by Bonnie Calhoun
Hi folks! Another tip has been pulled to the forefront of my memory by an inquiring blogger...the necessity of using target="_blank".
LOL...don't look at me like that...I'm not talking dirty :-) Using target="_blank" in an outgoing link on your blog or website causes a new browser window to open when the link is clicked. It is desireable for two reasons.
First, the visitor is still on your website when they close that window after perusing, and they don't have to navigate back to your page.
And second, it helps to decrease your "bounce" rate.
LOL...I knew I'd get your eyes to roll up in your head at least once in this post :-)
Bounce Rate is defined as how many times a visitor "bounces" away from your site and comes back. If you are involved in increasing your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), the bounce rate on an entry page can help to determine how effective it is at grabbing people's attention.
Now before you running screaming from the room yelling, "SEO, SEO!" I must add caviar...LOL...I mean...a caveat. Bounce rate is only an SEO factor is you have a site for commerce. If your site is about ordinary stuff like blogging, news or just plain information you really don't have to worry.
The neat and conclusive reason for adding target="_blank" is to keep people on your page!
Write your links like this:
Followers
Friday, January 23, 2009
Decreasing Your Bounce Rate
Posted by Bonnie Calhoun at 9:13 PM
Labels: bounce rate, SEO, target_"blank"
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85 comments:
Good to know, thank you for sharing such a usefull tips!!
thanks
Yeah! That code is great.
Now I have invested lots of hours looking the way to remove the date and hour in the comment footer, but the "display:none;" code in the html does not obey when I place it in the "comment.block comment-footer".
Any idea?
Thanks!
Mike
From Perú
solid tip outside "make it look better" :)
nice tips thanks
Thank you for sharing, It works very well! Take care - Olivia
I guess I am computer illiterate as I can not get this to work! First time I tried it didn't even go to the right URL.
Then the next time it still left my site and did not open a new window.
Please help!!!
Bonnie,
How/where do I ask you an unrelated question about a VERY confusing BLOGGER matter I cannot seem to resolve anywhere?
Help.
Bad~Zen you could ask right here!
OK, here goes.
This is too strange. I have 7 blogs on Blogger so I have a basic idea of how
things are supposed to work, I think. However, I clearly do not know that much about any of this stuff, in the bigger picture.
PROBLEM: A new blog site I recently setup, which has always been showing up on my Dashboard with the others, is simply not there anymore. IF I click on the link to it on my desktop or manually enter its address in the url field, I can go to it but... I cannot post a single thing on it. I cannot even access the"New Post" page.
WHAT"S MORE: When I do get to the blogsite page (http://
badzen.blogspot.com) at the top of the page there are no "New Post" or
"Customize" tabs... only the ones reading:
"Dashboard" and "Sign Out".
As I said, if I click on Dashboard, the site is not even listed there at all.
In case this was a temporary glitch at Blogger, I have been trying to get it to work for many days now.
Whoa.
So I cannot access my own site, period, even though I am "Signed In". The account is the same as all of the others (I checked again) and as I said, in the past it has always appeared with the others on my Dashboard.
Does ANYONE out there have a clue? Major confused.
Thanks.
Bad~Zen...what browser are you using. Try another...LOL..and NOT google Chrome.
I use IE and have not had any trouble with it before at Blogger. Remember that only recently did just this one blogsite start acting this way... before then it worked exactly like the other 6 I have at Blogger.
LOL...well now you're having trouble. And we don't have an active parameter that is causing those specific problems so we need to eliminate the obvious first.
Occasionally updates to the browser formats will cause weird and unrelated problems.
For example...you've also never had this particular problem before either...but that isn't stopping it from happening now!
Try and use Firefox. Tell me if any of the missing or strange conditions are irradicated.
What a coincidence. Although for years I have avoided making any changes to my system or browser (with many years of bad experience doing that kind of thing), before reading your last response I went ahead and downloaded the Firefox version that works with my system. It installed amazingly smoothly. :-)
I immediately went to Blogger and experienced the exact same problem as before. Exactly. :-(
Hmmm.
