Website Metrics

“If you are able to nurture a visitor's interest and hold their focus over a range of pages, then they're more likely to take action.”
-- Anna Kaine, ESM Inbound

Overview

An analysis of information provided via Google Analytics shows that AACT site visitors:

• Spend more time on our website than the average for other sites
• Spend more time on individual pages, as well
• Predominantly use a desktop computer, indicating they are seated and focused on the content the site provides
• Skew younger, with 61% of site visitors under 35 years old

Visitor Numbers

• In early 2021, AACT’s website averaged 67,574 page views per month, with 54,526 unique monthly page views per month. 
• This number increases in months when major events are scheduled.

Engagement

• Visitors spend an average of 1 minute 46 seconds on a page
• Most visitors view more than one page
  
  • The Google Analytics “bounce rate” measures the number users who view only a single page on a site before leaving. The lower the rate, the more pages on the site are viewed.
  • On average a site should maintain a bounce rate between 41% - 55%.
  • A percentage lower than 26% is considered excellent:  In March 2021, the AACT website bounce rate was 23.72%.  This means that about 76% of site visitors viewed more than a single page.
  • Coupled with an average time on a page at 01:46, AACT’s low bounce rate indicates significant visitor engagement with the site.

How Visitors Find Us

• Approximately 75% of new visitors are directed to the AACT site via search engines like Google, while the remaining 25% come via referrals from social media or other websites, or who go directly to the AACT website (aact.org)

New vs. Returning Visitors

• This metric varies over the course of a year, especially when AACT is presenting major events such the national festival or conferences.
• However, in early 2021, the AACT website drew 57.27% new visitors, and 43.87% returning visitors.

Content

AACT’s website provides two basic types of pages—"stationary” or “fluid”. 

• The information on stationary pages remains fairly constant, with few changes or updates during the year. These include staff and board directories, membership benefits, a searchable glossary of theatre terms, and our Theatre People pages (with job descriptions for various theatre positions).
• “Fluid” pages are updated frequently, and the pages themselves are often time-sensitive, with a limited run. Examples include AACT’s festivals and conferences, webinars and online roundtables, as well as job postings, and our COVID-19 Response page.
• While one might assume that dynamic pages would generate the highest readership, many static pages consistently also have high visitor rates. In the list below of most-viewed site content, static pages (indcated by *) represent nearly 50% of the top 15.

Most Visited Pages

1. Theatre People * (sample job descriptions for administrative & technical positions)
2. Theatrical Terms Dictionary *
3. Play Contests
4. Job Postings
5. AACTFest 2021
6. Obtaining Rights for Productions *
7. Sample Mission Statements *
8. Industry Connections
9. Membership Benefits *
10. COVID Response
11. Spotlight magazine
12. Webinars
13. Roundtables
14. Starting a Theatre Company *
15. Fundraising & Grants Basics *