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Bounce Rate
One of the most misunderstood Google Analytics metrics.
9 things you might not have known.
//THREAD//
One of the most misunderstood Google Analytics metrics.
9 things you might not have known.
//THREAD//
1) You can have pages with low bounce rates despite many users bouncing.
Make sure your often triggered GA events are set as "non-interaction".
e.g. If you fire an interaction event upon a 25% scroll depth threshold, your bounce rate will likely be close to zero.
Make sure your often triggered GA events are set as "non-interaction".
e.g. If you fire an interaction event upon a 25% scroll depth threshold, your bounce rate will likely be close to zero.
2) Unusually low or high bounce rates can mean other GA tracking issues too.
Duplicate tracking code on a page? Technically zero bounces.
JavaScript frameworks? Implement virtual pageviews if clicking through another page doesn't fire the GA code again.
Duplicate tracking code on a page? Technically zero bounces.
JavaScript frameworks? Implement virtual pageviews if clicking through another page doesn't fire the GA code again.
3) Even if you track everything right, it's still a heavily skewed metric.
Ad blockers usually prevent GA codes from firing.
Users bounce on slow pages before the GA code loads.
Loaded a page and left it unnoticed? Session timeouts also cause bounces.
Ad blockers usually prevent GA codes from firing.
Users bounce on slow pages before the GA code loads.
Loaded a page and left it unnoticed? Session timeouts also cause bounces.
4) Bounced sessions are considered to last ZERO seconds.
Yet another reason why metrics such as Avg. Time on Page or Avg. Session Duration are quite useless.
Either stop relying on these metrics or implement custom engagement measurement.
Yet another reason why metrics such as Avg. Time on Page or Avg. Session Duration are quite useless.
Either stop relying on these metrics or implement custom engagement measurement.
5) Checking bounce rates on default reports doesn't make sense.
You need to look at data with common traits. That means segmenting and filtering your reports.
e.g. product category landing pages for organic / google traffic from mobile
You need to look at data with common traits. That means segmenting and filtering your reports.
e.g. product category landing pages for organic / google traffic from mobile
6) No outsider can tell you what a "good" bounce rate is.
You need to take your niche, user intent, page types and traffic sources into account.
I've experienced ~75% BR pages that converted like crazy.
You need to take your niche, user intent, page types and traffic sources into account.
I've experienced ~75% BR pages that converted like crazy.
7) Bounce rate is an engagement, not a performance metric.
Don't listen to people who tell you that bounce rate is a KPI.
You can't tie bounce rate to revenue or profit. Don't treat it like it's something super important. It isn't.
Don't listen to people who tell you that bounce rate is a KPI.
You can't tie bounce rate to revenue or profit. Don't treat it like it's something super important. It isn't.
8) Improving bounce rates shouldn't be your goal.
Focus on improving overall user experience instead.
That can be done in many ways, likely making your bounce rate lower as a consequence.
Focus on improving overall user experience instead.
That can be done in many ways, likely making your bounce rate lower as a consequence.
9) Do this to improve user engagement, experience, and potentially bounce rates too:
- Give people what they came for
- Be mobile-friendly
- Improve your copywriting, site speed and internal links
- Moderate your ads, pop-ups and interstitials
- Dive more into other UX aspects
- Give people what they came for
- Be mobile-friendly
- Improve your copywriting, site speed and internal links
- Moderate your ads, pop-ups and interstitials
- Dive more into other UX aspects
Want to learn more?
Check my @ahrefs article where I explain everything in more detail. https://ahrefs.com/blog/bounce-rate/
Check my @ahrefs article where I explain everything in more detail. https://ahrefs.com/blog/bounce-rate/
