Introduction
Are you doing everything possible to optimise your website for search engines but still not seeing the results you want? Your keyword strategy might be on point, and your pages could be filled with valuable content, but there’s another key metric that could be holding you back—dwell time.
Dwell time, or the amount of time a user spends on your webpage after clicking through from a search result, is a crucial indicator of how well your content satisfies user intent. It’s not officially listed as a ranking factor by Google, but there’s strong evidence to suggest that the longer a visitor stays on your page, the more relevant your content is to their search. And in the world of SEO, relevance is everything.
Let’s dig into what dwell time is, why it’s so important, and seven proven strategies to help you improve this metric—so you can see real growth in your online presence and ultimately, in your small business.
What Is Dwell Time?
Dwell time refers to the amount of time a user spends on your website after clicking a result from the search engine results page (SERP) and before they return to it. It’s an important measure of engagement, signalling whether your content meets the expectations set by the user’s search query. The longer someone stays, the more relevant or useful your content likely is.
Why Does It Matter?
- User engagement: Higher dwell time shows search engines that visitors are finding value in your content.
- SEO impact: Although it’s not a direct ranking factor, a high dwell time is often correlated with better search engine rankings, especially in highly competitive industries.
- Conversion opportunities: When users spend more time on your site, they’re more likely to take action—whether that’s signing up for your newsletter, contacting you, or making a purchase.
Take the example of Buffer (https://buffer.com), a social media scheduling tool. They revamped their blog structure and design to focus on longer, more in-depth content. As a result, they saw not only an increase in dwell time but also a boost in their overall search rankings and organic traffic.
Now that we know what dwell time is and why it matters, let’s explore seven proven strategies to increase it.
Why Does Dwell Time Matter for Small Businesses?
For small businesses, improving dwell time can lead to increased customer engagement, more organic traffic, and, ultimately, higher conversion rates. Many small businesses have limited resources, so ensuring that every visitor counts is crucial. A high dwell time indicates that your site is offering something valuable, and when done right, it can make a significant difference in your search rankings and online visibility.
Case Study: Dollar Shave Club (https://www.dollarshaveclub.com)
Dollar Shave Club, a subscription-based razor company, skyrocketed from a startup to a billion-dollar business largely due to their successful digital marketing strategy. A significant part of that success was their ability to keep users engaged on their site for longer periods. They focused on highly targeted, entertaining content that matched search intent perfectly, which helped boost their dwell time. By doing so, they created a loyal customer base and improved their search engine rankings.
So, what can your small business do to improve dwell time? Let’s dive into actionable strategies.
1. Hook Readers from the Start
First impressions are crucial, especially online. You’ve got only a few seconds to capture your audience’s attention, so your opening lines need to make an impact. A strong hook not only grabs attention but sets the tone for the rest of the user’s journey on your site. If you fail to engage readers right from the start, they’ll hit the back button and return to the search results.
To create that immediate connection, start your articles or webpages with a key takeaway section that gives readers a quick summary of what they’ll learn or gain from staying on your page. This technique makes it clear from the outset that your content is valuable and worth their time.
Example: Moz (https://moz.com)
Moz, an SEO software company, uses strong introductory hooks in their blog posts. They begin with key takeaways or summaries, which allow readers to understand the article’s value instantly. This strategy has helped Moz reduce bounce rates and increase dwell time, as visitors are enticed to stay longer and read the entire post.
Tip:
Include keywords naturally in your introductory paragraphs to ensure that your content not only hooks the reader but also aligns with SEO best practices. This will help your page appear relevant to search engines while also capturing your audience’s attention.
2. Make Your Content Scannable
Let’s face it—most users don’t read web content word-for-word. Instead, they scan pages for key information. That’s why it’s essential to make your content easy to skim. You can do this by using clear headings (H2s, H3s), bullet points, and short paragraphs to break up large blocks of text.
Case Study: HubSpot (https://hubspot.com)
HubSpot, a leading inbound marketing software platform, saw a significant increase in user engagement when they made their blog content more scannable. By breaking down long articles into easily digestible sections with clear headings and subheadings, HubSpot improved dwell time and reduced bounce rates.
Scannable content not only makes for a better user experience but also improves accessibility, making your content easier to navigate for people using screen readers or other assistive technologies.
Actionable Tip:
Consider using bullet points and numbered lists to highlight key takeaways. Not only does this make the content easier to skim, but it also provides a clear structure that encourages readers to stay and explore the page further.
3. Incorporate Rich Media to Engage Visitors
Rich media such as images, infographics, and videos can significantly boost dwell time by making your content more engaging and dynamic. Visual content helps to break up text-heavy pages and provides an additional layer of value to users.
Case Study: Wistia (https://wistia.com)
Wistia, a video hosting platform for businesses, found that pages featuring embedded videos saw a significant increase in dwell time. In fact, visitors who watched a video on their site stayed on average 2.6 times longer than those who didn’t. By incorporating more video content into their pages, they were able to boost user engagement and improve their SEO performance.
When incorporating rich media, make sure it aligns with the topic of your content and serves a clear purpose. Irrelevant or poorly executed media can do more harm than good, so be thoughtful about your choices.
Actionable Tip:
Use tools like Canva (https://canva.com) or Venngage (https://venngage.com) to create custom graphics or infographics. These tools make it easy to create visually appealing content that enhances the overall user experience and encourages users to stay longer.
4. Match Search Intent
To increase dwell time, your content needs to align perfectly with the user’s search intent. If a user is looking for in-depth information on a topic, and your page offers a superficial overview, they’ll quickly return to the SERP to find a more relevant source.
Case Study: Backlinko (https://backlinko.com)
Backlinko, a well-known SEO blog, has mastered the art of matching search intent. Brian Dean, the founder, focuses on creating long-form, in-depth content that directly addresses the questions and problems searchers are looking to solve. By matching search intent with high-quality content, Backlinko has been able to achieve both high dwell times and top rankings in search engine results.
Actionable Tip:
Use SEO tools like Ahrefs (https://ahrefs.com) or SEMrush (https://semrush.com) to analyse the top-ranking pages for your target keywords. Look for patterns in the type of content these pages offer, and structure your own content to align with that.
5. Improve Internal Linking
Internal linking is one of the most effective ways to keep visitors on your site longer. By directing users to other relevant content, you not only increase dwell time but also encourage deeper engagement with your website.
Case Study: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org)
Wikipedia is an excellent example of effective internal linking. Each article contains numerous links to other relevant pages, encouraging users to explore more of the site. This internal linking strategy is one of the reasons why Wikipedia consistently ranks highly in search results and boasts impressive user engagement metrics, including high dwell times.
Actionable Tip:
When creating content, look for opportunities to link to related articles or pages on your site. Use descriptive anchor text to provide context for the link, and ensure that the linked content adds value to the reader’s experience.
6. Optimise Site Speed
A slow-loading website is one of the quickest ways to lose visitors. In fact, studies show that 47% of users expect a page to load within two seconds. If your site is sluggish, visitors will bounce before they even have a chance to engage with your content, which will negatively impact your dwell time.
Case Study: Walmart (https://www.walmart.com)
When Walmart optimised its site speed, they saw a 2% increase in conversions for every one-second improvement in load time. By investing in faster load times, Walmart not only improved user experience but also increased