Hang guys on. I'll get one of our IT guys involved and see if they can figure it out!
The "blank" code is one of the nicer pieces of code to use on your site in general.
Ignore SEO for a minute, ignore just about everything but common sense...and I think everyone will realize the "blank" code is a good move. For what reason would you want someone to navagate away from your website? You wouldn't.
Bad~Zen I'm fairly certain that you are just confused about your email address, as nothing looks wrong from inside the system. It doesn't seem like you have used the login recovery tool yet, so try that.
http://blogger.com/forgot.g
Thank you for offering but logging in and out to that blogsite and my account is quite easy and is not a problem at all. That tab is showing at the top of the page and I have no trouble signing in and out of my account or that web-blog page. As I mentioned earlier, all of my other 6 blogs show up on my Dashboard just like this one has always done before. This is a NEW development, with this particular blogsite suddenly dropping itself from the listing withthe other 6 on my Dashboard.
Bonnie,
My bad... My bad... My bad.
You were right... and I'm still confused but very grateful. Even though when I go to the blogsite in question AND the tab at the top right hand corner reads, "Sign Out" (as the option)... I thought that meant I was therefore,
"Signed In" at that moment. Doesn't that seem logical? Hence my confusion as to why "if" I really was Signed In, I could not then, access any features or post blogs. Well, I was wrong.
Even though the tab reads
"Sign Out", in fact, I was already "Out". Go figure. The recovery tool you suggested led me to this discovery. Though I did not remember it, for some odd reason (different than my other blogsites here), I apparently set this one up under a different email address AND username. Had I not been thinking I was logged in every time I brought it up (for the reason I stated above), I would have come to this realization right away, WEEKS AGO, I'm sure. How confusing.
Apparently, now when I am logged in under one account, if I jump to one of my blogsites under a different account setup, THAT page will say that I am logged in to it also but I will not be able to access any features on it. Live and learn.
I SO apologize for taking up your time with this but... THANK YOU!
Note: I tried to change some settings/account info on this one bogsite that I have been dealing with to match the other ones so that all would show up on the same Dashboard, but no dice. Once it is set up, you're done. At least now I finally know how to deal with this.
Thank you again and I am very glad I discovered your great blogsite. :-)
Repsectfully,
Gary
PS:
Hmmm. I just now noticed that while I am sending this to you, I am now "signed in" under this other (previously forgotten) account, so my comments do not show up as coming from the same person (Bad Zen). Oh, well.
LOL...Bad~Zen, Buckwheat...and Gary!
My word you do have dentity issues don't you :-)
I'm always "just Bonnie"...I'm getting to old to try and remember more than one identity.
I'm glad your problem is resolved. It was fun working it thru, and it's never a bother to help someone when they don't know who they are...er, uh...where they are...er, uh...why they are...LOL...you get the idea! :-)
Oh...you can get that blog onto the other account!!! Go read this post:
Transfering Blog Ownership
Hi there... I have been trying to find an answer or anything on why Blogger havent got smileys to use in your entrys!!
That would be so great ...I dont know if you know..but maybe you know someone who knows... :o)
Hi Stina,
Emoticons are not available on Blogger at the moment because they are busy trying to impliment other suggestions to the platform.
For the time being you could cut and paste your own choices in.
Sometime in the future it may be an option, but I have found thru life, that sometimes you just can't be all things to all people :-)
Blessings!
Hi Connie,
I'm new to following you and to blogging so I apologize if this question is in the wrong place/format. I'm really wondering whether it's better to have "following" or "subscribe" (or both) on my blog - does one help a blogs ranking more than the other?
I've been searching for hours for the answer and would appreciate any input!
Thanks,
Jane
Thank you for sharing............
Your blog is so attractive and impressive and i need to appreciate you for sharing the useful information to all..............
Some useful informations. Thanks for this advice.
thats a common practice for me :P
Hi, Bonnie!
