When it comes to managing a successful online shop it's important to be on top of your data and results. One of the crucial pieces of data you should track closely is your e-commerce's bounce rate. It's time to take control of your online shop. For that you need to understand these 6 ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce. Studying its effect can let you optimise your site and boost your conversion rate. Let's begin by understanding what is the bounce rate and how to minimise it if necessary.

What exactly is a bounce rate?

It is a metric that measures the percentage of users who abandon your site. Google Analytics registers each bounce when a user opens just one page and leaves without taking any other action on that site. If you have a high bounce rate there is probably a pretty clear underlying cause to justify it. Some of the most common causes for a high bounce rate are:

• Slow loading time - typical for heavy sites
• Pages that aren't optimised for other devices, such as ipads or mobiles
• Poor user experience or website that isn't user-friendly

Why is it bad to have a high bounce rate? 

According to Google a high bounce rate is usually a bad thing, although there are some exceptions. If you have no conversions then obviously it's bad. For example, if you need users to visit more than one page in order to sell your products, then you should worry about a high bounce rate.

One exception would be for one page e-commerces. Obviously if the users can do what they need to do from one single page, your analytics will mark them as bounces since they didn't navigate to another page. This will generate a high bounce rate, but in this case you don't have to worry about it.

If your bounce rate is generated by a specific page within your e-commerce, you should make sure the content is appropriate to the product category. Also make sure the page is working correctly. You might have to run a few tests on that page to understand what is causing a high bounce rate. Also make sure that all channels which link to that page are coherent to the destination. For example, if a post in your social media mentions electronics, but the link directs the user to clothing, this error will cause bounces.

6 ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce

It's important to understand these 6 ways you can reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce. This will allow you to take calculated action and boost your conversion rate. You'll probably also make your e-commerce more user-friendly and successful.

1. Increase the load time of your e-commerce

The loading time of any given site greatly influences your bounce rate. It is one of the first indicators of the quality of a website. To increase the load time of your e-commerce keep in mind these factors which contribute to a slower load time:

• If your site is hosted on shared servers. You can switch to a dedicated private virtual server that exclusively hosts your site.
• Your template forms might be slowing the load time if they aren't optimised. Discuss this with your programmer to check the PHP code, JavaScript functions, CSS style, etc...
• Check your image compression. They should be optimised for web.
• Limit the number of plugins, the more you have the slower your site will load.
• Use a cache plugin so that your site loads fast on the second visit any user makes to your site.

2. Use intelligent Pop Ups

Emerging windows can be an effective way to achieve your e-commerce goals or can be an absolute disaster. Think about the user experience when deciding on the type of pop ups you'll employ in your site. Consider how the user's first impression will be. Will it annoy them or will it be just what they need in that given moment? The right timing and message should invite the user to take an action without being invasive. The user will most likely abandon your site if the pop up is annoying, difficult to close, not relevant, etc.

3. Create a user-friendly browsing experience

If the first impression of your site isn't satisfactory, chances are users will leave your site and search for a better alternative. What you want is an e-commerce with a clean design, intuitive navigation and visible menu. This will encourage users to continue browsing through different pages of your site with ease. A positive user experience will help boost your organic positioning.

Google takes into account the duration of each user's visit to your site. They also consider the keywords used to find your site. This is why, aside from the appearance of your site, you must offer quality content that is relevant for your visitors. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce.

Read more about how to improve the user experience. 

4. Implement responsive design

If we access a site from different devices, we hope to be able to visualise the site in an appropriate manner. Whether from a desktop computer, a tablet or a smartphone, the quality of the user experience should be equally high. In addition, implementing responsive design in your e-commerce is more likely to increase the average time spent on your site. Not only is this one of the best ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce, a good responsive design will help boost your brand image.

Read more about responsive design.

5. Only use high quality images, videos and graphics

The quality of the media you show on your e-commerce will not only help you sell more, it will improve the user experience. This will lower your bounce rate. High quality images and videos that add value will help boost your conversion rate and average visit duration. In practice it works much like a catalogue. The user should be able to easily browse through the products in your online shop supported by high quality media representing them.

Read more about how to design and develop the best online shop.

6. Offer complimentary options and/or alternatives

Cross-selling and up-selling tactics can be highly effective strategies to guide the user through the different pages of your e-commerce. Give the user additional options that are relevant to their current product selection. For example, if they are buying a camera you could also show them a camera tripod to go with it. Or you could offer them similar products that are better value for money.

Read more about cross-selling and up-selling.

As you can see, these 6 ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce will not only give you ways to reduce the bounce rate of your e-commerce. They will also boost the overall user experience and reputation of your online shop. It's a win-win for all. We hope you try implementing some of these strategies in your online shop to see better results.