Are people finding what they need on my website?
Why It Matters if Visitors Find What They Need
A website’s success isn’t just about traffic—it’s about usefulness. If visitors can’t quickly find the information, products, or services they’re looking for, they’ll leave. This creates missed opportunities and damages credibility.
Asking “Are people finding what they need on my website?” goes deeper than visibility. It’s about providing a seamless, intuitive experience that leads to action.
Signs Visitors Aren’t Finding What They Need
1. High Bounce Rates
If people land on your site and leave almost immediately, chances are they didn’t find what they came for. This often signals unclear navigation, irrelevant content, or a mismatch between what was promised (e.g., in ads/search results) and what was delivered.
How to track it:
GA4 Engagement Metrics: GA4 doesn’t use “bounce rate” the same way as Universal Analytics—it focuses on engaged sessions. You can still enable a bounce rate column in reports to monitor pages where visitors don’t interact.
Prioritize Pages with High Bounce: Sort by bounce rate to find which landing pages are bleeding traffic.
Action step: Check intent. If people are bouncing from a service page, the copy may not answer their questions. If it’s a blog, maybe it needs stronger internal links to next steps.
2. Short Time on Page
Visitors skimming past pages without reading suggests content isn’t answering their questions or holding attention.
How to track it:
GA4 Average Engagement Time: Shows how long visitors actively interact on a page.
Scroll Depth Tracking: Tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity reveal if users reach the bottom of the page or drop off early.
How to act on it:
Compare across content types. Blogs should see longer engagement than quick “About” pages.
If time is low, add visuals, break up text, or front-load answers so users don’t have to scroll endlessly.
3. Low Conversions
If form submissions, sign-ups, or purchases are underperforming, visitors may not be finding the right pathways to act—or the process is too complex.
How to track it:
GA4 Conversion Events: Track form fills, newsletter sign-ups, or checkouts.
Google Tag Manager (GTM): Fire tags on button clicks, downloads, or submissions.
CRM Integration: Connect website leads with your CRM (like HubSpot or Salesforce) to confirm they’re being captured.
Action step:
Test form length—longer forms usually reduce conversions.
Revisit CTA placement and clarity.
Segment by traffic source—maybe organic visitors convert, but paid ads don’t. That’s a signal to refine targeting.
4. Frequent Customer Questions
If your team repeatedly answers the same questions your website should cover, that’s a sign content is missing, hard to find, or buried too deep.
How to track it:
Customer Support Logs: Review email inquiries, chat transcripts, or call logs.
Search Data: Look at your site’s internal search tool (if enabled) to see what visitors type in.
Review Sites & Listings: Google Business Profile, Yelp, or industry directories often surface recurring feedback or confusion points.
Action step:
Turn FAQs into dedicated content pages. If customers ask about pricing, warranties, or timelines—make those answers prominent, not hidden in the fine print.
How to Help Visitors Find What They Need
Improve site navigation: Clear menus, search functionality, and logical page structure help users move smoothly.
Refine content: Anticipate recurring questions and address them upfront.
Use data to guide updates: Review heatmaps, session recordings, and analytics regularly to pinpoint friction points.
Streamline calls-to-action: Make next steps obvious and easy to follow (buttons, forms, links).
Test regularly: Conduct usability tests with real users to uncover blind spots your team may overlook.
Share insights across teams: Create a simple dashboard or monthly report so marketing, sales, and customer service all see the same patterns—and can act on them.
Connecting It Back to Business Goals
Helping people find what they need increases satisfaction, encourages repeat visits, and builds stronger relationships. When a website works seamlessly for the user, it also works better for the business. Bend’s role is to design strategies that prioritize clarity, accessibility, and measurable results.
Want to know if your site is truly serving your audience? Bend helps you identify barriers, refine content, and create experiences that turn visitors into loyal customers. Let’s improve your website together.
