Even before the Panda and Penguin Google updates, the bounce rate is already a big issue when it comes to SEO. A bounce is reported when a visitor exits immediately upon entering the landing page without going to other pages of the website. The bounce rate is the percentage of bounces a website incurs over a period of time. The bounce rate is translated as a determiner of the usability of a website to users. A website with a high bounce rate means that visitors did not consider it useful and enticing enough for them to explore further.
The Relevance of Bounce Rate to SEO
A major Search Engine Optimization strategy is through affiliate marketing. A popular affiliate marketing method that businesses invest in is the pay-per-click system. This is similar in concept with paid advertisement which is used heavily to acquire visitors to a website. Even with all the leads third party sites provide, if visitors would just close the browser right after it lands of the website, it is considered as a loss cause. Funds paid to affiliates are wasted whenever a bounce happens. Aside from catchy content and fast loading speed, there are other effective means to increase visitor retention and lower bounce rates.
Lowering Bounce Rate
1. Avoid causing visitors to get confused.
Every page in your website should tell the visitor about what it is actually about. The message you want your readers to read should be very obvious from the beginning. A lot of surfers, researchers, or clients turn give up on websites just because it is so confusing to go around with. Have a simple, direct, and easy to understand layout.
2. Have a flexible layout that is responsive to multiple platforms.
With all the classes of media available today, traffic would certainly not come on a limited or exclusive platform such as a computer. Tablets and mobile phones with smaller screens. If the website is accessed through a smaller screen platform, it should have a responsive layout that automatically adjusts to that particular configuration. It is very inconvenient for a visitor to navigate in a small screen platform if the website format is only formatted for full screen navigation. The tendency of that visitor is to exit the website eventually.
3. Avoid too much advertisement.
We cannot completely get rid of advertisement since this is the lifeblood of the website. It is what keeps the money in. But too much of these advertisements would ruin the appeal of the website. The first thing that these advertisements will do is to confuse the visitor on the actual content of your website. There is also a big percentage of a wrong click which would add up to your bounce count. Another issue with advertisement comes when promotions are about free stuff. In the time where spam is rampant, people are reluctant to click on any ads that promote a free item.
4. Acquire the services of an expert.
To ensure that every SEO investment will result to profits, consult an SEO specialist to set up your website. These experts have in them an arsenal of effective internet marketing techniques that will ensure that every visitor will take time in exploring every page of your website. Aside from that, an SEO expert will help a website in so many ways to have a high rank in search engines.
5. Minimize third party content.
Third party content, especially movie and sound clips, greatly significantly slows loading time. One of a major turn off a visitor may encounter is a slow loading page. This will immediately cause them to exit the page. If third party content cannot be avoided, then apply maintenance techniques such as lazy loading to reduce the overall slowness of loading.
6. Do not forget the basics of page layout.
Do not get too caught up by fancy design and new technology in setting up your website. If it is not necessary, then do not apply it to the website. The most important thing is to focus on the essential parts of the website. The navigation should be a focal point of your website. Make it easy to navigate and access. The contrast also plays a major role for a visitor to stay longer on your website. If your contrast makes it very hard for people to see the text, the next thing they will click is the close button. These two basic elements should be well done before applying other website enhancement.
Now that Google have included the bounce rate as a basis of a website ranking, it is important to keep a low bounce rate. Keeping it simple, regulating advertisements, and asking help from the experts will help a website maintain a low bounce rate and attain a good ranking.
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Cedric Loiselle is a highly talented writer providing quality articles for a wide range of niches. These include business and finance, Internet and SEO, as well as home improvement and real estate.
