User engagement and bounce rate go hand in hand. Whether you have an up and running website or established a new one recently, an increased bounce rate can signify poor user engagement on your website. And of course, you wouldn’t want that especially when you put countless hours of efforts into building it.

What is a bounce rate?

A bounce rate is a measure of how rapidly your visitors leave your website after landing on it. The higher the bounce rate, the poorer is the user engagement on your website. Well, this isn’t always a bad thing if your website’s primary objective is to get visitors who click on your advertising banner and keep the money rolling in. However, if you own an online store or an informative blog, you most likely to need a reduced bounce rate where you would want your visitors to stick by as long as possible.

In a nutshell, irrespective of your business goals, it’s always a wise idea to make visitors stick around for longer since it will attract more subscribers and add more money to your pocket.

So if you are one of those who is tired of trying millions of things to lower their bounce rate, you are at the right place.
In today’s post, we are going to share some of the tried and tested methods of bringing the bounce of a website down while significantly increasing it’s user engagement.

1. Know your audience

Establishing and maintaining a website is a challenging chore especially in today’s ever-growing competitive market. However, the key to a successful website is to comprehensively know your audience and examining the analytics. Before you jump into the process of lowering your bounce rate, it is imperative to figure out the complicated details of every page of your website. Study your audience and find out what type of audience is attracted to your website. This way you can focus on creating content that’s best suited to your audience and drastically reduce the bounce rate on your website.

2. Keep it simple

Being able to create a website design that is both aesthetically appealing and functional gives you the freedom to add countless numbers of elements. However, adding too many elements on your website will only distract your visitor from performing the actual chore you want them to perform such as subscribing to the newsletter, buying a product, or more.

The best way to ensure that your visitors do not abandon your website immediately after landing on it is to keep the design as simple as possible. You can create an app like interface where only the necessary elements are integrated, improving the UI and UX.

3. Integrate a compelling call-to-action

More than 47% of the sites use well-designed and clear call-to-action buttons that do not take more than 3 seconds to be noticed by the visitor as reported by the study conducted by Go-Globe.

If your site is one of them, you are lucky. If not, this is probably the primary cause of your increased bounce rate.

The matter of the fact is visitors won’t subscribe to your newsletter unless they are persuaded. Not insisting them to take an action on your website will leave you in a jeopardy of collecting genuine and useful email ids.

So no matter what type of design you have, make sure the CTAs integrated are compelling. Also while designing the CTAs, every single element is important from the location of the CTA to its color.

One of the best examples of strong CTAs is Sprout Social that has kept its Call-to-action button above the fold and captures the attention of the visitors instantly.

4. Leverage Breadcrumbs

Have you ever shopped on amazon or eBay? Of course, you have. While spooning the website for different products, you must have noticed a trail of links at the top. Well, this is called breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumbs is a great way to make navigation easier and convenient for your visitors. It allows them to navigate back to the previous page they were visiting or directly move to the homepage.

Adding it to your website will not only help visitors to easily navigate on your website but also make it a lot easier for the search engines to comprehend your website’s structure.

5. Get social

Social media is yet another amazing way to constantly drive traffic to your website while reducing your bounce rate consistently. However, not establishing your brand on the social media platform will hinder it from making the most of it. As a matter of fact, people now prefer social networking where they can communicate with their friends as well as brands they are most interested in.

Since web users on the social media platform are active and participate in almost every activity taking place, it’s a great opportunity to introduce your brand to them and direct them to your website. This way you can kill two birds with one stone – driving traffic to your website and lowering bounce rate.

6. Be Mobile-friendly

The mobile industry has grown significantly with the evolution of countless smartphones, tablets, iPhones and more. And according to a recent study, more than 38% of the traffic is driven by the smartphone. This is indeed a huge number, and trust me, it is only increasing.
So, do you have a mobile friendly or responsive website or still overlooking this need of the hour necessity?

What do you think about the points mentioned above? Do you think they make any difference to the bounce rate of a website? Share your opinions and suggests in the comments below.

