BounceRate

Bounce rate is the percentage of sessions on a website in which the user views only a single page and then leaves without interacting with the page further. It is commonly reported as a percentage and is calculated as the number of sessions that consisted of a single page view divided by the total number of sessions. In web analytics platforms such as Google Analytics, bounce rate is used as a quick indicator of user engagement and content relevance.

Bounce rate should be interpreted in context; it is influenced by factors such as landing page quality, alignment with visitor expectations, page load speed, and the intent of the visit. It does not distinguish between a user who quickly finds the information they wanted on a single page and an audience that arrives from a misleading source. It is also different from exit rate, which measures the proportion of last-page views among all pageviews, regardless of how many pages were viewed in the session.

Strategies to address high bounce rates include ensuring the landing page matches the referring source and user intent, improving clarity of value proposition and content above the fold, reducing page load times, and providing intuitive navigation or clear calls to action. Internal links, related content, and a mobile-friendly design can encourage further exploration. In some contexts, such as pages that fulfill a single-purpose need, a high bounce rate may be acceptable.

Other metrics like time on page, scroll depth, pages per session, and conversions should be considered alongside bounce rate for a fuller picture of engagement. Industry benchmarks vary, so analysis should be contextual.