Bounce rate is the number of users who visit a website and essentially leave straight away without taking the time to view any other pages on your site. Having a Google Analytics code on your website is key here.
Google analytics displays your bounce rate percentage, making it handy for monitoring any form of progress or change. We’ve put together a few techniques which can be applied to not only reduce your bounce rate, but to also maintain this lower percentage.
You should aim to achieve a bounce rate below 90% but above 20%. To find your websites bounce rate and page views, log into your Google Analytics account, select ‘Audience’, followed by ‘Overview’.
Firstly, the idea is to create a website engaging enough to keep viewers interested to the point where they want to explore your site further; this will reduce the number of times a viewer visits your site and decides to leave imminently.
Google Analytics allows you to see individual bounce rates for each page on your website. Use this information as a tool for understanding what your websites users want from your site; and what turns them away. By identifying and analysing your page views, you will recognise the following:
Areas working well
Monitor what content your visitors are most interested in on your site and what it is that’s driving them to your website. You may be surprised at the average time a user spends on a page; but this is a clear indication that this page and the content on this page is working well and making your visitor happy. The visitor is also likely to have got along well with the format of this page for them to have stayed; so you could use this as a guide when editing other pages.
Areas for improvement
Page views is the number of views your page is seen by a user and is a good indication that certain pages on your website may not be delivering to the extent they should be. If your ideal number of page views is not meeting your expectations; this will highlight areas for improvement. In some cases, your page views and bounce rate may both be high. Seeing a high number of page views may instantly be recognised as a positive.
However, it may fall in line with the websites bounce rate percentage; meaning the pages are not delivering and so as a result turning users away as appose to keeping them. It’s beneficial to keep an eye on your visitor’s average time spent on each of your websites pages. This will allow you to gather an idea of the reasons why users are visiting your site. If you notice a lower than expected average time spent on certain pages this may be down to the content and/or page format. Remember to keep the design of your website welcoming, clear and accessible. Make sure to constantly improve content to ensure users receive the information they have come to your website for.
It’s important to understand that your bounce rate percentage may be dependent on what your websites purpose is. For example, your website may have a high bounce rate due to your users having immediately received the information they acquire; e.g. contact details. This may fall well in line with your business’ goals; your intentions may not be to create a website for users to spend time browsing through the site; but to show visitors how they can personally contact you. You have then in fact reached your website’s goals and so your high bounce rate may not be an issue.
