It's important to measure your site metrics before and after implementing Google Surveys, but “bounce rate” alone may not be the best measurement of success. Below we define the metrics that measure user engagement, offer tips to measure your success, and answer some frequently asked questions to help you understand the impact of Google Surveys on your site.
In this article:- Definitions
- Tips to measure success
- Should I expect my bounce rate to increase by implementing Google Surveys?
- If a user bounces, does that mean they did not complete a survey?
- How can I increase my completion rate?
- How do I know what happened to the percentage of users that didn’t complete a survey?
- Is it recommended for publishers to measure survey interactions using Google Analytics event goals?
- Is it recommended to adjust my bounce rate calculation by accounting for time on page?
- How does my bounce rate compare to other sites?
- What is the best approach to implementation and what are the potential results?
Definitions
- Completion Rate is the percentage of users who earn access to your content by completing a survey or choosing the alternate action.
- Bounce Rate is the percentage of single pageview visits, e.g., visits in which the user left your site from the entrance page without clicking through to another page on your site.
- Events are user interactions with content that can be measured independently. Examples of “Events” include Scroll Depth and Screen Time.
Tips to measure success
Publishers who measure metrics and follow our best practices have been known to exceed our network average completion rate, maintain the same bounce rate, and generate more revenue. Here’re a few tips:
- Monitor 30-day averages for all metrics before and after implementing any new piece of content on your site.
- Understand traffic seasonality that may naturally affect the volume of users to your site.
- Measure your metrics on a site, section, and page level where you implemented Google Surveys.
- Compare metrics to other sections and pages that don't have Google Surveys.
Frequently asked questions
Should I expect my bounce rate to increase when I implement Google Surveys?
No. Your bounce rate is expected to remain the same since bounce rate is a measurement of single pageview sessions and the survey does not prevent users from clicking through to another page on your site.
If a user bounces, does that mean they did not complete a survey?
No. Since Google Analytics does not measure a survey completion as an interaction, then it’s possible for a user who bounces (single pageview user) to complete the survey and read your content.
How can I increase my completion rate?
We recommend a few best practices to ensure your implementation is performing properly, but overall we find that high-quality unique content is the most important factor contributing to a higher completion rate and RPM.
How do I know what happened to the percentage of users that didn’t complete a survey?
If a user didn't complete the survey, you'll be able to see this in your Publisher reporting dashboard. If you'd like more information about user behavior in general, we recommend using your preferred site-analytics provider (we recommend Google Analytics events) to measure detailed user interactions on your site (such as viewing another article, clicking to the second page, etc.). However, please note that Analytics does not report survey completions or incompletions, so you cannot tie the behaviors directly together.
Is it recommended for publishers to measure survey interactions using Google Analytics event goals?
No. It is not possible to measure survey interactions using Google Analytics event goals. This information is available in your publisher reporting dashboard.
Is it recommended to adjust my bounce rate calculation by accounting for time on page?
We recommend you understand how users are engaging with your content before and after implementing any new piece of content on your site. Adjusting and measuring your bounce-rate calculation is one way to achieve this goal. You can measure your bounce rate using Google Analytics.
How does my bounce rate compare to other sites?
The industry average bounce rate for news and media sites has been reported to be about 50% (ranging from 20-80%).
What is the best approach to implementation and what are the potential results?
Here's a case study of an online newspaper that took a systematic approach to its implementation, achieved an average of 40% completion rate, and did not see a decline in traffic or increase in bounce rates. Their annualized revenue for 2013 was about $200,000.