In our last blog we talked about dwell rates and why they’re important for SEO. For this post, we wanted to talk about website bounce rates- and why you should pay attention to yours.
Dwell time and bounce rate- opposite side of the same coin
Whereas dwell time refers to the amount of time a user says on a website after clicking through to it, bounce rates refer to how quickly users navigate away. If your bounce rate is high, this tells Google’s algorithm that something’s amiss with your website. High bounce rates are often linked to several factors:
- Poor website layout
- Poor user experience
- Poorly written content
- Slow load times
- Website errors, such as a 404 error
- Visitors are unable to find what they were searching for
- Your content didn’t meet their needs (i.e., a user was searching for an Italian restaurant that’s open for lunch and your restaurant’s website populated in the results. However, upon clicking through, the user learns you’re only open for dinner.)
- Obnoxious user experience (UX), such as landing page music and numerous pop-up ads
Since the #1 job of Google’s algorithm is to optimize users’ experience– websites that have a high bounce tend not to rank well. Regardless as to why users are staying (or leaving), understanding your website’s bounce rate, and tracking it regularly, is among the most important things you can do to preserve your SEO.
What you should be aiming for
Although websites’ average bounce rate varies depending on whether the user is searching on a desktop or mobile device, it often ranks between 41-55%. Additionally, a bounce rate of 26-40% is considered to be excellent, whereas a bounce rate of 70% or higher is considered to be well-below average.
Have questions? We can help
For more information on bounce rate, how it impacts your SEO ranking, or for additional information about the bounce rate for your company’s website, we can help. The team at WBN Marketing has decades of combined experience in helping companies just like yours land that coveted first-page search result ranking. From content marketing to website redesigns, to ensuring your website is optimized for voice and mobile search, our team has the right solutions to meet your needs.
Are you ready to take the first step toward Internet marketing success? Call WBN Marketing today to speak with a local expert. What are you waiting for? Call our office now to get started.
