Half of all customers ditch websites after first page

It has long been argued you have just seven seconds to make an impression but it would seem that, in the online world, you have even less, with a new study claiming that half of all customers leave a web or mobile site after viewing just a single page.

So says the 2022 Digital Experience Benchmark report from Contentsquare, which also reveals that many customers do not even make it past the halfway point on any given web page.

Based on an analysis of 46 billion online sessions from around the world, spanning 14 industry sectors, the report is designed to help brands benchmark their own digital performance against industry averages, highlighting where they should focus their attention and resources to gain a competitive advantage.

With increased online activity and digital adoption in recent years, customers’ expectations for more seamless and rewarding digital journeys are evidently on the rise.

Those businesses that have made improvements in digital experiences are realising the return of their efforts, both in terms of the bottom line and cementing more meaningful connections with their audiences and customers, Contentsquare reckons. In 2021, the average conversion rate across industries rose to 2.3%, a +27.8% increase from 2020.

The report also notes that average page loading times are better on mobile than on desktop (1.52 seconds vs. 1.61 seconds), suggesting brands have been heeding their customers, and prioritising the smartphone experience.

With an average 58% of digital traffic coming from mobile devices, businesses are understanding the importance of thinking mobile-first and creating experiences that transcend channels.

Overall, despite growing expectations from consumers and the digital disruption underway, leaders across industries are seizing the digital opportunity and investing in digital experiences that are human at their core, the report explains.

Despite having the greatest overall bounce rate, the B2B sector stood out from the rest as it managed to reduce bounces by -13% from the previous year through tactics including consistent A/B testing and customer-driven content optimisation strategies.

Contentsquare founder and CEO Jonathan Cherki said: “Digital experience is a top priority for brands globally, but many experiences still fall short of customer expectations, mainly because many businesses still struggle to understand what makes their customers happy and what frustrates them.”

“[This report] makes the CX trends available that we’ve observed over the past 12 months, to level the playing field for companies of all sizes, regardless of their access to data resources and analysis capabilities. We hope that it will help brands better understand their audience, keep pace with their industry, and empower their teams to create more human digital experiences.”