Bounce Rate

A session-engagement metric whose exact definition depends on the analytics product. In Google Analytics 4, bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged: they lasted 10 seconds or less, had no key event, and had fewer than two page or screen views. This differs from the older Universal Analytics definition, which focused on single-page sessions without another interaction.

Why it matters: Bounce rate is a diagnostic clue, not a standalone verdict on page quality. A visitor can leave after getting a complete answer, while a low bounce rate can result from tracking configuration rather than a better experience. Compare the metric by landing page, traffic source, device, and visitor intent; review key events, conversions, engagement time, exits, and qualitative feedback; and verify that analytics tags and events are configured consistently before changing content or design.