Bounce Rate

The percentage of users visiting a website who view only the first page and then leave. An indicator of page quality and user experience.

Oct 31, 2026 / About 1 min read

Analytics

Bounce rate is the percentage of users visiting a website who view only the first page and then leave the site. The formula is "number of bounces divided by total sessions, multiplied by 100." It is one of the indicators used to measure page quality and user experience.

What counts as a typical bounce rate varies by industry and page type. A high bounce rate does not necessarily mean something is wrong. For example, a user who searches for "Tokyo weather" and views a weather forecast page has achieved their goal once they get the information, so bouncing is natural behavior.

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the definition of bounce rate changed from the earlier Universal Analytics (UA). According to Google Analytics Help (as of October 2026), the UA bounce rate is the percentage of sessions in which only one page was viewed, while the GA4 bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged. The same help page defines an engaged session as a session that meets any of the following: lasting 10 seconds or longer, having a key event, or having 2 or more page or screen views. For this reason, a session that views only one page for 10 seconds or longer and then leaves is not counted as a bounce in GA4.

By analyzing the bounce rate of traffic from short URLs, you can evaluate the quality of the landing pages they link to. If the bounce rate is abnormally high, possible causes include a gap between the link description and the landing page content (a mismatch between expectations and reality), slow page loading, and insufficient mobile support.

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Related Terms

Conversion Rate

The percentage of users who complete a desired action after clicking a link, such as making a purchase or signing up.

Click Analytics

The measurement and analysis of user clicks on links, providing insights into engagement and traffic sources.

Page View

A single instance of a web page being loaded or reloaded in a browser, used as a basic measure of website traffic.

Core Web Vitals

A set of Google-defined metrics measuring real-world user experience for loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability.

Unique Visitor

A distinct individual who visits a website within a specified time period, counted only once regardless of multiple visits.

Session

A group of user interactions with a website within a given time frame. A fundamental unit of web analytics measurement.

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FAQ

Is a high bounce rate always a problem?

Not necessarily. For content where the goal can be achieved on a single page, such as blog posts and FAQ pages, a high bounce rate is natural. Judge it according to the purpose of the page.

How can you improve bounce rate?

Examples include improving page loading speed, raising content quality, strengthening internal links, making CTAs clearer, and optimizing mobile support.

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