Looking at the Data

Session Statistics and Traffic on Different Content Types on Investopedia

First, we must validate if redesigning the homepage is the best solution for our engagement problem

Upon reviewing Investopedia’s session data from the past 30 days (Fr. August 2024), it is evident that while the site experiences a high volume of overall sessions, the homepage has the lowest average session rate. This indicates that users are more likely to enter the site through specific articles, particularly those related to financial terms, rather than landing on the homepage.

From this observation, several hypotheses can be generated:

  1. Engagement Levels: Users might find the homepage less engaging compared to other sections of the site.

  2. Content Preferences: Sections such as News, Term content, PRM (Performance Marketing Content), and Evergreen articles may be more attractive or valuable to users.

  3. Homepage Design: There may be issues with the design, layout, or usability of the homepage that are impacting user interaction.

📌 TL;DR - Despite high overall traffic, Investopedia's homepage has the lowest average session rate compared to other pages, indicating that users prefer accessing the site through specific articles rather than the homepage. This suggests potential issues with homepage engagement, content appeal, or design.

When examining the session data alone, the results might appear discouraging. However, shifting our perspective to understand how users arrive at specific pages reveals that a significant portion of the homepage's traffic comes from organic sources—users directly typing investopedia.com into their search engines.

While the homepage has a significantly lower session rate compared to other areas, the fact that it still attracts a portion of overall traffic indicates that users are interested in exploring Investopedia’s broader content. Despite the homepage receiving less attention than specific pages, this sustained interest shows that users value the site as a whole and are drawn to what Investopedia offers beyond just the individual articles.

Nonetheless, the low session numbers on the homepage suggest it may not be effectively retaining users or clearly showcasing its value. Addressing these issues could improve user retention and better harness the homepage's potential to drive engagement with Investopedia’s content.

📌 TL;DR - Despite its low session rate, the homepage attracts a substantial portion of its traffic from organic search, indicating significant interest. However, the low retention suggests it may not be effectively engaging users or showcasing its value, presenting an opportunity for improvement.

Competitive Analysis

To understand if other finance sites face similar challenges, I conducted a competitive analysis of MarketWatch, Forbes, NerdWallet, Bankrate, and SmartAsset

The analysis reveals that Investopedia has the highest bounce rate of 80.42% among these sites, meaning users often leave after viewing only one page. Additionally, Investopedia has fewer pages per visit of 1.5, though it boasts one of the highest average visit durations of 8:23, indicating that while users engage deeply with individual articles, they are not exploring beyond their initial page.