Bounce rate is a metric that measures the percentage of visitors who land on a webpage and then leave without taking any further action, such as clicking on links, filling out a form, or navigating to another page. In other words, a “bounce” occurs when a user visits a page and exits without interacting with it.
How Is Bounce Rate Calculated?
Bounce rate is calculated by dividing the number of single-page visits (bounces) by the total number of visits to the website. For example, if 100 users visit a webpage and 50 of them leave without interacting, the bounce rate for that page would be 50%.
What Does Bounce Rate Tell You?
Bounce rate is an important indicator of how engaging or relevant a webpage is to its visitors. A high bounce rate could mean that visitors aren’t finding what they expect or that the content doesn’t meet their needs. However, context matters. A high bounce rate isn’t always a bad thing, depending on the type of page:
- For informational pages: A high bounce rate might be expected if visitors find the answer they’re looking for and leave.
- For eCommerce or lead generation pages: A high bounce rate can signal that something is wrong—whether it’s confusing navigation, slow loading times, or irrelevant content.
What’s a Good Bounce Rate?
- 40-60% is generally considered an average bounce rate.
- Under 40% is excellent, indicating that users are engaging with the content.
- Above 70% may suggest there are issues with user experience or page relevance, particularly on pages where further action is expected.
How to Improve Bounce Rate
- Improve Page Load Speed: Faster-loading pages encourage users to stay longer.
- Enhance User Experience (UX): Make the site easy to navigate and visually appealing.
- Optimize Content: Ensure your content is relevant, engaging, and matches user intent.
- Use Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Encourage users to interact with the page, whether through buttons, links, or forms.