Author Bio:

Jason is a well-known writer and a professional web developer working for WordSuccor Ltd.If you are looking to get WordPress eCommerce Theme Development Services, then get in touch with him. He is expert in PSD to WordPress Conversion and WordPress Plugin Development. He loves to share his intangible knowledge on the web related to WordPress development tips and tricks.

Creating a directory website can be a challenging task unless you have the right tools. Speaking of tools, the most popular and widely used tool to create a fully featured and dynamic directory website is WordPress. It has made setting up an online directory a lot easier for web users.

In fact, you can seamlessly convert any up and running WordPress website into an online directory website with the integration of directory plugins.

But with hundreds of free and premium plugins available, how do you intend to choose the right one for your business?

Well,

In today’s post, we have hand-picked some of the best options for you to help you build a custom directory for your WordPress website.

1. Simple Link Directory

Simple Link Directory is a unique directory plugin in approach. It is unique and highly advanced for one Page directory and content curation. This directory plugin enables you to create elegant and innovative link, Partners or Resources directory in few minutes.
This plugin can be used in various ways like link directory, one-page directory, link library, bookmark collection, bookmark directory, vendor directory, useful link collection, affiliates directory, partners directory, link curation and resources directory. It is considered to be the best WordPress directory plugin for this new web age.

Some of its many features are,

• It enables you to build a confined list of thousands of links and display them on the one-page directory.
• It has a configurable highlight color for lists.
• You can also use it as Associate or Partner page or Link directory.
• This directory plugin is very fast and provides very friendly support.
• It will also integrate your links of the directory with the Google Analytics.

2. Advanced Classified & Directory Pro

Advanced Classified & Directory Pro is a powerful, professional, high quality and flexible directory plugin. It enables you to almost every kind of directory site. ACADP also allows you to organize your listing across infinite categories and subcategories.

Let’s check some of its features in a nutshell,

• It enables you to set unlimited custom fields which make your WordPress website to accommodate all the business areas you want to advertise easily.
• It also gives you a location setup which is highly configurable. This enables you to setup Google map integration.
• Efficient backend management enables you to monitor all listings of the backend. You can add new listings, locations, categories and edit their details. It gives you full control over all its setting which helps you to run your website smoothly.
• It also enables you to customize the layout. Now you can choose what you want to display in the frontend.
• You can also add images and videos as well.

3. Staff Directory Plugin

Staff directory plugin is a company directory plugin which is an easy way to add staff directory in your WordPress website. You can choose the way of presentation in several easy layouts which are easy to understand. This allows your visitor to know your faculty or staff and your capabilities.

This plugin also avails you easy search functions to find details of staff members in the much simple way. It also displays your staff in very easy to view layout. Some of its many features are as follows,

• Complete customization by allowing template system. This gives you full control over the feel and looks of the staff members.
• It simplifies administration. Adding and removing staff or faculty is very easy with Staff Directory Plugin. The shortcodes are also very easy to understand.
• In the display layout, there are attractive layouts which empower the user to control what fields to display such as the customizable layout of staff layout or staff grid.
• This can be the perfect wayhe features of WordPress Company Staff Directory Plugin: – Employee Directory,
• It enables you to search employee with its employee number, email, full name, department and job title.
• It is very easy to customize employee staff profile pages.
• Easy to create custom fields and display in staff profiles.
• Easy to rename employee slug and taxonomy slug.
• Also, have the ability to show custom fields on the frontend for the employees. to display staff phone directory.

4. WordPress Company Staff Directory Plugin

WordPress Company Staff Directory Plugin helps you to improve your organization’s internal and external communication as it provides directory search functionality in your website or intranet.he features of WordPress Company Staff Directory Plugin: – Employee Directory,

• It enables you to search employee with its employee number, email, full name, department and job title.
• It is very easy to customize employee staff profile pages.
• Easy to create custom fields and display in staff profiles.
• Easy to rename employee slug and taxonomy slug.
• Also, have the ability to show custom fields on the frontend for the employees.

Let’s quickly have a glance over the features of WordPress Company Staff Directory Plugin: – Employee Directory,

• It enables you to search employee with its employee number, email, full name, department and job title.
• It is very easy to customize employee staff profile pages.
• Easy to create custom fields and display in staff profiles.
• Easy to rename employee slug and taxonomy slug.
• Also, have the ability to show custom fields on the frontend for the employees.

