Dwell Time

Dwell Time refers to the duration a visitor remains on a webpage after clicking a search engine result before returning to the SERPs. Unlike bounce rate, which only measures whether a user navigates to additional pages, dwell time captures how long a visitor stays, making it a more direct indicator of engagement and content usefulness.

Long dwell times typically suggest that users found the content informative, relevant, and engaging for their query. Conversely, very short dwell times often indicate the page didn’t meet expectations, provided insufficient information, or failed to hold the user’s attention. Unlike passive visits, dwell time reflects actual interaction and perceived value.

In the context of GEO and AI-powered search, dwell time serves as a critical engagement metric. Both search engines and AI systems may use it to assess authority and content quality. Pages that consistently achieve longer dwell times signal trustworthiness and relevance, increasing the likelihood of being cited or referenced in AI-generated results.

Improving dwell time requires delivering comprehensive, well-structured content that thoroughly addresses user needs, formatting information with headings, bullet points, and visuals for readability, ensuring fast page loading, using internal links to encourage deeper browsing, and aligning content closely with user search intent.