average time spent on site / average time spent on page

[sbelardi]

Hi there,

Inn adobe analytics there is the chance to see "average time spent on site" or "time spent on page" but not "average time spent on page".

In a tool I am implementing i can magically retrieve from adobe  "AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON PAGE" and not "AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON SITE".

My Question:

i am interested into understanding what is the difference between "AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON PAGE" and "AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON SITE" as no explanation is available for "AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON PAGE".

Thanks you!

[Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted solution]

What tool are you using where you found "average time spent on page"?

To be honest, the data is probably coming from "average time spent on site" (and just how the tool is pulling it, they gave it a custom name).. as this metric really isn't just "site", it depends on how you breakdown the data...

Using "average time spent on site" against dimensions like "Day" or "Month" will be the average time for entire visits, but if you use a breakdown like Page, then the calculation will be the average time spent on each page.

All "time" metrics in Adobe are calculated based on the time stamps recorded on each page view. So let's say the user does the following:

• Page A  (timestamp 10:05am)
• Page B (timestamp 10:06am)
• Page C (timestamp 10:08am)
• Page D (timestamp 10:11am)

- Time spent on Page A is the timestamp of Page B minus Page A (so 10:06-10:05 = 1 min)

- Time spent on Page B is the timestamp of Page C minus Page B (so 10:08-10:06 = 2 min)

- Time spent on Page C is the timestamp of Page D minus Page C (so 10:11-10:08 = 3 min)

- Time spent on Page D is unknown, since there is no "next timestamp" to use in the calculation

- Time spent on the Site is the timestamp of Page D minus Page A (so 10:11-10:05 = 6 min)

[Leyla]

Hi @Jennifer_Dungan , 

Thank you for the explanation. In your example, Page D was the last page in user's visit. So, in the calculation, we don't include the time spent on page D at all. 

How will the Average Time on Site be calculated for a single page visit?

Let's say we use a Canonical URL (visit container) evar and Average Time on Site event. And user visits one page only and spends 30 sec and then leaves/exits the page/site. Will that time on site be accounted for?

Thank you!

Leyla

[Jennifer_Dungan]

If it's only one page in the visit, no... just like Page D there is no "next timestamp" to calculate the time spent.

The last page of a visit cannot be calculated, thus, any visit that consists on only one page, that page is both the first and last page of the visit, so the time spent cannot be calculated. Those visits will not be included in your average time per visit at all.

[Leyla]

Thank you, @Jennifer_Dungan !

[Jennifer_Dungan]

You're welcome