Average Time On Site

AVS (Average Time on Site): Definition, Calculation and Examples 

Optimizing a website is critical for visitor engagement. Learn about average time on page, why it is important, how it works, and ways to increase it.

As online activity increases, optimizing a website for visitor engagement is crucial. The goal is to keep visitors interested, not frustrated.

The average time on page can provide businesses with insights they can use win visitors’ interest. We explain what average time on site means, how it functions, and how to optimize it.

Average Time on Site: What Does It Mean? 

Average time on site is a metric that measures the average amount of time that a website visitor spends on a particular website before leaving.

This metric can provide insights into how engaged visitors are with a website and its content. A longer average time on site generally indicates that visitors find the website's content interesting and engaging. This can be an indicator of effective website design, content strategy, and user experience.

However, a longer average time on site can also indicate that visitors are having difficulty finding the information they need, as they may be spending more time navigating the website.

Why Is Average Time on Page Important? 

More time spent on a website or app usually means people like the content. But the right time varies based on your content type and website goals.

A business owner running an eCommerce website has as target to win lots of visitors spending enough but not too much time on their website. On the other hand, an author with a blog wants to gain users staying much longer on the website.

How To Calculate Average Time on Site 

The time spent on a web page is calculated by measuring how long someone stays on it from the moment they arrive until they leave or click to another page. If they leave without going to another page, the time spent on that page is zero, which is called a "bounce."

Here is the formula for finding the average time on a page:

Average Time on Page = Total Time Spent on Page / (Total Page Views – (Exits + Bounces))

Example of Average Time on Site  

To get a better understanding of how to use the formula, here is an example:

Suppose we are calculating the average time on page metric for two different pages, which we will refer to as Page A and Page B.

Suppose Page A had 132 views, a total of 10,000 seconds were spent on the page, and there were 120 exits, including bounces:

  • Total Time Spent on Page = 10,000 Seconds
  • Net Page Views = 132 – 120 = 20
  • Average Time on Page = 10,000 / (132 - 120) = 10,000 / 20 = 500 seconds

Meanwhile, Page B had for the same period 295 views, 8,000 seconds and 45 exits including bounces:

  • Total Time Spent on Page = 8,000 Seconds
  • Net Page Views = 295 – 45 = 250
  • Average Time on Page = 80,000 / (295 - 45) = 80,000 / 250 = 320 seconds

To sum up, Page A has an average time on page of 500 seconds, while Page B has an average time on site of 320 seconds.

How to Increase the AVS 

The average time on page is a useful digital marketing metric that can help improve a website and attract more visitors. Some common methods to increase the average time spent on pages are:

  • Speed up the website for a faster load time
  • Create high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience
  • Make your website easy to navigate
  • Use internal links to keep visitors exploring your website
  • Offer interactive content such as videos, quizzes, and games
  • Optimize your website for mobile devices

Average Time on Site: Key Takeaways 

  • Average time on site measures how long visitors stay on a website. It shows engagement but varies according to the website’s content and goals. Longer time could be good, but it may also mean visitors struggle to find what they need.
  • By calculating the average time of a page, you will find out the time visitors spend on a page before exiting or going to another page. To calculate it, divide the total time spent on a page by subtracting total exits from total page views.
  • Boosting average time on page is vital for digital marketing success. To achieve this, focus on speeding up loading times, providing quality and relevant content, easy navigation, internal links, interactive elements, and mobile optimization.

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