SEO

Dwell time

By Paul Brock·Updated on 22-04-2026
TL;DR

Dwell time is the time a user spends on a page before returning to search results, a signal of content satisfaction.

Dwell time is a hypothetical measure not directly shown in GA4 or Search Console — it's the theoretical time between click and return to SERP. Google uses similar signals ('pogo-sticking') to judge content quality. Practical proxy: average scroll depth and session duration.

Example

Two pages rank for 'what is canonical tag'. Page A: visitors click, 15 seconds, back to SERP. Page B: visitors stay 4 minutes, scroll to 80%. Page B rises, page A drops.

Frequently asked questions

How do I increase dwell time?

Answer questions fully, use rich media (images, video), structure with clear headings, offer related content links at the bottom, and make sure it reads well.

Related terms

Bounce rateClick-through rate (CTR)SERPCanonical tagGoogle Search Console

Further reading

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