Bounce Rate: Explained

In the world of digital marketing and website analytics, bounce rate is one of the most talked-about and often misunderstood metrics. While it’s commonly used to measure website performance, bounce rate on its own doesn’t always tell the same story. Understanding what bounce rate really means, how it’s calculated and how to interpret it correctly is essential for making smart decisions about your website. So, let’s take a closer look at ‘bounce rate’.

What is ‘bounce rate’?

Bounce rate refers to the percentage of visitors who land on a website page and leave without taking any further action. Bounce rate happens when one of the following things occurs: a user visits one page, they do not click on another page, they do not submit a form, they do not trigger a tracked interaction, or they simply leave your website for good. But there are reasons for a high bounce rate, and it doesn’t always indicate an issue. Let’s delve deeper into this.

Why does bounce rate matter?

You might be wondering why people worry about the bounce rate they receive. A bounce rate can tell you a wealth of things about the performance of your site. However, bounce rate should never be analysed in isolation. There are a number of different factors that can affect the bounce rate, which often makes a high bounce rate misleading. However, it shouldn’t be ignored. Here’s why a bounce rate matters:

• It indicates whether users are finding your content relevant
• It can tell you if your website is meeting the expectations and needs of your audience
• It determines how engaging your website is for users
• It identifies potential issues with speed, design or messaging

Is having a high bounce rate always ‘bad’?

The short answer is: no. A high bounce rate isn’t always a bad thing. This is normally because it depends on the type of page or content and the user’s intent. For example, if a user clicks on your content and finds exactly what they need straight away, then they’ll be more likely to click off quickly as they’re satisfied with the information they’ve received. While a blog post might receive a high bounce rate, it doesn’t mean that it’s performing badly. It could just be that it’s served its purpose. Here are other instances where a high bounce rate could be considered ‘good’:

• Blog posts or news articles – users have received the information needed quickly because it’s structured well and is clear and easy to read
• Landing pages – users get the gist of what you do, and there’s clear instruction and calls to action (CTAs) for next steps 
• Contact pages – users have got the information they need quickly, and they’ll follow up with the details provided
• FAQ pages – another source of quick and clear information that a user will find valuable without the need to spend a long time looking at one page

What is a ‘good’ bounce rate?

There is no universal figure when it comes to a ‘good’ bounce rate. It really does depend on the type of content you’re putting out there and what you’re publishing it on. However, there are some general benchmarks that you could use to help you gauge whether or not the bounce rate you’re receiving is adequate. Take a look at some of the numbers below to give you a rough guideline as to what a ‘good’ bounce rate looks like for different content types:

• Blog posts – 60-80%
• Landing pages – 70-90%
• Service pages – 40-60%
• E-commerce pages – 20-45%
• Portfolios – 35-55%

What causes a high bounce rate?

There are many things that can cause a high bounce rate. Broadly speaking, the number one thing that can cause it is a poor user experience (UX). However, the overall user experience encompasses a range of different things, from the length of time it takes to load up a page to poor visuals and old website design. Below, we’ve detailed a few of the most common reasons for a high bounce rate:

• Slow page load time – internet users expect a website page to load in as quickly as two seconds
• Poor mobile experience – 96.3% of internet users access the internet on their mobile devices, so if your website performs poorly on a mobile device, then you could lose a lot of readers
• Misleading titles or ads – 99% of internet users hate to be clickbaited. So if the content doesn’t match the user’s expectations, they’ll exit your site straight away
• Weak or unclear content – walls of text, poor formatting, lack of images and lack of headings will cause a reader to click off
• Bad website design – 70% of consumers do not trust badly designed websites. This will cause them to click off 
• Lack of clear next steps/CTAs – if a website visitor doesn’t know where to go next, they’ll be left confused and frustrated, often ditching your website for a competitor’s

How to reduce bounce rate

One of the only ways to reduce the high bounce rate that your website is receiving is to improve the user experience (UX). The problem is that the user experience is made up of a lot of different things. From site speed to how the website looks on the page, and everything in between. 

We would be here all day if we were to give detailed advice on how to improve each aspect, but the good news is that you can hire a professional digital marketing agency to do it all for you, like us here at Kumo. 

We have a specialist team of marketers who are experts in their individual fields. From content creation and SEO to PPC and website design, we are your one-stop shop for everything you need to get your user experience enhanced and your bounce rate lowered. We can do the following things to improve the performance of your website:

• Improve page load speed
• Enhance the graphics and visuals of your website with a redesign
• Using clear headings
• Creating scannable content
• Adding internal links
• Optimising for mobile devices
• Matching content with search intent
• Using engaging visuals and formatting
• Including strong and relevant calls to action (CTAs)
• Tracking meaningful interactions using tools and heatmaps

Kumo provides comprehensive digital marketing solutions, including SEO, PPC, content development, and web design, helping businesses across the country grow online. Regardless of industry, our experienced team works to strengthen your digital presence and give your brand a competitive edge. Get in touch with our experts to discover how we can enhance your digital strategy.