What does bounce rate measure in web analytics?

Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page, without navigating to any other pages on the site. This metric is crucial for understanding user engagement; a high bounce rate may indicate that visitors are not finding what they were expecting or that the content is not engaging enough to prompt them to explore further.

A lower bounce rate typically signals that more visitors are navigating through multiple pages, which can be a positive indicator of content relevance and user experience. For marketers and website owners, analyzing bounce rate can help inform improvements in web design, content strategy, and overall user experience to increase engagement and drive conversions.

In contrast, the other metrics refer to different aspects of web traffic, such as total visitors or time spent on the site, which do not provide insight specifically into the behavior of those who leave after viewing only the initial page.