What is Bounce Rate?
TL;DR
The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page without any interaction. A high bounce rate (70%+) might indicate poor User Experience, misleading Meta Descriptions, slow Page Speed, or content that doesn't match Search Intent. However, context matters: a blog post that fully answers a question might have high bounce rate but still be successful. In Google Analytics 4, bounce rate is calculated differently, it's the inverse of Engagement Rate (GA4), measuring sessions that weren't "engaged" (lasted less than 10 seconds, had no conversions, and had fewer than 2 pageviews). Focus on reducing bounce rate for key landing pages and conversion-focused pages rather than obsessing over site-wide numbers.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bounce Rate
What's a good bounce rate?
It depends on page type. Landing pages: 40-60% is reasonable. Blog posts: 70-80% is normal (visitors got their answer). Service pages: aim for under 50%. Don't compare bounce rates across different page types, context matters.
Is high bounce rate always bad?
No. A blog post that completely answers a question might have 80% bounce rate but still serve its purpose perfectly. Focus on whether visitors accomplished their goal, not just whether they visited more pages.
How do I reduce bounce rate?
Improve page speed, match content to search intent, add clear calls-to-action, use compelling internal links, ensure mobile-friendliness, and improve above-the-fold content. Fix the reason visitors leave, not just the symptom.
Why is bounce rate different in GA4?
GA4 redefined bounce rate as the inverse of engagement rate. A 'bounce' in GA4 is a session that wasn't engaged, less than 10 seconds, no conversion, and only one pageview. This better reflects actual disengagement.
Should I worry about site-wide bounce rate?
Focus on page-level bounce rates for important pages instead. Site-wide averages hide what's actually happening. A high bounce rate on your homepage matters more than on a thank-you page.
Terms Related to Bounce Rate
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