Every year since 2017, Google has specifically said that it doesn’t consider bounce rate percentages as one of its ranking factors.
While that may be true, a high bounce rate is usually a symptom of other problems with your site. Poor user experience, layout, and content can all send visitors away from your site after just one page. Those things can affect your ranking.
Plus, if visitors only see one page on your site, you could be missing out on a lot of opportunities.
Luckily, you can reduce your bounce rate with the right strategy. Read on to learn how to fix a high bounce rate on your website.
Table of Contents
1. Make Your Website Skimmable
Our online attention span lasts for mere seconds. If readers can’t skim and find what they’re looking for immediately, they’ll leave your site.
If you have large chunks of text on your website, break them up with headlines, bullet points, and short paragraphs. The more white space you have, the more readable your website will be.
2. Boost Your Page Load Time
The time it takes for a page to load is the biggest culprits of a high bounce rate.
After all, what used to take minutes to look up in a reference book now takes seconds online. Most readers aren’t willing to wait more than a second or two for a webpage to load.
You can boost your site’s load time by upgrading to unmetered dedicated servers. Another option is to remove unnecessary plugins and excess code in your site’s backend. You may need to hire a developer to boost your load time, but it’s worth the investment.
3. Work On Your Site’s Mobile-Friendliness
Given our reliance on smartphones, it’s no wonder why Google values mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor. A reader should be able to visit your site on a laptop, a tablet, and a phone and have the same experience.
If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s time to upgrade to a new template or hire a designer. Your readers will thank you.
4. Check Your Credibility
No matter your line of work, the key to a successful website is credibility. If people don’t trust you, why would they stick around to read your site or buy your product?
Good spelling and grammar, visible contact information, and smart web design boosts your credibility. It’s also important to have a secure site. People will know their information is safe when they’re on your website.
5. Make Your Site Easy to Navigate
To keep visitors on your site, it needs to be easy to navigate. They shouldn’t have to hunt for your product pages, your contact info, your site search, or your blog. It should feel effortless to find the information they want.
If your site is hard to figure out, visitors will just bounce and turn to a site that’s easier to use.
Start Addressing Your Website’s High Bounce Rate Today
A high bounce rate means there’s something about your site that scares people off.
Luckily, there’s many clear reasons for a high bounce rate. You can improve your site by boosting your load speed, making it easier to read and use, and improving your credibility.
To learn more ways to improve your business or website, keep scrolling our blog for inspiration.