What is TTFB by bounce type
TTFB by bounce type shows how Time to First Byte (TTFB) varies across soft and hard bounces — measuring how quickly your server begins to respond to user requests that ultimately lead to exits.
This lens helps you understand if server-side delays are contributing to different types of bounce behavior.
What are the bounce types?
Soft bounce: The visitor engaged briefly but didn’t continue to another page.
Hard bounce: The visitor left instantly, without doing anything on the page.
Only bounce types that were active and measurable during the selected period are listed.
Why it matters: When TTFB is slow, users wait longer before they even begin to see your content — which increases the likelihood of a bounce, especially for mobile and low-trust contexts.
Healthy TTFB by bounce type sample
Should you worry
In a healthy setup, TTFB is fast for both bounce types. That means users aren’t abandoning the site due to backend slowness — and even bouncers at least got a timely start.
This is typically achieved by:
Efficient server response and minimal middleware overhead.
Optimized routing for landing pages.
Use of CDN and edge caching to improve global load times.
If bounce types show green TTFB, your infrastructure isn’t to blame for early exits.
Unhealthy TTFB by bounce type sample
If bounce sessions show high TTFB, it could be that users are waiting too long for the page to even begin loading — and abandoning as a result.
Soft bounce: TTFB delays might discourage further interaction, even after initial page load.
Hard bounce: A slow TTFB may mean users are exiting before any content shows — a classic case of "it’s taking too long."
Common causes include:
Poor caching or lack of CDN for first-page visits.
Redirects or tracking scripts slowing the server response.
Geo-based personalization logic or A/B testing frameworks increasing server load.
If TTFB is red or yellow and tied to bounce-heavy sessions, performance improvements could lower exits significantly.
Resolving unhealthy TTFB by bounce type
Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy TTFB by bounce type:
Ask Uxi to analyze your TTFB by bounce type values and suggest improvements.
Use Filters to identify which bounce types and pages show the worst TTFB.
Simulate TTFB of the suspected lens to see if fixing it will resolve the TTFB by bounce type. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.
Use an automated optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your TTFB by bounce type values.
Once you’ve improved TTFB, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.
Try it yourself
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