How to Reduce Bounce Rates on Your Website

Depending on your site’s purpose and goals, there may be many different statistics and metrics that determine the success and efficiency of it. But no matter what type of site you have, one of the more telling metrics across the board is the bounce rates of your site, and understanding what bounce rates are and how to reduce them may greatly improve every other element of the site.

What Are Bounce Rates?

Bounce rates are a statistic that can help determine how well a site is performing in relation to the traffic on that site. This metric generally tells whether a person is viewing multiple pages on your website, or if they are simply bouncing after viewing only one page. Obviously, you want to keep this rate low in order to keep visitors on your site for longer periods and ensure that they are viewing more of your content.

Of course, this is just one of many metrics which can help determine the overall efficiency of your site, and you will need to keep bounce rates in mind when compared to every other element. With that being said, here are a few keys to reducing bounce rates and keeping users on your site.

First Impression

The first thing a visitor will notice about your site is not the logo or the content; it is how long it takes to load. No one likes slow-loading pages, and if yours takes too long, the visitor may just leave. Think of how long you wait for a page to load before going back and trying the next one. Generally, a good load time is around two seconds.

One of the main factors that cause long loading times is having too many large photos. Of course you want to use images to attract and keep visitors, but remember that they will cause the pages to load more slowly.

Pop-ups and autoplay are also crucial elements in load time and the first impression of your site. Both serve their purposes and are standard on most websites, but both can immediately turn visitors off if used improperly. Keep in mind all of these elements and try to visit your page as if you were looking at it for the first time to ensure a good first impression.

Appeal and Simplicity

The looks and layout of your site can go a long way to keeping visitors coming and sticking around. When customizing the overall layout of your site, put yourself in the shoes of the person who will visit it. Put CTAs in appropriate, not annoying places and make sure that information the user will want is easy to reach.

If you are uncertain about your layout or the design of your site, remember simplicity is always the best option. Busy, over-complicated designs and distractions will distract from the message of your site and drive visitors away. Make sure that the content is always the main focus of your site. Remove any unnecessary images or objects and try to keep it simple.

Additionally, sites that are look overly complex and busy tend to put people at unease and will make them wonder about the security of your site. It should go without saying, but your site should look secure in addition to looking simple. If you are uncertain about your site’s security or simply want to ensure that it gives a secure impression, you can visit a cyber-security expert at https://cbisecure.com/.

Another element which should go without saying in our modern world is the mobile-friendly nature of your site. Even though you are most likely building and maintaining your website on a desktop or laptop, keep in mind that many or most of your visitors will be viewing the site on a smartphone.

A good way to keep mobile users from bouncing away is to regularly check your site from your phone to ensure it is mobile friendly. Always check on your site as often as possible and try to view it from the perspective of your users. This will always be the best way to reduce bounce rates in addition to improving every element of the site.

Derek Pursley is an influencer marketing pro with brownboxbranding.com who is passionate about building authentic relationships and helping businesses connect with their ideal online audience. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving digital marketing world by writing on the latest marketing advancements and focuses on developing customized blogger outreach plans based on industry and competition.