I need to get ahold of you. My Yahoo email is down. Would you please email me at
comfortjoydesigns AT gmail DOT com
Your email address is with my Yahoo mail that is not working.
Thank You!
Deborah
Hello.
I use Blogger for my blog. My blog posts used to have a pencil icon at the foot of each that I could click on if I wanted to edit that post. Recently that icong vanished and so I no longer have that handy, direct way of editing an entry easily. I do not think I have altered anything - not intentionally anyway...(o:
Does anyone know of a way to get the pencil icon back, pls?
TIA
Tia, check your "quick editing" function in your setting.
Go Dashboard...Settings...Basic.
Scroll down to quick editing funtion, and make sure it says yes.
If it already does, try clearing your browser cache, and cookies and then log in again to Blogger, and then hit View blog to see if they are back.
Thank you so much for your reply, Bonnie.
It does say Yes, so I'll have to try your further suggestion of clearing my cache and cookies.
Thanks again.
Hi Bonnie
I just cleared cache and cookies and logged in to Blogger again and viewed my blog and it still does not have the editing function.
Should I have cleared anything else besides cache and cookies?
Thank you for your help.
Try "resetting" it. Go back to that settings page, and click "no" and save it. go view your blog, and then log out.
Open a new browser window, go back in and change it to yes, and save it.
If possible, use another browser to change it back. Like if you normally use IE, try Firefox.
Dear Bonnie
You are very clever and very kind. - I have done as you suggested and now I have the edit function and the pencil icon in IE - Hurray! - but it is still missing in Firefox! - And I 'always' use Firefox for preference.
It is a mystery. I am better off than before - but only a little better...
Thank you very much again for your help.
Good...I'm glad I found it for you somewhere :-)
firefox has been having some issues lately with Blogger code, specifically...LOL...some people are seeing the quick edit tools on every blog that they visit...LOL...but clicking on them does not give you the ability to edit someone elses blog, it just takes you to the login page.
So maybe Firefox will get their act together :-)
Thank you, Bonnie.
Maybe if you or anyone else reading this hears of any news/developments on this matter, you will be lind enough to post about it on this thread.
Best wishes to you.
hey guys! does anyone know how long blogger saves your posts for? does it auto-delete way old posts at any point? or, once a post has been made to my blog, will it be there forever and ever, until i personally delete it? help!!!!
Hey girl! It will be there forever and a day...LOL...until you delete it :-)
hi my blog does not allow me or other people to make comments. When you click on the comments link it does not take you to the comments page..what do i do please?. It is important that people leave me comments
First log into your blog. From the Dashboard, click settings, then click the comments tab. Make sure comments are allowed, and click save at the bottom of the page.
Then open the box where you create a post. At the bottom of the box is a link that says Posting Options. Make sure comments are also allowed in that box
Hi Bonny,
You certainly seem to know a thing or three! Do you know any thing about meta tags? I'll tell you for why - have recently been trrying to add content and description tags to my blog, but after pressing save, if i go back into the 'box' again, it has all disappeared. What's happening?
Be great if you knew what was going on and how I could sort it.
Best Wishes,MM
http://missmapp.blogspot.com/
Hi Bonnie,
Thank you for the reply and the help. Iv'e done as you suggested - may I ask another question - on my eblogger blog, am i meant to now paste the tags into the html widget thing, or somewhere else?
Didn't realise you were a writer - you might find my blog interesting, I don't know. Its all a bit writen in accents - which can be difficult. Thanks again,MM
Bonnie you genius! Thank you. Never thought to look there!Got your site favourit-ed - will have to keep checking you!
Enjoy the day - raining,damp and misty here - lovely.MM
The use of target="_blank" is indeed helpful in link exchange requests as tools for SEO.
As for the bounce rate, thanks for the advise as I can begin using it for my other niche sites.
Cheers!
Van
Is that really effective?
Dear Bonnie
I hope you will be kind enough to help me again. I have a new problem.
I have been trying to post a comment on my own blog, in response to a comment left by someone else, which I published earlier today, but when I click for it to be published, the comment disappears and I have the empty box again.