5. Business Directory Plugin

Business Directory is the widely used, most popular and versatile WordPress plugin that has more than 20,000 active installs. The plugin allows you to add a revenue generating section, improve customer retention and increase interaction on your website. Business Directory Plugin lets you build business provider listing sites, directory listing sites, local listing websites and more.

• Additional features of Business Directory Plugin
• Equipped with Stripe and PayFast Gateway for accepting payments.
• Supports reCAPTCHA.
• Accept listing payments and provide
• Comes with Built in CSV import and export feature
• Free listings in your business directory.
• Offers full support for rfecurring payments.
• Has a fully customizable form fields
• Optimized for search engines using Yoast SEO

6. Name Directory

Name Directory is a simple yet effective WordPres plugin that comes with an option to create multiple directories. It adds name/term directories to your WordPress installation and contains entries with properties such as submitter, description, and name.

• Additional features of Name Directory
• Allows you to create multiple directories
• Comes with plenty of configuration options to customize the layout and functionality of the directory
• Lets you show/hide search function, suggestion form, description, and title
• Is WPML Compatible

7. Web 2.0 Directory

Web 2.0 Directory is yet another premium WordPress plugin ideal for creating different types of listing such as yellow page, wedding site, real estate, classified ads, events, boats, bikes and more. Being built on Twitter Bootstrap, Web 2.0 Directory plugin is fully responsive and SEO friendly making your website look great on almost every device and screen size.

Additional features of Web 2.0 Directory

• Has Frontend dashboard for regular users
• Comes with invoices management
• Offers Sticky and featured listings options
• Has Order directory listings
• Comes integrated with Google Maps
• Lets your users perform locations to search in radius
• Allows quick CSV import

8. Directory Pro

Directory Pro is a simple and modest WordPress plugin used to build a beautiful and functional directory for your users. The plugin allows you to add/edit listing from front-end as well as back-end. Directory Pro also supports custom post type, which allows you to use an SEO Plugin to optimize your website for search engines like Yahoo, Google, Bing and more.

• Additional features of Directory Pro
• Offers PayPal express checkout with all options
• Boasts of Fully Responsive and SEO friendly design layout
• Comes integrated with MailChimp and Visual Composer
• Offers Unlimited Subscription
• Is WPML Compatible

9. Simple Directory Pro

Simple Directory Pro is a fully responsive and widely used WordPress plugin developed for business listing websites. Being built on a BootStrap framework, the plugin makes your business listing look presentable on all types of devices and screen sizes. You get the option to create premium as well as free listing and generate revenues by seamlessly monetizing it. The plugin gives you the category listing option and allows you to display business hours, payment methods, logo, images, description, social links, and contact info.

Additional features of Simple Directory Pro

• Custom templates for individual listings and categories
• Equipped with Google Sitelinks Search box
• Offers “Get Directions” link
• Has interactive embedded maps
• Offers Search shortcode and listing categories shortcode
• Also, Provides basic and premium listing levels

10. Sabai Directory Plugin

Sabai Direction is one of the most popular and premium WordPress directory plugin that enables you to create beautiful directories on your WordPress website. The plugin has the ability to create a community driven local business directories such as Google+, YELP, Yahoo! Local and more.

It also comes with a variety of payment options including PayPal, Authorize.net, Stripe, and 2Checkout. Being equipped with an array of customization options, the plugin allows you to change the look and feel of your website.

Additional features of Sabai Directory Plugin

• Display listings in list, grid, or map view
• Has Fully responsive and flat design
• Offers Multi-location support
• Enable you to add photos of listings
• Lets your users vote reviews helpful/non-helpful
• Integrated with Flexible role-based permission system
• Comes with 27 customizable e-mail notifications, 16 custom Google map styles, 11 widgets and 12 shortcodes

11. GeoDirectory

GeoDirectory is a flexible and free WordPress plugin that allows you to build functional, advanced location-based directories. GeoDirectory is one of the best plugins capable of scaling to massive traffic and millions of listings, thanks to its highly optimized database structure and queries.

