one-line definition
Bounce Rate is a core operating metric that helps small teams make better product and growth decisions.
formula: Bounce rate = Single-page sessions ÷ Total sessions × 100
tl;dr
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who land on a page and leave without clicking anything else. A high bounce rate on your landing page means your message isn't matching your traffic.
Simple definition
Bounce Rate is the percentage of sessions where a visitor views only one page and leaves without any further interaction. They arrived, saw something, and decided it wasn't for them -- or they found exactly what they needed and left. The interpretation depends on the page type.
A blog post with 75% bounce rate is normal. People read the article and leave. A pricing page with 75% bounce rate is a problem -- it means three out of four potential buyers left without starting a trial. Always evaluate bounce rate in context of what the page is supposed to do.
How to calculate it
Bounce rate = Single-page sessions / Total sessions x 100
Say your landing page had 2,000 sessions last month. 1,340 of those were single-page sessions (no clicks, no scrolls past the fold, no navigation).
Bounce rate = 1,340 / 2,000 x 100 = 67%
For a SaaS landing page, that's on the high side. You want to get that below 50-55% through better messaging, faster load times, or clearer calls to action.
Example
You run a time-tracking SaaS. Your Google Ads campaign sends traffic to your homepage, which has a 72% bounce rate. You're paying $2.40 per click, and 72% of those clicks result in nothing. You create a dedicated landing page that matches the ad copy exactly -- same headline, same promise, a demo video, and a single "Start Free Trial" button. Bounce rate drops to 48%. With 500 clicks/month, that's 120 extra people staying on your site. Even if only 10% of them sign up, that's 12 new trials per month from a page redesign. No extra ad spend needed.
Related reading
Related terms
- MRR
- CAC
- LTV
FAQ
Why does Bounce Rate matter?+
It gives a fast signal about whether your product and distribution system is improving or regressing.