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Imagine this situation… Someone visits your website and immediately leaves. He took some time, less than a few seconds actually, to shuffle through and then just left. It's horrific, right?! Those few seconds he spent on your website then left affects something called a "bounce rate." And in this case, bigger is not better, trust us!

A lot of e-commerce website owners often ask themselves the same question – "How is it possible that I have so many visitors and just a few conversions?" Well, if you're looking for the answer to that particular question, look no further because, in this article, we will try to give the answers you were looking for.

So What is "That Thing" Called Bounce Rate?!

As we mentioned above, "that thing" is basically a name for a percentage of your website's visitors that visit your website and immediately leaves. Simple as that. Imagine someone using Google to search for, let's say, "Munich's top vegetarian restaurants"...Your website pops as a first result. They visit it and then leave in like 10 seconds. Of course, that's not what you want. You want them to shuffle through your menu, order some food online…You expect revenue.

On the other hand, it's not necessarily a bad thing if your bounce rate is big. Not all websites are e-commerce orientated. Maybe your website offers tips and tricks on how to do some DIY homemade replacements… If your website has a solid ranking and a good content, a visitor will find the information he needs regarding, let's say, "how to replace a door lock in no time," and he will leave your website in a matter of minutes. But that visitor got the information he needed, and he will definitely come back when he needs some home repairs again.

What is an Optimal Bounce Rate?

The answer is not universal. Basically, the type of website dictates the tolerance of bounce rate. For example, for retail sites, it's usually between 20%-40%. A simple landing page or a service landing page meant just to run ads usually has a 70%-90% bounce rate. Now, for a portal website, where someone logs in - like an e-mail service, the acceptable bounce rate is between 10%-30%. It is also the acceptable range for self-service and FAQ websites. For the content type of websites, the situation is slightly different; the bounce rates on those types of websites are between 40%-60%, which is considered acceptable.

What Causes Bounce Rate?

Many reasons can cause a rise in bounce rates percentages, so let's shuffle through some most common.

• Slow load time: If your page is taking forever to load, people are going to leave. So make sure your pages are optimized and fast.
• Inaccurate titles or descriptions: If your visitors don't find what actually brought them to your website, they will instantly leave, period.
• Non-mobile-friendly website: Having a mobile-friendly website today is a must. So if your website is not mobile-friendly, then just forget about any conversion, simple as that.
• A website that lacks user experience: When was the last time you updated your website? People want a good (and trendy) user experience, a modern design. Not some 2015-type of website.

Conclusion – How to lower my Bounce Rate Percentages?

The best way to start is with your analytics. Examine all facts starting with the demographics of your visitors, sources, mediums. It will give you a solid starting point. Also, make sure you put relevant links and suggestions. Start with something simple, and while the visitor goes down the page, you give him the things he needs. Build up as much as you can around the particular topic to keep him on your website.

Because, by doing so, you're not just going to keep your visitors longer, you are also improving the chance of a conversion. Still, you will significantly reduce the percentages of your website's bounce rate.