What is Dwell Time?
Dwell Time refers to the length of time a user spends on a webpage after clicking on a search result before returning to the search engine results page (SERP). It is often used as an indicator of how useful or engaging a webpage is for the user’s query.
Although not an official metric in tools like Google Analytics, dwell time is believed to be monitored by search engines to help assess content quality and relevance.
Why Dwell Time Matters
A longer dwell time generally suggests that a visitor found the content valuable enough to stay and read or interact with the page. Conversely, a short dwell time might indicate that the content did not meet the user’s expectations or was not engaging.
Key reasons it matters:
- Acts as a behavioural signal to search engines
- Indicates content quality and relevance
- Supports user engagement analysis
- Helps identify underperforming pages
- Can guide improvements in content structure and UX
Dwell time should not be confused with bounce rate or session duration, though all three relate to user behaviour.
Example in Use
A user searches for “how to improve page speed,” clicks a result, and spends five minutes reading a detailed guide before returning to the SERP. This long dwell time signals that the content was helpful.
In contrast, if they click a result, find the page slow or irrelevant, and leave within a few seconds, it may reflect negatively on that page’s quality.
Related Terms
- Bounce Rate
- Time on Page
- User Engagement
- Search Intent
- Session Duration