Bounce rate in Google Analytics 4
In Google Analytics 4, bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged. A session is engaged if it lasts longer than 10 seconds, includes a key event (conversion) or includes at least two page views, so bounce rate is simply the opposite of engagement rate.
In the old Universal Analytics, a bounce was any single-page visit, even if the visitor read the page for ten minutes.
Is a high bounce rate bad?
Not always. A visitor who finds your phone number and calls, or reads one answer and leaves satisfied, may count as a bounce. Judge bounce rate by page type and goal, and compare similar pages rather than chasing a general benchmark.
How to lower it
- Match the page to what the ad or search result promised.
- Make the page load fast, especially on mobile.
- Show the main answer or offer straight away.
- Offer a clear next step and useful internal links.
Bounce rate is an analytics metric. Google has said it doesn’t use your analytics data to rank your pages.
Bounce rate vs engagement rate
In GA4, engagement rate is the share of sessions that were engaged, and bounce rate is the share that were not, so the two add up to 100%. If 70 of 100 sessions are engaged, the engagement rate is 70% and the bounce rate is 30%.
Bounce rate vs exit rate
Bounce rate counts sessions that began on a page and were not engaged. Exit rate counts how often a page was the last page viewed in a session, whatever the visitor did before. See exit rate.
When a high bounce rate is a problem
- A page meant to lead to another step, such as a product page or a landing page, with few clicks onward.
- A rise after a redesign or a change in traffic sources.
- A big gap between mobile and desktop, which may point to a mobile layout or speed issue.
When it is fine
- A blog post that answers a question completely.
- A contact page where the visitor finds a number and calls.
Bounce rate FAQs
What is a good bounce rate?
It depends on the type of page and traffic source. Compare your own pages over time.
Does bounce rate affect SEO?
Google has said it does not use your analytics data for ranking. A high bounce rate can still point to a page that does not match what searchers want.
See also Google Analytics and page speed.