Reducing the Bounce Rate

[Susmita]

How do I reduce the bounce rate of my site page. A specific page in my site [www(.)batchmates(.)com] has maximum number of visits and high bounce rate. I am surprised to see that why the most popular page in terms of visits is having highest number of bounce rate. How can I optimize this page pleae help.

[amxfan]

A simple way to do this is give your visitors more to read and look at on your main page. The little paragraph on the right can be read quickly and your visitors leave before the session times outs.

[wige]

I would look at the sources that are driving traffic to the page, to determine how targeted the traffic is. For example, if you sell red widgets, but for some reason this page is at the top of the SERPs for both red widgets and blue widgets, half your traffic could be expected to be untargeted, and cause a bounce rate of at least 50% just from that unexpected high placement for an inappropriate query.

By filtering out traffic that is not likely to convert, (informational queries, off-topic, etc) you can then get an idea of the bounce rate of the targeted traffic, and from there make a determination of what design changes, if any, are needed to lower the bounce rate of those specific visitors. Otherwise, you could run the risk of lowering the bounce rate of off-topic visitors, at the expense of increasing the bounces of your target audience.

[crankydave]

Originally Posted by wige

By filtering out traffic that is not likely to convert, (informational queries, off-topic, etc) you can then get an idea of the bounce rate of the targeted traffic, and from there make a determination of what design changes, if any, are needed to lower the bounce rate of those specific visitors. Otherwise, you could run the risk of lowering the bounce rate of off-topic visitors, at the expense of increasing the bounces of your target audience.

Exactly.

I have a page that is specifically targeted to an informational query. I know the bounce rate is going to be high because of that.

Dave

[amxfan]

Wige and Crankydave

I too agree with you 110% and think you are spot on. But I do not see where this page really has anything to offer targeted visitors except 'join me'. Would you not work on this as well? Or am I in left field on this?

[crankydave]

Originally Posted by amxfan

Wige and Crankydave

I too agree with you 110% and think you are spot on. But I do not see where this page really has anything to offer targeted visitors except 'join me'. Would you not work on this as well? Or am I in left field on this?

Using the site: operator, I'm seeing 58,000 pages attributed to the site. I don't know what "specific" page they're talking about.

Dave

[deepsand]

Without knowing the specific page in question, it is not possible to answer the question posed with anything other than generalities.

If this is a page which is an ultimate destination to which you want to lead visitors, then it will perforce have a high bounce rate, as it represents the end of a visitor's journey.

[janeth]

Bounce rates are not always bad, sometimes it means they found what they wanted and moved on but looking at your page I see this is not the case.

I would look at the layout of the page. If it was me I'd put some text at the top of the page that would make me want to join and the information to join below that.

Asking for my email address the second I land on the page scares me a little.

[ron angel]

I would also leave the page within seconds. The reason being I cant see what is coming after you have all my details. for all I know this could be the fake end to a scam or porn site or worse. before signing up to any site however good it is supposed to be I want to be able to have a look around it, in the same way I can read the letters & replies on this site & see how it works before giving any personal or other details.Only when I find it of interest or something to reply or comment about will I sign up.otherwise who know what junk mail & weird replies I will receive for the next 10 years!

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by ron angel

I would also leave the page within seconds. The reason being I cant see what is coming after you have all my details. for all I know this could be the fake end to a scam or porn site or worse. before signing up to any site however good it is supposed to be I want to be able to have a look around it, in the same way I can read the letters & replies on this site & see how it works before giving any personal or other details.Only when I find it of interest or something to reply or comment about will I sign up.otherwise who know what junk mail & weird replies I will receive for the next 10 years!

The OP did not state that it was the home page that he was speaking of. Without knowing the specific page in question, we cannot know whether or not there really is a problem, let alone determine what its cause might be.

[janeth]

Originally Posted by deepsand

The OP did not state that it was the home page that he was speaking of. Without knowing the specific page in question, we cannot know whether or not there really is a problem, let alone determine what its cause mihgt be.

You are correct, I have a problem with scanning text and writing a post. I am sorry, my bad.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by janeth

You are correct, I have a problem with scanning text and writing a post. I am sorry, my bad.

I think that we all run into that problem at times, particularly when working with source text that is not within immediate view of that which we're typing, such that we must either scroll between the two, toggle between windows, one containing the source and the other our response, or just try to remember what the source actually says.

Of course, those blessed with an eidetic memory have absolutely no excuse!

[Peter (IMC)]

Originally Posted by Susmita

How do I reduce the bounce rate of my site page. A specific page in my site [www(.)batchmates(.)com] has maximum number of visits and high bounce rate. I am surprised to see that why the most popular page in terms of visits is having highest number of bounce rate. How can I optimize this page pleae help.

First question to answer is "How do people get to that page". Considering it has a high bounce rate it means that people enter the site in that page, and then leave. If you know how they get there, then you'll know why they leave. They either found that page in a search engine or clicked on a link in another site that brought them to that page. If the page doesn't meet the expectation they had when entering the page, then the bounce rate will be high.

One thing that is really bothering is that the menu changes or disapears when navigating the website. Solve that problem and your bounce rate may go down.

[crankydave]

Originally Posted by Peter (IMC)

They either found that page in a search engine or clicked on a link in another site that brought them to that page. If the page doesn't meet the expectation they had when entering the page, then the bounce rate will be high.

It can also mean just the opposite. They found exactly what they were looking for, quickly and easily, in which case the bounce rate will also be high. Informational queries and pages that are likely to attract such queries are a good example.

Dave

[janeth]

Originally Posted by crankydave

It can also mean just the opposite. They found exactly what they were looking for, quickly and easily, in which case the bounce rate will also be high. Informational queries and pages that are likely to attract such queries are a good example.

Dave

Like wikipedia.

[crankydave]

Exactly Janeth.

Let's say on online store sells aquariums. They create a helpful informational page for their shoppers and answer the question...

How much does a gallon of water weigh?

Now someone looking for that information may be interested in putting a water bed in an apartment, or spa or hot tub on a deck. They find exactly the answer they were looking for and move on.

Dave

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Peter (IMC)

First question to answer is "How do people get to that page". Considering it has a high bounce rate it means that people enter the site in that page, and then leave.

Actually, the bounce rate has nothing to do with how one reached that page; it may have been the entry page, the exit page, or anywhere in between.

All the bounce rate tells one is the percentage of visitors who exited the site from that page as opposed to linking to another page within the site. And, one can get an artifically high bounce rate if links from a page employ scripts.

[Peter (IMC)]

Originally Posted by deepsand

Actually, the bounce rate has nothing to do with how one reached that page; it may have been the entry page, the exit page, or anywhere in between.

All the bounce rate tells one is the percentage of visitors who exited the site from that page as opposed to linking to another page within the site. And, one can get an artifically high bounce rate if links from a page employ scripts.

Nope.

From Google Analytics:

The percentage of single-page visits (i.e. visits in which the person left your site from the entrance page).

[amar]

New visitors will surely leave the site, as the main area of site consists of only Registration form.

Try to provide more information about the features and benefits of the site in home page. If they like it they will surely search for registration link.

[janeth]

Originally Posted by deepsand

Actually, the bounce rate has nothing to do with how one reached that page;

Not true. If people are reaching your site by way of a banner that s