The bounce rate is a metric that every eCommerce site owner should monitor. This figure shows the rate people leave your website and what pages they exit on. The bounce rate can vary significantly in different industries. Some people may see a bounce rate of 75% and think it is terrible, while others it’s fantastic. So the first thing to do is determine what the average bounce rate is for your niche and benchmark it.
The next step is to try and reduce it. Take a look at some of the key areas to focus on to reduce the bounce rate on your eCommerce site.
Page load times
Suppose your visitors have trouble loading a page before they even get going. In that case, you’re typically going to lose out at the first hurdle. Many people expect a page to load within 2 seconds or less, and if it doesn’t, they’re unlikely to stick around and wait. Mobile sites can be most affected by this as people expect a speedy load time even if they don’t have optimum data coverage. By identifying issues with page loads times, you will ensure your site is ready to spring into action as soon as a link is clicked.
Use smart formatting in content
Content should be formatted to give the best user experience. No one wants to see a chunk of text when they click through to a page, as this makes it more challenging to digest. Reduce your bounce rate on this content but making it manageable to read with suitable headings, images, bullet points, and if it’s really long, add a table of contents so they can jump straight to the right part.
Avoid overloading sidebars
If you use sidebars or widgets on your eCommerce website, avoid cramming too many adverts or promotions here. Your website should be concise and clear without too many distractions; otherwise, users will lose interest. These areas should be used for relevant call-to-actions or information of value to the customer.
Time on site metrics
Bounce rate can sometimes be taken out of context if looked at in isolation. It is not a singular metric of how well your site performs and should be cross-referenced with other data such as time on site. This will help to identify whether they’re an issue with a particular page. For example, if the time on site is reasonably good, but some pages have high bounce rates, it could be an issue the content on these pages.
Clear call-to-actions
Pages should include one clear call-to-action (CTA). If you include several, then it is likely to confuse a visitor. This feature should also be somewhere relevant and visible without overwhelming the page. By placing a single CTA is the best place, you will avoid scaring anyone off, and they’re more likely to continue the journey through your site.
These are some of the ways to reduce bounce rate, others to research include:
- Logical and structured internal linking
- Optimise for relevancy
- Revamp and optimise product pages
- Create a simple search function
- Create a mobile-friendly website
