Why average time on site doesn't matter

While it's easy to assume that the longer someone spends on your website, the better, this isn't always true. There are numerous reasons why users might spend a lot of time on your site that have nothing to do with engagement or interest. For example, they might struggle to find what they're looking for or have been interrupted by a phone call or other distractions. 

What metrics matter more

If you have an online store, several metrics are much more critical to your success. These include incoming traffic, conversion rate, average basket size, shipping and handling costs, and profit. The average time on site does not affect any of the above.

When it comes to driving traffic and improving conversion rates, your marketing strategy is essential. However, once users arrive on your site, the user journeys and user experience define the conversion rate.

The profitability of your webshop depends on shipping costs, product sourcing, logistics, and other factors. A fair conversion rate and average basket size are crucial for success. Once again, the user journeys and user experience play a vital part. 

The importance of user testing

You must test your site with users, learn from their reactions, listen to their feedback, make data-informed improvements, and repeat the process.

That can be much easier than getting a lower price per click from Google or a better shipping rate. Focus on the things you can change.

Most of them start with user testing.