How we Reduced our Client’s Bounce Rate by 27% in 2 Months
With ongoing marketing efforts, we had reduced Grandma’s Jars bounce rate each month, but the rate at which this was happening was slow. We wanted to make dramatic improvements and get our existing 76% bounce rate below a 50%. Here’s how we did it.
The Client: Grandma’s Jars
Grandma’s Jars teaches people how to save money, eliminate debt and break the pay cheque to pay cheque cycle via an online web application that helps you manage your money.
Problem
With ongoing marketing efforts, we had reduced Grandma’s Jars bounce rate each month, but the rate at which this was happening was slow. We wanted to make dramatic improvements and get our existing 76% bounce rate below a 50%.
| Grandma’s Jars Bounce Rate | |||
| Date | Bounce Rate | Difference From Previous Month | Cumulative Difference |
| July 2016 | 83% | – | – |
| Aug 2016 | 80% | +3% | +3% |
| Sept 2016 | 80% | 0% | +3% |
| Oct 2016 | 76% | +4% | +7% |
Solution
Determine how we could improve the homepage to entice visitors to continue checking out the rest of what Grandma’s Jars has to offer.
Process
Analyse
First, we want to understand why someone may be bouncing off the site. We thought of a few possibilities:
- Users aren’t getting what they need
- Users are unsure of what to do next when they get to the site
Strategize
We
strategized and though of various options in how we could improve. We
wanted to feature only the most critical elements when a user came to
the homepage – a “less is more approach”, so that it was immediately
clear what Grandma’s Jars had to offer, and what action the user should
take. We determined that a user should be able to land on the site and
within seconds understand what Grandma’s Jars is and what action they
should take.
So, what changes did we make to do this?
Consolidate the Navigation
The main navigation was full and busy. With so many options it would be difficult for the user to know where to go and perhaps even causing information overload. The first thing we did was reduce our main navigation by bucketing our pages into 3 categories – the app, education yourself, and providing a way to get in touch. All other pages then got nestled under either education or contact. With the change, we would now be communicating to users that they’re here to learn, with access to an app to help them.
Before
After
Update the Homepage Banner
Update imagery to trigger emotion
The existing banner image did convey the concept of financial education, however, we know that emotions can trigger a better response from users. We wanted an image that would reflect how a user would feel by using Grandma’s Jars. That is when we moved from two girls on a bench, whose faces you couldn’t see and connect with, with an image of a gentleman who looks relieved and pleased. We also ensured this gentleman was in front of the computer to help convey the online web application aspect of Grandma’s Jars.
Before
After
Reduce banner copy and make it more concise
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that if you use less copy, it will be less overwhelming for users and will also “force you” to convey your message/ultimate benefit to users in a clearer and more concise way. We reworked the main headline by reducing the length of copy and getting right to the point that users can “take control of their finances”. It certainly was easier to digest than the mouthful of, “The budgeting education resource that will help you save money and eliminate debt”.
Before
- Headline: The budgeting education resource that will help you save money and eliminate debt.
- Body Copy: Grandma’s Jars combines a proven budgeting methodology with financial coaching support to help you modify spending patterns, streamline bank accounts, and manage debts in order to truly take control of your finances.
- Word Count: 45
After
- Headline: Take control of your finances
- Body Copy: Eliminate debt, save more money, and say goodbye to financial stress. Take Control of your financial future.
- Word Count: 22 – yes! We cut our word count in HALF!
Create a specific call-to-action
Now
that we’ve triggered to user’s emotion with strong imagery, got to the
point of how the user will benefit from this site, we need to make a
clear call-to-action, to further drive them through the site – to
continue on their journey so to say.
How did we do this?
We asked a question that had a “no-brainer” response. We asked them if they were ready to “Eliminate debt, save more money and say goodbye to financial stress!”. Of course, someone would want that! And our “yes, show me how” CTA button made it clear of the benefit that they would get by clicking through.
Before
Nothing… !!! We had nothing!
After
“Yes, show me how!”
Bringing it all together
So what did all these changes look like for the overall banner?
Before
After
Results
If you remember, before these changes our bounce rates were as follows:
| Grandma’s Jars Bounce Rate | |||
| Date | Bounce Rate | Difference From Previous Month | Cumulative Difference |
| July 2016 | 83% | – | – |
| Aug 2016 | 80% | +3% | +3% |
| Sept 2016 | 80% | 0% | +3% |
| Oct 2016 | 76% | +4% | +7% |
In November we updated the main menu navigation and in December we updated the homepage banner.
The results?
| Grandma’s Jars Bounce Rate | |||
| Date | Bounce Rate | Difference From Previous Month | Cumulative Difference |
| July 2016 | 83% | – | – |
| Aug 2016 | 80% | +3% | +3% |
| Sept 2016 | 80% | 0% | +3% |
| Oct 2016 | 76% | +4% | +7% |
| Nov 2016 | 64% | +12% | +19% |
| Dec 2016 | 49% | +15% | +34% |
Overall, we improved the bounce rate on the Grandma’s Jars website by 27% in two months by improving the main navigation and homepage banner.
Users now know how they will benefit from the site, and what action they should take on the site.
But, with all marketing, there is always room for improvement. We will continually A/B test the homepage to see how we can further reduce the bounce rate on the homepage. After all every business and website is unique and has its own unique visitors, which means your inbound marketing and website is a living breathing thing – always evolving and change to further optimize its performance and impact.