sessionduration

Session duration, sometimes written as sessionduration, is a metric that represents the length of a user session on a website, application, or other digital service, measured from the moment the session begins to the moment it ends. It is used to gauge user engagement and the quality of visits.

It is typically calculated as the time between the first and last interactions within a session, with the session ending after a period of inactivity defined by a timeout (commonly 15 to 30 minutes). Some analytics tools treat sessions with only a single interaction as having zero duration.

Applications include evaluating content performance, measuring engagement across pages or campaigns, and guiding optimization. Longer session durations can indicate interest or complexity, while shorter durations may signal quick exits. Session duration is often analyzed alongside other metrics such as page views, conversions, and bounce rate.

Limitations include variability across platforms, exclusive reliance on interaction timestamps, and the fact that idle time can inflate duration without reflecting active attention. Cross-device usage, bot traffic, and privacy restrictions can also complicate interpretation.

Related concepts include dwell time, time on page, and engagement time. Improvements may come from faster page loads, clearer navigation, relevant content, and better internal linking. When analyzed, session duration should be considered as part of a broader set of metrics to understand user behavior.