Dwell time
(also session duration, user engagement time)
Dwell time definition
Dwell time is the time a user spends on a web page after clicking a search engine result or a link. It is a metric used to measure user engagement, indicating the relevance and quality of the content on the webpage. A longer dwell time suggests that users find the content valuable, while a shorter one may indicate the opposite. Dwell time can also impact search engine rankings because search engines like Google use user behavior data to determine the quality of a webpage.
Dwell time examples
- Informative blog post: A user finds an informative blog post through a search engine result and spends several minutes reading it before returning to the search results page.
- Product page: A user clicks on a product page from a search engine result and spends a few minutes reading reviews and examining product images before moving to another page or returning to the search results.
Dwell time vs. bounce rate
Dwell time differs from bounce rate because bounce rate measures the percentage of single-page sessions in which a user leaves the website without taking any further action. A high bounce rate can indicate that the website’s content or design is not engaging, whereas a long dwell time may suggest user satisfaction with the content.
Tips for improving dwell time
- Create high-quality, relevant, and engaging content for your target audience.
- Optimize website design and navigation to make it user friendly.
- Ensure fast loading times for your webpages.
- Use multimedia elements, like images and videos, to improve user engagement.