Bounce rate is one of the most misread numbers in analytics. A high bounce rate can mean your page failed, or it can mean it answered the question so well nobody needed to click further. Context is everything.
The short version
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who land on a page and leave without taking any further action or visiting another page. It is a behavioural metric, not a direct ranking factor.
High bounce is not always bad
A blog post that fully answers a question may bounce, and that is fine
A product page with a high bounce and no sales is a problem
Always read bounce rate against the page's actual goal
FAQ
Is bounce rate a Google ranking factor?
Not directly. Google has said it does not use analytics bounce rate as a ranking signal. Treat it as a diagnostic, not a target.