Do you optimize your website to reduce bounce rate?

It depends on a lot of factors.

For example, if I have a page that is designed to either generate leads or phone calls, a high bounce rate isn't always bad. It could mean they filled out the lead form and were done or picked up the phone and called. The bounce rate really doesn't tell me anything in those cases.

It also depends on where the bounces are coming from. I've had pages rank in search engines for terms where the words were almost the same, but the meanings were drastically different. An example would be styles of dogs versus doggy style. Those mean to completely different things, and I would expect one to have a bounce rate near 100%. So if the bounces are coming from irrelevant traffic, I wouldn't care.

If just manipulating the bounce rate number is important to you, then you can do things like break up a long article into multiple parts on multiple pages.

If you are really worried about conversions though, test, test, and do more testing. I find that floating call to action buttons work really well. Whether it is a 'buy now' button or a lead generation form, I like to have it float with the content down the page so it is always in front of the visitor.

I don't worry about optimizing for bounce rate. The idea smacks of trying to manipulate search rankings.

I worry about optimizing the visitor's experience. Breaking up pages used to work in favor of users, but with so many now using mobile phones and tablets, scrolling is much easier, and because the number of server accesses is lower, the bandwidth 'cost' of accessing a piece of content is less when the content is on one page. About the only people using things like slide shows for content that could go on a single page are sites monetized via ad exposures.

One of the best methods for reducing bounce rate for a content site is good use of crosslinking with related content on the site. Couple really good content with useful links to related content, and people will follow those links. And, if you use things like content upgrades, you can also boost your overall opt-in rate.

Further addition to John's comment about opening a link in a new tab or not...

I've found having the right targeting before someone visits your page really helps and when they are on the page if you can engage with them via live chat you can really reduce your bounce rate an more importantly improve your conversions.

One of the easiest ways is if you either use a live chat service like Zopim via Zendesk or Olark etc and you can refer the visitor to the content they are looking for.

The coolest thing about these type of services is the analytics and the real time view of where the prospect or customer is on your site and when working the chat there is a great satisfaction in seeing a person spending time following your advice and eventually purchasing.

The other key to reduction in bounce rate is having a fast loading site.

Use everything you can to get your speed up. Good hosting, good caching.

Use a good content delivery provider like Cloudflare or another CDN.

Always measure your google speed scores and get them up into the mid to high 80's and above and you will be surprised at the flow on benefits of speed has to all of your metrics.

In some of our ecommerce sites we use an extension to Opencart called Nitropack. If you are an opencart user check it out otherwise look at the solutions for whatever you are using whether it be Wordpress based or whatever.

Make the site lightweight, make it relevant to the prospect and link sensibly into a structure that the user and Google likes and then target your ideal visitor and the bounce rate will take care of itself.

Best regards,

Ozi

Hi lowriderzzz,

Please don't make the mistake of optimizing for bounce rate. That's just silly.

You should optimize for conversions.

Your bounce rate is merely a diagnostic statistic, there is no real value in achieving a specific bounce rate benchmark. You cannot take a bounce rate and deposit it into a bank account. It has no real value outside of diagnostic information. A conversion on the other hand, typically has real value.

Use your bounce rate to gain insight into what is happening during a user's visit. A bounce can mean different things for each user session, and each page. Use it to diagnose issues that may be affecting conversion rates.

Your optimization goal should be based on something that provides a bankable value to your business. Avoid the temptation to use a diagnostic metric as a goal.

Here's tip that will significantly reduce you bounce rate without actually changing user behavior, at all: Use Adjusted Bounce Rates instead.

By implementing scroll depth tracking and timer events you can get a more accurate view of people that are staying and reading your content verses people that are truly bouncing without ever engaging with your page content.

HTH,

Don Burk