What does "bounce rate" indicate in web analytics?

Bounce rate is a crucial metric in web analytics that specifically measures the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only a single page, without interacting further with the site. A high bounce rate can indicate that the landing page did not meet the visitor's expectations, leading them to exit the site rather than exploring additional content or taking desired actions, such as filling out a form or making a purchase.

Understanding bounce rate is essential for improving user engagement and the overall effectiveness of a website. If a site has a high bounce rate, webmasters might need to investigate the quality of the content, the relevance of the traffic, or the effectiveness of the calls to action. This metric can provide valuable insights into whether the content is engaging enough to encourage visitors to explore more pages within the site.

The other options represent different aspects of web analytics that do not align with the specific definition of bounce rate. For instance, the number of pages viewed in a session pertains to user engagement rather than the exit rate after a single page view, while overall traffic refers to the total visits to the site. Time spent on a website is related to user engagement but does not directly relate to how many visitors leave after viewing just one page.