Oops! We could not locate your form.
14 Tips to Reduce Bounce Rates for Your Website
A website owner’s main motive should be to make sure that users gain a seamless experience on their site. While that is one factor, along with experience, they secretly aim for users to stay on their website in hopes that their audience gets what they are looking for. There are so many online businesses and websites fighting for better engagement and faster visibility. When your website includes features and elements that attract users, you have reached the path toward success.
For this, you will need to understand the meaning of bounce rates and what a good bounce rate is. While it is normal for some users to go to the next site, mistake clicks can happen as well. It is difficult (almost impossible) for a website to exist with 0% bounce rates. But it is possible for websites to reduce bounce rates as much as possible, with relevant precautions.
In this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about bounce rates, how to reduce them, and their relationship with SEO. As a website owner, your strategy should include making the most of your website traffic, which would lead to more conversions. If you are interested in learning more, then you have come to the right place. Let us get into it.
What is a Website Bounce Rate?
A website bounce rate is a measure of how many visitors leave your website without an action made. This means that a user who goes through a website takes action by learning more, clicking the services, or gaining the services or products that the website provides. If there is no action taken, for instance, if a user visits the website, scrolls through without click action, and leaves quickly, this could suggest that you are not the business they are looking for or did not find what they needed.
Website bounce rates are normal. However, it all depends on what strategies you use to keep users engaged on your website. One of the biggest factors that users notice is that the website is responsive (we will learn more about this later). Additionally, search engines such as Google verify websites that are responsive. They filter out websites this way. It is one of the requirements for a good website, based on the entire list.
Bounce rates can be high or low. If your website’s bounce rate is higher than average, it is high time for you to make changes. Website owners dread when visitors abandon the website without any click action, even if the website is not what they need. It should be designed to make users and bypassers want to learn more and convince them to take action.
Read more: 5 Types of Web Design With Their Pros and Cons.
Here are two examples for you to better understand what bounce rate is.
Example 1:
Say that you are an online business for luxury-style watches. You would want your website to showcase all the watches you have, if there are exclusive discounts, proper descriptions, and specific words to attract customers, making them want to buy your products, and lastly, testimonials. For any kind of service or brand, the first thing potential customers want to see is if your brand is worth it and how many happy customers shopped from your website. When they see more positive and negative reviews being addressed, viewers are likely to click and go through your website more.
This is an example of a good website that has all the content and features to attract people who love luxury-style watches. Even if the visitors do not come with the intention of buying, your website is beautifully designed. It includes interactive features, making them simply want to admire the website and go through it.
Example 2:
Here, we will talk about an online grocery store website. Grocery store websites, along with their delivery services, are very much in demand. While grocery store websites are packed with multiple pages since there are loads of products for them to showcase, including a variety of similar products, this does not mean that the website design should show that. Let us say that this grocery store website design is so poorly made that the navigation seems complicated, the details under the product and the descriptions are not clear, and the image takes time to load. Viewers always prefer to see the product image before they click on it. Simply, if the website design looks cluttered, packed, and congested, it will instantly make the viewers want to exist without any action taken on the site. They would, more or less, leave by exiting the entire page.
Online grocery websites should perfectly display all the categories and have a visible menu bar. The biggest factor here is navigation. This is an example of a poorly made website design that certainly needs changes.
From these two examples, the first thing that you should know as a website owner is that the website structure and layout should be attention-grabbing. This attention-grabbing factor also includes the colors, content, and moving graphics. In the world of websites, users do judge your website by the cover (homepage/layout). There are a lot of people who pass through several websites in a day. Some are looking for reference sites, some are searching for specific products, some are comparing prices, and some are searching for relevance. It is normal for users to view your site without taking any action, and that is completely normal. Normally, the first thing that users look for is the layout of your website and the specific words they have in mind.
For example, take the luxury watches website example. Customers in search of this would look for words such as luxury, timeless, prestigious, waterproof and spoil proof, stainless, and so on. Words that describe the effect those luxury watches will bring to the customer’s life should be used in the content. These are the kinds of words that would instantly attract the customer. Engaging visuals and an overall professional look are a bonus.
Learn more about interactive websites: Top 25 Interactive Websites To Learn How to Make Your Own.
Why Reduce Bounce Rates?
From the above two examples, the luxury watches website and the grocery store website, you might have a brief understanding of why one should aim to reduce bounce rates on their website. While bounce rates are likely to happen, you still would not want them to be above average, right? There are millions of users online who go through different websites daily. If you are a webmaster, then half of your work would be considered on that.
Bounce rates are important, just as website optimization is important. Companies that lead in the digital field are not necessarily the ones with more finances to invest but the ones who can convert as many as possible relative to their budget.
When your website design gives off a stellar first impression, even if the visitor does not intend to visit your website, they will still feel the urge to do so just because it is engaging, interactive, and easy to navigate. This makes them want to stay on your site to go through the whole thing. For example, if your website has an interesting scrolling technique, such as parallax scrolling, it is normal for viewers to be wowed by it. Each page they keep discovering on your website turns their visit closer to a conversion.
