Dwell time
How long a visitor stays on your page after clicking from search before returning, a signal of usefulness.
In depth
What it really means
Dwell time is how long someone stays on your page after clicking a search result before going back to the results. A quick bounce back suggests the page didn’t satisfy the query; a longer stay suggests it did.
Google doesn’t confirm it as a direct ranking factor, but satisfying the searcher, which long dwell time reflects, is clearly what the system rewards.
Best practices
- Match the page to the query intent so visitors stay.
- Answer the main question early, then earn the deeper read.
- Make content scannable and easy to continue reading.
- Improve speed and readability to reduce quick bounces.
- Add relevant internal links to keep people engaged.
FAQs
What is dwell time?
How long a visitor stays on your page after clicking from search before returning to the results.
Is dwell time a ranking factor?
Google doesn’t confirm it directly, but satisfying the searcher, which long dwell reflects, is what the system rewards.
How do I improve dwell time?
Match intent, answer the main question early, and make the content readable and worth staying for.
Dwell time vs bounce rate?
Bounce rate is whether someone leaves without interacting; dwell time is how long they stay before returning to search.
Can internal links help dwell time?
Yes. Relevant internal links give engaged readers a natural next step, keeping them on your site.
Keep reading
Related on LymLyt
Want this working on your site?
We build the content behind the term, ranked in search and cited by AI.
Book a 30-min call →