I have tried changing who I post as but it happens whatever I choose.
Clearly the Comment system worked all right for the person who posted the comment to which I was trying to reply, so I am puzzled.
Can you make any suggestions, please, Bonnie?
TIA
Give it a few hours. Comments are whacked today!
Will do as you say! Thank you.
"Sony laptops said...
I place it in the "comment.block comment-footer"."
Sorry - I don't understand what you mean, or how it would help.
Pay no attention to him Willow...he's a spammer! All gone!
I agree with mmo...the best way to reduce bounce rate is to improve your site...not only its appearance but also its content.
Thank you, Bonnie.
A brill little tip, thanks Bonnie.
MM
Nice tip. I've been trying to remember to do this whenever I post links in my entries. Thanks very much for this reminder!
HELP!! When I put up my first post, can I have the rest of all the other postings fall under the first post, inside of the latest post being the first one...I hope I was clear...I could have swore I saw an option for the order of the posting...pls let me know asap!
You newest post will always be the top post.
寂しくて 寂しくて 言葉で表せないぐらい寂しいです。彼氏が欲しいイです。誰が手伝ってくれるが。よろしく おねがいします。連絡してくださいね、待っていますよ。
Decreasing your site's bounce rate is very important..there are other ways too of helping you decrease bounce rate..one of these is by creating content that are informative and interesting.
You have a great blog Connie, I have made it a favourite as I have only recently started blogging. Cheers from Australia, Ursula
http://usedbooks-online.com
I guess I am computer illiterate as I can not get this to work! First time I tried it didn't even go to the right URL.
Hi Bonnie, I got to this page from Blogger help. I can't be concerned about 'bounce rate', since my blog has been removed and I can't figure out why. If you would you be willing to help me, could you please email me at connietomgallery@sbcglobal.net ?
Thank you,
Connie Tom
What was the address of your blog, and I'll look into it.
hi bonnie,
can you please post a link for meta tags how to?
razz there is a link to a great metatag builder in this post:
Search Engines
Bonnie,
Thanks for the info!! I have been going about ways to try and reduce my bounce rate as it is ridiculous right now..
thanks for the technique!
Very useful piece of info, thx for sharing.
thanks for sharing. have a nice day!
Thank you for this information. It is very useful.
It is nice that some people puplish very interesting contents in internet. It becomes awful.
Thank you for this information. It is very useful.
It is nice that some people puplish very interesting contents in internet. It becomes awful.
Good post to non-techies on how to improve your bounce rate. Easy to understand and follow but some people do not realise the importance of this when reducing bounce rate - Good work!
Excellent stuff and very useful for when I am exchanging links. Hopefully get a better page rank and improve my bounce rate. Thanks.
Thanks for this really useful info Bonnie. I will use this when adding new content to my site from now on.
Top advice this - but people mustn't forget how important it is to have strong content and aesthetic looks to maintain a good bounce rate...generally anything below 40
% I'd say is quite good.
Thanks for your sharing
Nice post
thanks for share
Thank you for solving this mystery for me!
Really incredible tips!!! Thanks for sharing....
Great post. Thank you for this info. I need that
This is good advice but I don't quite agree with your definition of a bounce. The real definition of a bounce is when someone comes to your site and leaves without clicking over to another page on your site. For example, someone finds your site through a search engine, clicks on it and doesn't see anything he likes, so he clicks "Back" in his browser and goes back to the search engine. The reason this is important for any type of site, even a site about blogging, is that it shows whether or not your visitors find your website useful and interesting enough to click through to other pages and read more. -Mike
LOL...you don't have to agree with my opinion Mike...that's why everyone gets to have their own blogs!
Decrease in bounce rate will really be helpful in maintaining the visitors and traffic for a website. Thanks for suggesting tips.
Very useful SEO tip. The code is also simple and I think this could help increase the traffic from search engine point of view.
Thanks for sharing.
Nice information, I really appreciate your work on this blog, Thanks.
Thanks for sharing the information, it was really a very useful one.
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