Additionally, the time they spend viewing your website makes them more familiar with your brand and the services that you provide. Who knows, in the future, they may search for you and gain your services. It is a trend that users who stay on your site for a long time eventually want to come back at some point. It later becomes a habit of visiting and clicking on the site, further leading to sales, loyalty, and brand awareness.
However, if your website design is poorly structured and has too many overwhelming features, such as no balance or harmony in the interactive nature of the website with navigation, the website is not optimized, so it is not fast loading. It takes time for the pictures to show up, and the navigation is complicated, viewers will be irritated, make a face, and leave immediately.
The best strategy to reduce a website’s bounce rate is to make impactful improvements, keeping conversion rates in mind, with the same digital plan and budget. It is quick and easy and sometimes the best option.
More to know: 10 Best Affordable Web Design Companies in 2025.
What is Determined as a Good Bounce Rate?
The answer to what constitutes a good bounce rate can vary. There is no specific number that a business should consider a good or bad bounce rate; however, there are average numbers that website owners can consider.
For example, one business may be okay with a bounce rate of 76%, while another would find that dreadful. Depending on the company and the types of services and products you provide, it is normal for users to have a preference. Earlier, we mentioned how some viewers come to just check out the prices for comparison, or they may be looking for a specific kind of product that they thought your online site would have. The bounce rate percentage depends on the business goals, the industry, and the niche. For example, eCommerce websites are less likely to have a high bounce rate. However, if that eCommerce website is made poorly, then it will have a bad number of bounce rates or a higher percentage.
However, we understand website owners will want an eyeball for what percentage is considered bad or good. Here is a breakdown of what is rated as good, average, and bad bounce rates:
- Good Bounce Rate: A good bounce rate is between 30% and 50%, which is regarded as an excellent bounce rate.
- Average Bounce Rate: an average bounce rate that lies under the percentile between 50% and 70%.
- Bad Bounce Rate: bad bounce rates are regarded as between 70% to 80% or higher.
Again, what is considered a good or bad bounce rate depends on the industry and varies from business to business. The first thing that attracts users is well-designed landing pages. They carry simple and straightforward CTAs (Calls to action) and minimal content, just enough for users to understand the motive and meaning behind the business’s services. The words used on the landing page should be exactly what users are looking for.
Learn more: Affordable Web Design Company.
14 Tips to Reduce Bounce Rates for Websites
Now that we have gone through the basics of what bounce rates are and what is considered a good or bad bounce rate. Here, we will cover up the most effective and impactful tips for you to reduce bounce rates.
1. Get to Know the Why’s
First and foremost, you must know why visitors are leaving so quickly. For example, try to visualize this as a real store. You have a florist shop, and you notice people looking around and then eventually leave without asking you anything or even picking anything up. What would the first question be that pops up in your mind? It should be: What is driving them away?
Then you would ponder more: is it the structure of your florist shop, the prices, the way the products were kept, the lighting, or if your competitors are doing better than you, meaning that your florist shop and the way you have kept the shop is outdated?
When you answer each question and see it from the customer’s point of view, you will better understand it and gain insights into what exactly needs fixing. After you answer these questions, you need to start building a proper strategy. You, as the store owner or, in this case, the website owner, need to understand the buyer persona.
2. User Intention
Your website should be designed to the user’s intention. For this, you really need to know your potential customers and learn about them. The first basic element you should know is that users want to navigate the website easily. They want the website to load fast (unless they have their own kind of internet issues). They want the services and products beautifully laid out in front of them.
The UX (user experience) of your website should be well-structured and fast; however, it does go beyond that. Websites that do not balance or harmonize with the number of interactive elements, typography, content, colors, and visuals will showcase a scattered mess in the eyes of your potential customers.
3. Clear CTAs
CTAs are important; however, do not overdo them. The normal number of CTAs on a website landing page is three; however, you should opt for no more than two. CTAs direct your visitors to learn more or see what else you have to offer. It keeps the purchasing process simple.
For example, say your landing page is beautifully designed and includes all the important aspects of a well-designed landing page, but there is no CTA to be seen. Visitors will not scroll all the way down or go in search of it.
Additionally, CTAs create a sense of direction and solid decision-making for users. They encourage potential customers to take decisive action regarding your services.
4. Go Responsive
Responsive websites are elite, and here is why. The world has made a drastic shift towards using mobile phones to search on search engines and browse websites. If your website is not responsive, search engines will not pick it up because your potential customers are viewing it through their smartphones.
Your website design should perfectly fit the size of any smart device and not only be adapted to a PC. When your website design is responsive, users can easily access your website anywhere at any time. It is perfect for them to navigate and view.
If your website does not adjust to the user’s screen size and they have difficulty navigating, they will instantly leave.
