Open internal links in a new tab increase bonus rate?

[Godad]

Hello!

This week I used a simple method to reduce my blog Google Analytics bounce rate. My blog all the posts are guides, in order to follow them, user need to download a zip file (same zip file). Otherwise they can't. Therefore I added a separate blog post to download all the necessary files. As a result of that I can reduce my bounce rate from 62-70% to 45-50% level.

Now I'm thinking to open that zip file download page in a new tab. If I open my blog zip file download page, in a new tab. It will again increase my bounce rate? I reduced my bounce rate using that zip file download page.

Thanks!

[TakeshiYoung]

Bounce rate is a very misleading metric. If someone visits your site, and finds exactly what they're looking for, they'll be counted as a bounce. Even some of the best sites on the web like Google & Yelp can have high bounce rates, so I wouldn't worry too much about the number, since it is unlikely to impact your search rankings.

In other words, don't make people jump through hoops just so you can reduce some percentage that doesn't really matter in Google Analytics.

One thing you can do with PDFs, though, is to have people sign up for your e-mail newsletter before they can download them. That way you can get their contact information in exchange for your content.

[danatanseo]

Hi Godad,

Just from a basic usability viewpoint I wouldn't open that download page in a new tab. Depending on what browser you end user is using, that new page could cover up the old page and they won't even know it, and their back buttonwill be disabled, which could actually increase your site bounce rate.

I know Google uses opening in new tabs in their GWT forum all the time and also in GA and Adwords Help pages. It drives me crazy. Not having access to a working back button makes me feel like I'm not in control of navigating (from an end-user perspective) and that usually decreases my level of good will towards whatever site I might be on that employed the technique

Just my two cents!

Dana