What is dwell time

We’ve all done this: If we are looking for an answer to a specific question, and we don’t find it in the first result we click on, we go back to the search results to find a better resource. As consumers, we know we want the best answer to our question, and we know we want it immediately. But as digital marketers, we often forget to address this issue when creating content or optimizing search. Tracking dwell time can help improve the relevance of page content, thus the relevance of a website in the eyes of Google. Here are some pointers on what dwell time is and how you can consider it in your SEO strategy.

Is it a SEO factor?

Google is working on this parameter to integrate it in its algorithm soon. It’s also worth remembering that most people never click past the first page of search results. So if you rank on the second page (or higher), almost no one will linger on your page… not even for the second page. This means that dwell time would only be a (possible) ranking factor for results in the top ten.

How to optimize the Dwell Time?

Actions to optimize Dwell Time are part of the user experience. Indeed, a site that offers a good experience to its users will almost certainly have a high Dwell Time. It is therefore a matter of focusing on improving the overall user experience and delivering useful content on your pages.

Consider good UX practices

Take a look at your introduction to our UX at the top of the screen. Is the navigation simple and does the text describe what the reader will notice on the rest of the page? Most importantly, does it help the user quickly see what they’re looking for, either with a table of contents or by using short paragraphs and bullet points to make the content more digestible?

Remember: the dwell time measurement is interesting because it also gives you a better understanding of the relevance of your content and the intent of your users. It can give you insight and tell you whether your visitors perceive your website content as worthwhile or not.