As marketers and business owners, many of us have been in this scenario before: It’s time to review your monthly website analytics report, and you notice a concerning number. Your website’s bounce rate is higher than expected, and the questions start to form. Why exactly is your bounce rate so high? And how do you go about fixing it?
Before we go any further, it’s essential to understand that there is no perfect bounce rate. However, there is a range you may want to strive for, depending on your website goals.
Back to the question about your website bounce rate. Like most questions in the world of SEO and website analytics, we need to start with the all-powerful phrase: “It depends.” There are dozens of factors that can impact your website’s bounce rate and user behavior, and we’ll explore some of these main factors in this article.
Let’s define some key terms and then dive into three reasons your website may have a high bounce rate.
What is Bounce Rate?
According to Google Support, bounce rate is a calculated percentage of single-page sessions divided by all sessions, showing you the number of visitors that land on a page and then leave without performing another action.
For example, a visitor may land on your homepage but then leave before clicking a link, filling out a form, or other related actions.
What Qualifies as a “Good” Bounce Rate?
The average bounce rate for websites floats between 26-70%, according to HubSpot, and the definition of a “good” bounce rate can vary greatly depending on your industry and website goals.
A bounce rate over 80-90% is cause for concern and is usually a sign that something on your website or webpage is driving traffic away. Let’s explore three reasons your bounce rate may be high:
- Website Technical Errors
- Unclear Call to Action
- Content & Keyword Ranking Issues
Reason 1: Website Technical Errors
There are dozens of website technical errors that can frustrate your users. From slow page load times to browser incompatibility, building your website with SEO best practices is essential.
Some technical reasons behind your high bounce rate may include the following:
- Poor loading speed
- Poor website design
- Poor mobile optimization
- Bad or broken links
Not only do these factors impact the practical website experience, but they can decrease the trust a user has in your website. When your website is mobile-friendly, loads fast, and links work properly, users will have a more positive experience and are more likely to engage with your business.
Reason 2: Unclear Call to Action
This reason is a bit more basic, but the point is powerful. What exactly do you want your website users to do when they land on the page? Perhaps you prefer a phone call or a form submission, or maybe you want them to explore other pages.
Ensure you communicate this to your audience with calls to action throughout the content. With a solid design and sharp copywriting, your users can seamlessly connect with your business and navigate to your intended goal.
Reason 3: Content & Keyword Ranking issues
Take a step back and look at your website content. Is it engaging and relevant? Is it true to your brand voice? If not, take some time to edit your content to reach your target audience better. If your content is engaging and easy to read, more users will likely stick around, check other website pages, and reach out to your business.
If you’d like to take this further, research your website’s SEO keyword data. What keywords are your pages ranking for? And does your website content serve the intent of these keywords? If not, make some edits to cover those topics better. This can help reduce the bounce rate by speaking directly to the questions users want to be answered.
How M&R Marketing Can Help
Our team of SEO and digital advertising experts can help your business’s website thrive! When you partner with M&R Marketing, we will help you evaluate all aspects of your website to strengthen your online performance and achieve your ideal bounce rate.
Let’s get started! Send us an email at hey@mandr-group.com for a free consultation.