5. Add Interactive Features
Adding interactive features to your website design creates a fun and interactive (hence the name) effect on viewers. This not only keeps them engaged but also creates a connection toward your website and could evoke an emotion. For example, if you are someone who creates custom-designed paintings, you can turn your loading time creative, where all the work you have done shows up on the screen, and users can click through each one.
It is important not to overdo the interactive features of your website design, no matter how creative you want it to be. Overdoing them could be overwhelming and hinder your website’s loading time.
Informative read: 15 Ways To Increase Website Traffic.
6. Typography
The kind of text and typography you have on your website also determines your website’s bounce rates. If your text is too small or in cursive, viewers will have difficulty reading what is written. In addition to that, if your website is loaded with too much content where it should not be, that will drive potential customers away.
Modern users prefer minimal words with effective impact. You can reduce bounce rates by minimizing the number of words on your homepage and using bigger fonts, so the words potential customers are looking for are in their faces and easy to read. For example, a car service website would use words such as “anywhere” or “reach your destination for cheap”, something around the lines.
Your heading should solve the problem for users, telling them that you are the online business they are looking for and that this is the problem they solve.
7. Optimized Content
Your content must be completely optimized. This means using keywords that rank in your headings, subheadings, paragraphs, or wherever else possible. Users tend to search for irregular word patterns, such as “blue dress long.”
Professional content writers know what viewers and potential customers search for since they do all the digging. They strategically use those words in the content so viewers think, “This is exactly what I was looking for.”
8. Create Landing Pages
This is one of those challenges that companies face when working to reduce bounce rates on their sites. It is one of the predicted entry points for your website. It does not matter how amazing your homepage is if the most traffic you get is from a blog that was not optimized.
Landing pages are the best solutions for that sole reason. They are customized and designed in such a way as to provide optimal customer entry. On landing pages, you can use CTAs and beautiful layouts. Consider this as a marketing strategy used for your business that will lead to more traffic and reduce your bounce rates.
9. Use Visuals
Humans like to see, and when they see what they like, they are more likely to be drawn to and attracted to it and eventually invest in it. Visuals act as proof. Including attractive visual elements and graphics on your website shows that you put in the effort. While CTAs do work, it is important to add beautiful visuals that keep the user’s eyes glued to your site.
Visuals lead to more lead generation, and you can make your website design truly engaging rather than without the hassle of too much content on your website. It is important to make sure that the visuals you add to your website design resonate with the target audience.
10. Test Your Website
Before you launch a website for visitors to check out, it is important that you run rigorous testing. This should rule out slow loading speed, website navigation, and layout. Here, you can benefit from A/B testing, where you create two kinds of websites on the same page and compare them side by side.
If you have your website professionally designed by an agency, they will run many tests to ensure that it is perfect before the official launch.
11. Attract the Right Audience
Say you are a website that sells exotic coffee. However, because the site is designed poorly, the theme is too green, or it includes the wrong words. People would assume that you are a business that either grows its own coffee or sells seeds for it.
Our first point in the list, “Get to know the why,” included the requirement that you know about your audience as well because you want to provide them with solutions. Your content, images, visuals, and theme should match the overall aesthetic of your brand so viewers do not get confused about what you are selling.
12. Keep Uploading Blogs
Bogs are the best strategy for loading your website with optimized content and adjusting keywords. The first important bonus they serve is that users will know that your website is active and not just simply lying around. Creating blogs that are relevant to the user’s interests will show them that this business knows their stuff.
Everything you write and add to your blogs should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your target audience’s needs.
13. Optimize the Internal Linking
Adding links to your website is important. You want visitors to know that they do not have to leave your site because you have everything linked. This keeps them engaged while they stay on your website. But the downside that could happen is to stuff. Make sure you are not stuffing your content with too many links.
Too many links on your website will lead to users thinking that your website is shady.
14. Show Your Loyalty
When it comes to proof, customers keep a keen eye on testimonials and even know if certain testimonials are fake. A website should have some good reviews and a few bad reviews. If they have bad reviews, as the owner, you must address those bad reviews so that new users see that you care.
Consumers do a lot of research and thinking before investing in a service or product, so adding a testimonials section to your website is important and not an option. This allows them to make faster decisions about choosing your services.
Learn more: What backlinking is and its importance in SEO.
Reduce Bounce Rates with WebsVent
While creating the right website design in the first place can be a bit tricky, it is important that your website makes a strong first impression. If not, this can stick to a visitor’s head and potentially drive them away from your brand. With a professionally designed website, there are going to be zero errors in the design, and if necessary, only subtle changes would be needed.
WebsVent is your ideal partner for creating website designs with low bounce rates. Our expert team of website designers and developers has nailed the art of creating stellar designs and adding strategy. We don’t just slap on any design; our website designs are custom-made and tailored to your needs, and our team does market research to understand your target audience and competitors. If you are looking for an affordable website design agency that provides unique website designs that include seamless navigation and optimized structures, WebsVent is the right place.