Have you ever given some thoughts – Why the bounce rate of your blog or website is so high?

If your answer is YES – Have you ever tried to find out the root cause and solution to improve the bounce rate? This time, unfortunately, your answer is NO.

Do not worry, I will share a real life story of mine to guide you – How I achieved the desired bounce rate for my blog, which, a webmaster can dream of.

Rule of thumb: Bounce rate of 50% is considered average, 60% or more is high average and more than 80% is problematic.

Now I will tell you – How I improved the bounce rate of my blog from 50% to 25%.

“ Bounce Baby Bounce ” may be a popular song in the Bollywood, but not in the Webmaster World.

The more your blog bounce, the less it is liked by the Search Engines. Every time a visitor lands up on your blog and click on the back button (bounce), Google cast a -Ve Vote in the Search Engine Ranking algorithm.

1) Speed

Do you like a blog which takes 10 Sec to load?

Obviously NO. More than 70% people leave a website only due to delayed page loading. In case of mobile surfing the figure is even more.

Google has already declared its obsession with speed and included in the SE ranking algorithm. Speed-up your blog and make your users happy. Happy users surf more on your blog, there by reducing bounce rate.

YSlow – A free tool by Yahoo! to analyze your page loading and suggests different ways to improve website speed. Install the Add-On to your browser and speed-up your blog.

2) Layout

Layout plays an important role to retain visitors and surf more content on your blog. The layout of your blog should be user friendly and pleasing to your visitors. Different niches of blogs require different layout patterns.

66.66 | 33.33 Rule – In general, this rule works wonder for different types of blogs. You simply split the width of your theme in to 66.66 (main content) and 33.33 (side bar) ratio.

This layout is quite pleasing to the eye as well as helps your visitors read easily by offering short lines (less strain on the eyes and brain).

You can apply this rule to the images/graphics you are showing on your blog. Here, the width: height should be 66.66 : 33.33.

If your visitors find less content/information and more Ads above the fold, then they will leave your site, leading to increase in bounce rate.

Google also demote blogs on SERPs, who show more Ads above the fold.

3) Color Scheme

Color generates a chemical reaction in your visitors’ brain, and, if the colors are pleasant and compatible with the subject matter/niche, then they tend to surf more content, thereby improving the bounce rate.

Apart from Black and White, you should use 2 colors (max 3). And, the color should be derived from the LOGO at the top left corner.

4) White Space

Put plenty of White space on the pages. White space helps increase readability by reducing strain on the eyes, prompting to surf more.

As a thumb-rule, White space should occupy 60% of your web page, to improve bounce rate.

5) Professional Logo

How do you recall Nike, Coca Cola or Google? Obviously, the logo. People like to correlate objects and websites with their corresponding logo to continue the relationship.

Your blog should have a professional looking logo and should gel with the theme of your blog. The ideal place for the logo is top-left part of the Home Page, as this place is considered as hotspot and impacts more on the mind and brain (study by an eye-tracking tool).

6) Less Ads

Do you like a blog, whose content is wedged between AdSense Ads? Or, do you like a website with less content and more Ads. Definitely NO.

People come to your blog to gather information. If you scare them by putting bag-full of AdSense and Affiliate Ads, they are bound to bounce. Due to the unpleasant memory, they may not come to your blog again.

7) Compelling Content

Content Content, Rule Again! Yes, here I rule. That is why you are reading this article happily! Isn’t it?

To improve bounce rate, you have to produce quality content. Which adds value to your blog readers and help them to achieve their goal. Informative and compelling content retain blog visitors for longer and improve bounce rate.

8) Better Navigation

Here I am not talking about the pure navigational part. I mean, your blog should showcase the most famous/commented/useful articles in such way that visitors should be bound to click.

You can showcase your important articles within widgets, on the sidebar and below the posts.

My Story

Exactly 6 months back, when I did start blogging, the bounce rate of BBS was 50%. I simply work on the above 8 points and today the bounce rate improved to 25%! I have achieved my desired bounce rate. Now I can bounce happily.

If you are a blogger and want to bounce like me, then drop your Doubts/Tips below. I will help you to bounce too.

This is a guest post by BBS.