE, POST, ETC. if you want to see it show up on your dashboard. (simple fix was getting a plugin off Wordpress.)

Yep, plug in is the easiest way. Also be careful not to install on multiple plug ins or areas. For instance if you're using the Google Analytics plug in AND the Analytics Widget plug in, AND your theme also has an area for your analytics code. Don't use all 3. Pick one or else you will get false readings.

For non WordPres sites you only need to put the code in the header or footer. Not each individual page, unless you just really want to. But don't do both.

krymson
01-12-2016, 12:49 PM
Off topic:

Whelp, long story short... be sure the analytics link is installed on EVERY SINGLE PAGE, POST, ETC. if you want to see it show up on your dashboard. (simple fix was getting a plugin off Wordpress.)

I've gotten away from WordPress and started using Jekyll for this reason... to many plugins interfering with my goals and objectives, also the site was slow even with cacheing, cdn, code minification... So I decided to move to a static site generator and so far I really like it.

On Topic:
Pogosticking is a problem, especially if google is showing site links for your result, people will click on a site link, click back, click on another site link, etc... instead of using your navigation. If you know this, then you can probably guess you need to work on your navigation to make it easier to understand.

Bounce Rate is not the end all be all metric, but you want to get it lower and you can do that by creating a good user experience, good content, and give people a reason to explore your site. Follow that "simple" formula and not only will your bounce rate decrease, but your average time on site will increase, and pages per visit will increase... All this telling Google that what people find on your site through search is relevant to what they're searching for.

Harold Mansfield
01-12-2016, 01:05 PM
Off topic:
I've gotten away from WordPress and started using Jekyll for this reason... to many plugins interfering with my goals and objectives, also the site was slow even with cacheing, cdn, code minification... So I decided to move to a static site generator and so far I really like it.

There are a lot of plug ins. That doesn't mean that you should be using them all. Most things that people use plug ins for are redundant. I know you're a web designer and this isn't you. Just making a general statement to others who may be reading.

As for the site being slow, yep it happens and it's generally either user error or bad hosting. I get this call every week and have for at least 3 years now, and it's always the same. Too many plug ins. Not properly vetting or understanding the plug ins or themes that they are using. Using plug ins for things that WordPress already does, or that can be done with just a basic knowledge of HTML.

The WORST host for WordPress sites is Go Daddy or any Go Daddy affiliates or resellers. They are absolutely horrible. Go Daddy (and a few others) will make you hate WordPress and blame all of their short comings on it. Just an FYI to anyone listening. If you have a WordPress site on Go Daddy and have issues, they will always tell you it's your fault, your plug ins, your theme, your ISP, your computer, your router, your Mother's fault, or the way the sun is positioned in the sky. True enough, there's enough user error to go around which I've usually cleaned up before I even call them. But when it's NEVER their fault (even on simple sites running a default theme and one plug in) and they never have a solution other than to blame WordPress and suggest buying more services...you notice a pattern.

Switch hosts and you'll see how smoothly WordPress actually runs. It doesn't take special hosting. It just takes a capable hosting company with good service. You also get what you pay for. I will also never go back to using shared hosting for anything online that I'm actually serious about.

I watch people beat their heads up against the wall for months before finally listening to me and moving. I hate beating up on any service provider publicly, but they've frustrated me for far too long and I just don't have the same issues when working with other hosts.

But again, it's a choice. Everyone should use what's best for them.

krymson
01-12-2016, 04:42 PM
I'm currently using a shared reseller host at the moment. I've been thinking about switching to a cloud based hosting provider but I'm not sure if that's the right step as I do not know how to judge if what I would move to would be better than what I have just based on hardware alone.

David Hunter
01-13-2016, 03:04 PM
Yep, plug in is the easiest way. Also be careful not to install on multiple plug ins or areas. For instance if you're using the Google Analytics plug in AND the Analytics Widget plug in, AND your theme also has an area for your analytics code. Don't use all 3. Pick one or else you will get false readings.

For non WordPres sites you only need to put the code in the header or footer. Not each individual page, unless you just really want to. But don't do both.

Didn't even think about that! I think I still have my Google Analytics code in my header or footer, or wherever it was. I'll go find it and delete it now. Thanks!!

Harold Mansfield
01-13-2016, 03:45 PM
Didn't even think about that! I think I still have my Google Analytics code in my header or footer, or wherever it was. I'll go find it and delete it now. Thanks!!

It's so easy to do. Especially with a site that's been up since back when you had to put in the code manually.
For me my first clue that I have the code in more than one place is the bounce rate. If it says my bounce rate is something ridiculous, dare I say impossible... like .16%, I know I have the code in too many places.

vangogh
01-15-2016, 02:47 PM
Don't forget the Chrome browser, you know the one that's now in use by more than 50% of people surfing the web. Something tells me Google can track a lot of user behavior through it.

I have no idea how much bounce rate kind of data Google includes in their algorithms right now, but I think it's always safe to assume if Google can use data in some way, that it will. Bounce rate by itself is just one data point and it's not very meaningful unless combined with other data points. For example if a person visits an article on your site spends 10 minutes reading the article and then leaves without visiting another page, that person bounced. If someone visits the same article and leaves before the the page finishes loading, that's also a bounce. Two very different visits to your site though.

daveM
01-19-2016, 02:29 AM
In a way, bounce rate tells you how interested the visitor is in the page content.....

Right now I am attracting people that stay for about 4 minutes and they seem to looik at a couple pages..... and I see that my visitors are middle aged.

My aim is to attract more people by adjusting my content a bit and doing a better job with site links to keep them there and interested in returning.

trunker
02-26-2016, 10:16 AM
Do you really think bounce rate influences SEO rank? If someone is not using Google analytic, can Google still track their bounce rate?

Yes and no. If the user is searching for a specific answer like "Are empty semi trucks allowed to bypass weigh stations" then a high bounce rate is acceptable as long as time on page is high enough. You have answered their question and the search query does not show intent for more information. If the user was searching for "truck driver career information" then a high bounce rate would be unacceptable. The query shows intent for a multitude of different information and you should be providing a link to all of that info on your landing page.

This is just my opinion though!!!

dewalds86
02-29-2016, 06:02 AM
As far as I know bounce rates have no effect on your serp rankings at all.

Peter Stavrou
03-05-2016, 10:18 PM
I believe that bounce rate does impact SEO and so does when a user clicks onto your website from a Google search and then presses back and goes to the next result.
It basically means that people are not finding what they're looking for on your website.