Analytics & Metrics
Bounce Rate
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who land on a page and leave without taking any further action or viewing another page. A high bounce rate can signal a mismatch between visitor expectations and what the page delivers, though context determines whether it is a problem.
Why it matters
Bounce rate helps diagnose whether landing pages and traffic sources are well matched. For social marketers driving traffic from posts and ads, it flags pages that fail to hold attention or align with the message that brought visitors in.
How it is measured
Bounce rate = (single-page or non-interacting sessions / total sessions) x 100. Example: 600 bounces from 1,000 sessions gives (600 / 1,000) x 100 = 60%. Note that newer analytics tools redefine engagement, so a 'bounce' may be measured differently than in older session-based models.
Typical benchmarks
Bounce rates vary enormously by page type and intent: a blog post or single-answer page can have a high bounce rate yet still satisfy visitors. Interpret it against page purpose, not a universal threshold.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good bounce rate?
There is no single good number. Content pages that answer a question fully may have high bounce rates and still succeed, while checkout or landing pages should aim lower. Judge it by page goal.
Is a high bounce rate always bad?
No. If a visitor gets exactly what they came for on one page, like a phone number or quick answer, bouncing is fine. It is a problem mainly when the page is meant to lead somewhere else.
How is bounce rate different in newer analytics tools?
Older models counted any single-page session as a bounce. Newer engagement-based models classify sessions by time, interactions, or pageviews, so the same visit can be scored differently between tools.