'They came, they puked, they left.'

As I begin to learn about the categories and terms associated with web analytics, I can understand why some marketers become overwhelmed with the data available. However, it is still no excuse to simply not take the time to dive in and begin to process the information, especially when it comes to engagement – specifically bounce rate.

“On the Internet, a high bounce rate is the kiss of death — and a sure sign that your website and marketing strategy need a major overhaul. In order to better understand and analyze the success of your marketing campaigns, there are a plethora of web analytics tools to measure everything from time spent on site to cost per engagement, and it's easy to become paralyzed by the inundation of data. But bounce rate is one metric savvy marketers can't afford to ignore, as it measures how effectively your brand is resonating with visitors,” (Hartwig, 2013).

Bounce rate can be defined as the percentage of site visitors that leave after only visiting one page. The rate is viewed as important because it provides information on how long users stay on the site, which can shed light on whether or not they are enjoying and interacting with content available, and is a simple way to gauge efficiency. (Hartwig, 2013). Web analytics guru, Avinash Kaushik, described what happens with visitors on websites with high bounce rates by stating, “They came, they puked, they left,” (Quinn, 2011). A user may “bounce” quickly due to the site not providing the information they need, having a long load time, being hard to navigate, etc. (Hartwig, 2013). 

A site’s bounce rate can easily be tracked with tools like Google Analytics. “Such tools can show you the bounce rates on different pages of your website, how the user came to your site (organic search, paid search, banner ad, etc.), how the bounce rate has changed over time, and other data so you can really dig into where you might have a leak. As a rule of thumb, 50 percent bounce rate is average. If you surpass 60 percent, you should be concerned. If you're in excess of 80 percent, you've got a major problem,” (Quinn, 2011).

However, when determining the success of a bounce rate, it’s important to keep the goals for the website in mind. If the goal were to increase the time users browse content then the rule of thumb would apply. But, if the goal were to take a call of action or to only visit one page, it may result in a higher bounce rate because it would encourage the user to leave the site. For example (Hines, 2014):

• Calling your 1-800 number to speak to inquire about products or services.
• Leading customers to product sales on another domain or network, such as if you sell products on eBay or Etsy.
• Clicking on ad banners that pay per click or lead to affiliate product marketing sites.
• Filling out a lead form that does not take the visitor to another page on your website for confirmation.

Either way, it’s important to realize if there’s an issue and taking the necessary steps to address it. Below are a few tips marketers could incorporate to lower their site’s bounce rate:
 

Delivering Upon Expectations

Users can become quickly frustrated when they are searching through a poorly designed website and not being able to find the information that meets their needs. Jason Squardo, executive vice president of optimization at ZOG Digital, a search and social marketing company, stresses the importance of meeting user expectations. "A high bounce rate may be an indication that your content isn't engaging or that your advertisements are misleading. In order to reduce bounce rate, it's important to set up users' expectations through the content — whether that be the call-to-action in an ad or headlines that match blog content," he says (Hartwig, 2013).

Improving Brand Storytelling

Storytelling has been the topic of many discussions that relate to communicating with consumers and it’s an important strategy to keep in mind when trying to lower a bounce rate. In addition to meeting user’s expectations, the website should also provide them with a clear understanding of the brand, what it stands for and what it has to offer.

Digital marketer Rob Longert discussed the importance of brand storytelling in relation to bounce rate by stating, "A low bounce rate is a good indicator that the story you're trying to tell is resonating with customers and potential customers. Brand storytelling is about cutting through the clutter and hooking your visitors in the story, products or content on your site, and analyzing bounce rate is a good way to tell if that's working," (Hartwig, 2013).

Being Savvy on Social

As social media becomes to go-to source for information, it has become increasing important for marketers to be active and responsive on these platforms – including meeting user’s expectations and providing them with a compelling reason to engage further on the website. Morra Aarons-Mele, founder of the digital cause marketing agency Women Online, identified bounce rate as a hugely critical metric. "Use social media content to engage people, and keep them informed and entertained. But when you really need to reach them — use email and social media. This way, you can get your content out to people without having to rely on them coming to your site of their own volition, and probably 'bouncing' off," she said (Hartwig, 2013).

Developing a Better Web Design

Sometimes a few design tweaks can make all the difference, including (Hartwig, 2013):

• Have clear navigation — if a user can't find what they're looking for, she'll leave.
• Have a clear purpose or call to action on the landing page — one of the biggest causes of a high bounce rate is visitor confusion.
• Be wary of third-party content and widgets — they weigh down the site and increase load time.
• Make sure your content is easy to read — be wary of font size and contrast, especially because a lot of browsing occurs on the small screens of mobile devices. 
• Invest in a responsive design, which will adapt to any screen size and optimize the user experience for everyone.

Understanding bounce rate and how to effectively lower it can become complicated. QuickSprout took the time and effort to create an impressive infographic that explains why bounce rate is so important, highlights benchmark industry averages for bounce rate, and identifies a variety of additional changes a marketer could make to help reduce their website’s bounce rate. (Kusinitz, 2014).

Click here for enlarged version

Hartwig, E. (2013, November 22). How to Lower Your Site's Bounce Rate. Retrieved from: http://mashable.com/2013/11/22/bounce-rate-metrics/

Hines, K. (2014). What you can learn from bounce rate and how to improve it. KissMetrics.com. Retrieved November 3, 2014, from https://blog.kissmetrics.com/what-you-can-learn-from-bounce-rate-how-to-improve-it/.

Kusinitz, S. (2014, July 17). How to Decrease Your Website's Bounce Rate [Infographic]. Retrieved from: http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/decrease-website-bounce-rate-infographic

Quinn, M. (2011, January 31). How to Reduce Your Website’s Bounce Rate. Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/guides/2011/01/how-to-reduce-your-website-bounce-rate.html