What is the bounce rate?
The bounce rate provides information on how many visitors leave a website within a short period of time. According to Google Analytics, this occurs when only one subpage is accessed and therefore only one request is sent to the Analytics server. The term “bounce rate” is often used synonymously for the bounce rate.
Values and their interpretation
The assessment of the bounce rate varies depending on the content and objective of the website. For commercial offers, it is often recommended that the rate should not be less than 50%. Well-known brand and institutional sites typically have lower bounce rates, as users enter the address specifically here. In contrast, the bounce rate is often higher for Google Ads landing pages, as users quickly decide whether the advertisement is relevant to them or not.
Ways to improve the bounce rate
The bounce rate is influenced by various factors. To reduce them, measures can be taken such as improving the loading time, reducing advertising, adapting the web design, reviewing page titles and keywords, simplifying navigation or providing more relevant content. A detailed analysis of the data in Google Analytics can also be helpful in identifying specific causes for a high bounce rate.
The exit rate
The exit rate refers to how users leave the website after visiting at least one other page. In contrast to the bounce, users have clicked on at least one internal link before leaving the page. A high exit rate may indicate logical exit points, but if it is not related to conversions or leads, optimization of the corresponding subpage may be necessary.
Influence on search engine optimization
There is disagreement as to whether the bounce rate has a direct influence on the Google ranking. The SERP return rate is often considered more meaningful. Nevertheless, the bounce rate can give an indication of how user-friendly a website is and how well it matches certain search queries. The assumption is that visitors are more likely to visit other pages of a domain if they feel that their information needs are being met.