One of the unique metrics in Google Analytics (GA) is Bounce Rate. It is found in many GA reports and can be helpful when verifying how a landing page or content is performing. However, not all web owners understand the bounce rate metrics. For example, assuming that a low bounce rate indicates high engagement and a high bounce rate suggests low engagement will not reveal any real insight into how your landing page or content is performing. To clear the misconceptions regarding bounce rates, we have written this post to help you learn how to measure bounce rates correctly.
The Definition Of Bounce Rate
In GA, bounce rate is defined as the percentage of only a single interaction visit to a site. A pageview is often the most common interaction on a website. However, other possible interactions like transactions and events that affect bounce rate too.
What Is The Average Bounce Rate In Google Analytics?
For some websites, their bounce rates will fall between 26% and 70%. A bounce rate from 26% to 40% is impressive. Bounce rates from 56% to 76% are more than average. But depending on the site, that value might not be a cause for concern. Nevertheless, apart from blogs, events, and news, anything above 70% is worrisome.
The Unusually Good Bounce Rate
A website with a bounce rate within 25% to 30% is a good bounce rate and might show that everything is working fine. Once your data isn’t a result of a broken Google Analytics installation, that range might mean a well-built website that meets the needs of its users. Moreover, a low bounce rate might also suggest a lack of dynamics – news or blog content on the site. An ecommerce website might have to worry once its bounce rate tips over 50%. Once that happens, they need to check the content or user segment responsible for the high bounce rate. Although, a bounce rate over 60% might not necessarily be awful. And that’s why every website needs to set its baseline.
Setting Your Baseline
Instead of trying to keep your bounce rate low, set a baseline for your site. How do you set the right baseline? Examine the intent of your users and the purpose of your content. If you own a blog, you can expect your bounce rate to be high. When someone searches for information and finds their answer on your page, they will likely leave instantly, leading to a high bounce rate. But you do not have to worry. Users’ needs are still being met.
If you own an eCommerce store and your website offers value, you can expect users to shop around, resulting in a low bounce rate. For eCommerce sites, an upward trend might signal a problem because it means users are leaving too quickly, ultimately resulting in a loss of potential consumers.
Wrapping Up
The baseline for an excellent bounce rate will differ from site to site. Always check your average session duration. If it’s within the industry standard of two to three minutes, your team might not need to worry about the high bounce rate in your GA. That time is enough for users to read your content and interact with your site.