Create the next big Tripadvisor or Yelp with GeoDirectory!

Additional features of GeoDirectory

• Built to be flexible, efficient, and lightweight
• 15+ widgets and 12+ widget areas.
• 2 different Google Maps widgets. Create unlimited categories with ajax-loading custom markers
• Built-in forms for User Reviews, Send-to-Friend and Business Enquiry.
• GeoDirectory is 100% WPML compatible.
• Has optimized database structure

12. Connections Business Directory

Connections Business Directory is an ideal plugin for office directory, business directory, school staff, church and more. It is a modest and free plugin that works amazingly with almost every WordPress theme available out there.

Additional features of Connections Business Directory

• Scalable, manage directories which contain hundreds of thousands of entries.
• CSV Export of addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and dates.
• CSV Import of nested categories.
• Role capability support.
• Extensible and developer friendly.
• Robust templating support with the Template Customizer
• Repeatable fields for address, phone numbers, email, IM, social media, links and dates

13. Gravity Forms Directory Plugin

Gravity Forms is the most intuitive WordPress directory plugin to build an online directory site. Equipped with plenty of customization options, the plugin is suitable for both beginners as well as experienced developers. It enables you to integrate contact forms to your existing websites and build a web based directory within minutes.

Additional features of Gravity Forms Directory Plugin

• Display entries only to the creator of the entries.
• Editing of directory listings by users who are logged into the plugin.
• The operation is entirely based on shortcodes.
• Sorting by column.
• Display listing which is approved, with an easy approval access.
• Directory features pagination.
• Support lightboxes for uploaded Image.
• Lets you easily re-organize the columns

14. BePro Listings Plugin

BePro is the most user-friendly WordPress plugin that enables front-end submissions and builds a front-end and back-end directory. The plugin offers a simple installation and configuration procedure that allows you to quickly build a directory for your business.

BePro Listings plugin is ideal for classifieds, personal portfolios, product catalogue, business directory, and real estate.

Additional features of BePro Listings Plugin

• Accept Payments
• Upload CSV
• Allow users to search and filter by name, location, categories, price.
• Clustered Google Maps
• Listing Templates and Multisite.
• Responsive listing and detail pages.
• Custom posts and email notifications

15. WP Local Plus

WP Local Plus is a fully automated, and easy to use WordPress plugin that enables you to automatically create dynamic and content packed local business directories integrated with coupon offers, business listings, dynamic business reviews, Google Maps integration and much more.

Additional features of WP Local Plus:

• Equipped with high-powered search tool
• Has built-in contextual text system
• Comes integrated with featured listing advertising system
• Enables your visitors to get detailed information about business listings such as maps, reviews, website, location and much more
• Also, comes integrated with Google Maps

16. Map List Pro

Map List Pro is a Google Map integrated, fully features and easy to use WordPress plugin that allows you to quickly show your locations in a filterable, searchable and sortable list. Powered by advanced customization options, you can easily and conveniently customize your website. The plugin also comes packed with 35+ styles. The availability of an assortment of useful features makes Map List Pro an ideal option for building contact lists, office address lists, and store locators.

Additional features of Map List Pro

• Lets you create filterable, sortable and searchable lists in seconds.
• Has flexible width design
• Equipped with a simple location editor to create categorised locations easily
• Integrated with Geo Location and location search
• Equipped with advanced search function to allow Search for locations by distance
• Use geolocation for directions and location distances.
• Allow users to search by location and text

17. CM Business Directory

CM Business Directory is a professional WordPress plugin developed and maintained by CreativeMinds. The plugin offers you the ability to build an embeddable professional directory for your site and start generating revenue immediately.

CM Business Director enables each business directory listing to include customization options, hyperlinks, contact information, and descriptions.

Additional features of CM Business Directory

• Lets you create directory categories
• Display all businesses in a catalog list format
• Include business description and pitch
• Has a functional search directory and business logo

Jason Daszkewicz is a WordPress developer and a passionate blogger. He is a tech evangelist with a reputation to provide optimum solutions for custom WordPress plugin development and solving real life problems with the power of IT. His passion for upgrading his knowledge puts him to research on topics relevant to his industry. You can follow him on Twitter.