How CLS Affects User Engagement Metrics Like Bounce Rate and Conversion

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) negatively affects user engagement metrics such as bounce rate and conversion rates by causing unexpected movements of page elements during loading, which frustrates users and disrupts their interactions. This visual instability can lead users to leave the site prematurely, increasing bounce rates, and reduce their likelihood to complete desired actions, lowering conversion rates.

Specifically:

• Bounce Rate: High CLS causes users to lose their place or accidentally click wrong elements, leading to confusion and impatience. As a result, users often abandon the site quickly after landing on a page, driving up bounce rates.

• Conversion Rates: When page elements shift unexpectedly, users may hesitate to interact with buttons or forms, or abandon transactions altogether. This reduces conversion rates, as the unstable layout undermines trust and ease of use.

• User Engagement: CLS-induced frustration shortens session durations and decreases the number of engaged sessions, as users find the experience unpredictable and difficult to navigate.

Additionally, CLS is a Core Web Vital metric that search engines like Google use to assess page quality. Poor CLS scores can harm search rankings, indirectly affecting traffic and engagement.

In summary, minimizing CLS improves visual stability, which enhances user satisfaction, lowers bounce rates, increases session duration, and boosts conversion rates, thereby supporting better overall website performance and SEO.