In Google analytics the definition of bounce rate is:

‘Bounce Rate: Bounce rate is the percentage of single-page visits (i.e. visits in which the person left your site from the entrance page. Bounce rate is a measure of visit quality and a high bounce rate generally indicates that site entrance (landing) pages aren’t relevant to your visitors. You can minimize Bounce Rates by tailoring landing pages to each keyword and ad that you run. Landing pages should provide the information and services that were promised in the ad copy.’

Google can collect user search behaviour through the Google tool bar, analytics and Google Chrome. So they have a complete picture of people’s search behaviour.

Last month a web master did a test which indicated a change as a result in a decrease in bounce rate. Although the test is not conclusive, the chances are bounce rates for specific landing pages is factor included in search engine listings;


So what action do you need to take?

• High bounce rates can indicate poor content, so look at your pages with high bounce rates. Then run a ranking report on the high volume key phrases and look at the terms the pages are ranking for. The look at the content and ensure it includes some of the search phrases.
  

• Improve the usability on the page to make it easy for the visitor to work out where or what to do next