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When numbers lie: The
hidden danger of growing web site traffic
by Claudie Clot, CEO of advancis.com
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If you are like most companies,
you have been quite pleased with the steady increase of traffic
your site has received over the past months. After all, your
marketing efforts have intensified and your staff's expertise
has deepened to the point that your web site is now consistently
generating better results.
But is it really the case?
Very often behind those glorifying web site statistics hides
a problem that can give companies a false sense of achievement.
The number of page views is growing as is the number of user
sessions. Plus, visitors keep coming back. Yet, the web site
produces no significant results. At least, nothing of the magnitude
other Web companies seem to enjoy.
The problem: single page access
-- visitors who come to your web site and leave as soon as they
reach the first page. A very serious problem indeed when one
realizes that these visitors can account for a large percentage
of the site's traffic. The danger lies in the fact that the problem
can easily go unnoticed. Attract enough visitors to your site,
and your general web site statistics, especially page views and
user sessions, will be quite impressive. The numbers tell you
one thing, however reality shows a very different picture. At
the end of the day, you may never realize that the traffic and
ultimately your efforts have little chance of contributing to
the company's bottom line.
The good news: the problem
can easily be solved. In fact, knowing that the problem exists
and understanding why visitors leave so quickly represents half
the solution. Completely resolving the issue at hand, however,
entails sharpening the way you reach and communicate with your
prospects on the Web. As you will see, the site itself is not
always the problem.
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