dwell time

Definition

The duration someone actually pays attention to an ad, especially in out-of-home or digital contexts. The uncomfortable metric that reveals most people ignore your billboard in 0.3 seconds.

Example Usage

Our digital kiosk analytics show a 12-second average dwell time, which is impressive until you realize the video is 45 seconds long.

Origin

Borrowed from real estate and transit terminology; adopted by OOH advertising in the 2000s

Fun Fact

Average dwell time for a traditional billboard is 2-3 seconds, which is why smart advertisers use six words or fewer.

Source: Out-of-home and digital advertising terminology

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