[fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”0px” paddingbottom=”0px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]I’ve been working on a client’s site on and off for a while now. It’s a motorcycle parts site, that also has a resource section including fitting guides, links to workshop manuals and videos and such. We decided to include these pages to help drive traffic to the site (plus many motorcycle enthusiasts interested in that particular niche are also quite spontaneous buyers!). So far it has been working relatively well, except for the extremely high bounce rate I noticed on one particular page.[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”25″ bottom_margin=”25″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]There were people searching for a particular item in Google, a downloadable file, arriving to the page offering the file and then leaving.
78% of the people arriving from organic search bounced immediately after obtaining the file.
Now, while the number of people visiting that page isn’t huge (between 20 and 30 people per day), having such a high bounce rate on an e-commerce site isn’t a good thing; especially when the whole reason for that page’s existence is to persuade those visitors to have a look around the store![/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”25″ bottom_margin=”25″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]I decided that we need to address this as a priority, and began playing around with the layout of the page.
I added a call to action above the fold to persuade new visitors to give us some social love and reorganized the layout of the download links. Then, at the bottom I added a carousel of popular products on the site and some links back to other popular pages on the site, including product categories, to push people over to the main store (and hopefully into the purchasing cycle).[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”25″ bottom_margin=”25″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]The result?
Well, from a 78% bounce rate, within 2 days, to a 0% bounce rate.
Over the 2 weeks before posting this not 1 person left the site from that page. A success, very easily obtained.[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”10″ bottom_margin=”10″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style_type=”dropshadow” bordercolor=”#1391db” bordersize=”2px” stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”slide” animation_direction=”up” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”10″ bottom_margin=”10″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_separator style_type=”shadow” top_margin=”25″ bottom_margin=”25″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]Moral:
Make sure you keep an eye on what pages of your site have unusually high bounce rates.
Consider why that might be (layout, miscommunication, completed action, poor design, etc.), and address it.
Test out a few different ideas and see which is most effective, and always try to include links to your most popular pages or products visible on the page (as part of the main content, in the footer or a sidebar).[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”shadow” top_margin=”25″ bottom_margin=”25″ sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]Some further reading:
- Google: Bounce Rates
- Search Engine Watch: 20 things to consider to reduce bounce rates
- Kissmetrics blog: What You Can Learn from Bounce Rate & How to Improve It
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