As a website owner or digital marketer, understanding your website’s traffic sources is essential for optimizing your site and increasing conversions. One of the critical metrics to track is the percentage of site traffic that consists of returning visitors. In this article, we will explore the report that shows the percent of site traffic that visited previously.
Understanding Returning Visitors
Returning visitors are users who have already visited your website and have come back again. They may have found your website through a search engine, clicked on a link from another website, or directly typed your website URL into their browser. These users are essential to your website’s success because they have shown interest in your brand and are more likely to convert than first-time visitors.
The Report
Google Analytics is a free web analytics tool that provides a wealth of information about your website’s performance, including the percentage of returning visitors. To find this report, log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the Audience > Behavior > New vs. Returning report.
The New vs. Returning report shows you the percentage of your website’s visitors that are new versus returning. You can also see the number of sessions and the number of users for each group. This report is an excellent way to measure the effectiveness of your website in attracting and retaining visitors.
Interpreting the Data
The New vs. Returning report is a valuable tool for understanding your website’s traffic patterns. Here are a few key takeaways you can gain from this report:
1. Engagement
The percentage of returning visitors is a good indication of how engaged your audience is with your website. If you have a high percentage of returning visitors, it suggests that your website is providing value and meeting the needs of your audience.
2. Marketing effectiveness
If your website has a high percentage of new visitors, it suggests that your marketing efforts are effective at attracting new users. However, it’s also essential to consider the quality of these visitors and whether they are likely to convert.
3. Conversion rate
Returning visitors are more likely to convert than new visitors. By tracking the percentage of returning visitors, you can get a sense of how well your website is converting visitors into customers.
How to Increase Returning Visitors
Increasing the percentage of returning visitors can help improve your website’s overall performance. Here are a few strategies for encouraging users to come back to your site:
1. Provide value
Ensure that your website provides value to your audience. This could be in the form of helpful content, valuable resources, or exclusive offers.
2. Personalize the experience
Use data and analytics to personalize the user experience and make it more relevant to each visitor.
3. Build a community
Encourage visitors to engage with your brand and each other through comments, forums, and social media.
4. Use retargeting
Use retargeting ads to bring visitors back to your website after they have left.
Conclusion
Tracking the percentage of returning visitors is an essential metric for understanding your website’s performance and improving its effectiveness. The New vs. Returning report in Google Analytics is a valuable tool for measuring this metric and gaining insights into your website’s traffic patterns.
FAQs
What is a returning visitor?
A returning visitor is someone who has visited your website before.
Why are returning visitors important?
Returning visitors are important because they are more likely to convert than first-time visitors.
How can I increase the percentage of returning visitors?
You can increase the percentage of returning visitors by providing value, personalizing the experience, building a community, and using retargeting.
What is the New vs. Returning report?
The New vs. Returning report in Google Analytics shows the percentage of your website’s visitors that are new versus returning, as well as other metrics such as the number of sessions and users for each group.
How can I use the New vs. Returning report to improve my website?
By analyzing the data in the New vs. Returning report, you can gain insights into your website’s traffic patterns and identify areas for improvement. For example, if you have a low percentage of returning visitors, you may need to focus on providing more value or personalizing the user experience.