Analysing your website's bounce rate and adjusting accordingly is a highly effective way to increase user engagement and improve site rankings.
Google Analytics states that a bounce is calculated when a session triggers just a single request to the Analytics server, for example when a user opens a single page on your website and then exits or 'bounces' from the site without viewing any other pages.
When a user gets to the info they need fast and is on and off your website in a flash, this results in a high bounce rate, which is a good thing. However, a high bounce rate can sometimes happen as a result of poor user experience, when the page doesn't deliver the required content, or the website content is poorly presented.
Sometimes a high bounce rate occurs when Google returns 'the wrong website' as a result of a 'poor choice' of keywords and is not a reflection on your website.
All that said, it's a good idea to keep an eye on bounce rate to make sure there's nothing there to drive users away.
Our Top Tips for improving bounce rate
Make Page Load Time Speedy
If a user has to wait for more than 3 seconds (yes 3 seconds!) for a page to load, that counts as a really poor user experience. It doesn't matter how great the content is, if the page doesn't load quickly enough, your visitor will be long gone, probably never to return! Oh, and just for the record... mobile users are even less patient than desktop users!
Make Navigation Easy
Website users are looking for answers fast. Make sure your navigation is intuitive and uncomplicated and directs them to where they need to be as quickly as possible.
Design is King!
Enhance user experience and build trust with an attractive, cohesive layout.
Make Content easy to read
No visitor to a website wants to see large blocks of disorganised text. Arrange your text into bitesize chunks, use bullet points or try breaking up text with images to make content much easier to digest.
Use Different Types of Content
Video content along with high quality, authentic photography is great at communicating all kinds of information in a more engaging way than text as well as building trust and credibility for your company or organisation.
Target Your Audience
Identify your target audience and create tailored content specifically for that audience. Narrowing your targeting will allow you to reach 'the right customers' more effectively. These users will be more open to spend longer exploring your site.
Add a Compelling Call to Action
Calls To Action (CTAs) should be prominent on a website and a visitor to your site should be able to locate this almost immediately. The colour, style and wording all work together to entice a user to click on it and delve deeper into your website.
Avoid Broken Links
Broken links will create a poor user experience and lead to frustration if the visitor cannot access the information they are looking for. Use Google Search Console to locate and fix broken links and other issues which lead to poor user experience.
Showcase Credibility
Visitors are always looking for proof that a website is trustworthy. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to display positive reviews, client testimonials, accreditations and so on ... anything that will help prove to your users that you are a credible company that they can trust.
