Ready or not, Christmas is just around the corner. And while that may bring mixed feelings, one thing is safe to assume, more consumers will be doing online shopping. So, what can you do the make sure your website is ready for the extra activity? After all, you don’t just need to have the right products and services available you need to have a website that is inviting and easy to use and navigate. Failing to do this will result in lead bounces and ultimately affect your bottom line.

Not sure what a ‘bounce rate” is? No worries. A bounce is, as defined by Westebbe Marketing, “A single-page session on your site; the bounce rate is the “percentage calculated by single-page sessions divided by all sessions.” If search engines see your website as having a significantly high bounce rate, then there will be fewer leads sent to your website.

If you are unsure what the bounce rate of your website is, then Google Analytics has an excellent tool for discovering the health of your website. However, a simple rule of thumb is that if your success depends on guests viewing more than one page, then a high bounce rate is bad. Conversely, if you have a single-page site such as a blog, then a high bounce rate is considered normal. Ideally, an optimal bounce rate would be in the 26% to 45% range.

Yet, all that stated, it is important to not become too obsessed over the occasional high bounce rate as there may be an unknown factor contributing to someone leaving your ecommerce page. For example, if there is a particular item your consumers are searching for and you don’t have it (or are unable to get it), then most likely left your site for that reason- not because they did not like your site.

So, before the holiday shopping begins in earnest, now is the time to implement practices designed to minimize lead bounces and improve your conversion rates.

Tips for Minimizing Bounce Rates

Now that you understand bounce rates – and before the holiday shopping begins in earnest – it is time to implement practices designed to minimize lead bounces and improve your conversion rates.

  1. Be sure you have Google Analytics properly configured. If you run your site using the GA tool and your numbers are exceptionally high or low, you will likely need to reconfigure your GA setup. (You can do this yourself or talk to one of Page Progressive’s web specialists.) If you opt to do this on your own, key areas to check are the GA Tracking Code, the Goals and Events, and your WordPress plugins.
  2. Content and its readability matter. People rarely read a website line for line, preferring to skim over the content. Consequently, be sure that site content contains headings, subheadings, bullet points, short paragraphs, clickable link table of contents for long pages of text, and any other elements that will break up verbiage. 
  3. Let people know who and what you are. It is vital that your website guests can immediately identify your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Be sure your guests know what sets you apart from your competition and show it off on your home page. Ensuring people know more about when they visit your site encourages them to spend more time on your site and return to it for future purchases.
  4. Have sales. We all like to get a good deal on something, so be sure your ecommerce site has a good sales pages or sections. Whether you have a page dedicated to sale items or a banner promoting special discounts or codes, be sure your bargain hunting site guests can quickly and easily find those items.