In 2025, digital publishers – especially in entertainment, lifestyle, and media – are shifting focus from raw traffic numbers to engagement quality.
Rather than just counting clicks, they measure how users interact with content, how long they stay, and whether they return or share. This reflects a broader trend: marketers are now “scaling attention” over pure traffic volume.
The key engagement metrics span on-site user behavior, platform-specific performance, and hybrid metrics that bridge content and commercial goals.
The chart below illustrates which metrics web analysts deemed most important, with conversion and traffic metrics topping the list but several engagement indicators (like click-through rate and session time) not far behind.
Notably, traditional metrics like bounce rate ranked among the least prioritized, emphasizing the industry’s evolving definition of success.
Which metrics matter most to web analysts?
On-Site Engagement Metrics (Websites & Blogs)
On-site engagement metrics track how visitors behave on your own site – how deeply they consume content and how much value they derive from it. These are critical for publishers to understand content performance and user experience:
- Scroll Depth
Measures how far down a page users scroll. It indicates content consumption beyond the fold. A deeper scroll suggests higher interest – around 75 % scroll depth is considered a strong engagement signal on long-form content. Publishers use scroll-depth heatmaps (from tools like Chartbeat or GA4) to see where readers lose interest and optimize page layouts accordingly. - Dwell Time (Time on Page)
The amount of time a user spends on a page before leaving or returning to search results. Dwell time is widely seen as a proxy for content quality and user satisfaction. Researchers have shown “dwell time” can be a better indicator of enjoyment than clicks alone, making it a valuable complement or even alternative to click-through rate. Marketers in 2025 are prioritizing attention metrics like dwell time – focusing on keeping readers engaged longer rather than just chasing more pageviews. A healthy time on page is roughly 54 seconds on average, though “ideal” times vary by length and format. - Bounce Rate & Engagement Rate
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can signal that a page didn’t meet user expectations or had poor UX (e.g., slow load, confusing layout). In GA4, Google reframed this with Engagement Rate – the inverse of bounce rate – defined as the share of sessions that last over 10 seconds, have multiple pageviews, or trigger a conversion event. If your engagement rate is 70 %, the bounce rate would be 30 %. Nearly two-thirds of websites keep bounce below 40 %. Publishers reduce bounce by speeding up pages and matching content to search intent; a one-second delay can double bounce probability. - Social Shares & Interactions
Engagement isn’t just what happens on-page – it’s also what users do with the content. Shares, likes, and comments are key engagement indicators in 2025. When readers share an article, it signals that it resonated enough to promote. Publishers track social share counts, comment activity, and referral traffic to gauge virality and audience connection.
Platform-Specific Metrics (MSN, Flipboard, Discover, NewsBreak)
Beyond their own sites, publishers rely on third-party discovery platforms – like Google Discover, Microsoft Start (MSN), Flipboard, and NewsBreak – to distribute content. Each platform has its own engagement metrics that matter for success:
- Google Discover (Mobile Feed)
Two crucial metrics: click-through rate (CTR) and dwell time on the clicked article. High CTR means the headline-plus-image enticed users; strong dwell time proves the content satisfied reader intent. Publishers track these numbers in Search Console and refine headlines, images, or structure accordingly. - Microsoft Start (MSN News)
CTR is primary, but algorithms also weigh post-click signals like bounce or quick exits. Misleading headlines that trigger short dwell time are demoted. Success on MSN means attracting clicks and satisfying readers. - Flipboard
Key numbers include impressions, opens, and CTR within Flipboard. High opens signal appealing titles and visuals. Flipboard also tracks magazine follows and outbound traffic; consistent engagement earns stories more prominent placement. - NewsBreak
Important metrics are article views, likes, and shares. High share counts often reveal trending local or lifestyle topics that deserve expansion. Follower growth on the platform is another indicator, but immediate engagement (views and likes) is the clearest sign of what’s working.
Other aggregators like Apple News and Meta Instant Articles track similar variants of CTR, time-spent, and follow rates. Across all, strong CTR plus sustained attention equals better reach.
Hybrid & Commercial Metrics (Bridging Content and ROI)
Some engagement metrics sit at the intersection of editorial engagement and business performance:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of impressions that result in a click, applied to links, promos, ads, and emails. Improving CTR—through better headlines, imagery, or placement—is a constant focus. - Time to Interaction / Page Speed
Measures how quickly visitors can engage. Faster sites see lower bounce and higher engagement; a one-second delay can dramatically increase exits. Publishers monitor Core Web Vitals like Time to Interactive alongside engagement stats. - Video View-Through Rate
The percentage of a video watched. Short clips often achieve high completion, while instructional videos in the 3-to-5-minute range can exceed 70 % average engagement. - Conversion & Interaction Events
Custom events—newsletter sign-ups, quiz completions, 50 % scroll depth—show deep engagement and often predict loyalty or revenue. Publishers define their own key events and track them alongside standard metrics.
How Publishers Are Adapting in 2025
- Optimizing Content for Attention – Front-loading value, adding visual breaks, and shortening sections to boost dwell time and scroll depth.
- Improving Site Speed and UX – Lazy-loading images, trimming scripts, and simplifying layouts to cut load time and lower bounce.
- Leveraging Platform Data – Using Discover CTR, Flipboard opens, or NewsBreak shares to guide story selection, headline style, and publishing cadence.
- Personalization and Retention – Recommendation widgets and “For You” digests powered by past engagement lift return visits and session depth.
- Conversion Funnel Tuning – Mapping where high engagement leads to subscriptions, merchandise clicks, or other outcomes—and nudging users at the right moment.
Key Takeaway
Engagement metrics in 2025 offer a 360-degree view of audience interaction—from on-site behavior to off-site signals and hybrid KPIs.
Publishers that track, interpret, and act on these numbers are building stronger content, better user experiences, and deeper reader relationships.
Sources
- HubSpot Blog – “16 Website Metrics to Track for Growth in 2025 and Beyond”
- Marketing Dive – “Is dwell time a better metric than the CTR?”
- Semrush – “What Is Bounce Rate & What Is a Good Rate?”
- Similarweb – “Benchmarking Website Traffic: 2025 Industry Data”
- Usermaven Blog – “The value of scroll depth and how to track it”
- NewzDash – “Unlocking Google Discover: A Comprehensive Guide for Publishers”
- MSN Content Policies – “How MSN ranks content”
- Flipboard – “The Creator’s Guide to Flipboard”
- ClickMediaLab – “Proven Strategies to Gain Followers on NewsBreak”
- Semrush Blog – “13 Advanced SEO Techniques for 2025”
- HubSpot Video Marketing Stats – “45 Video Marketing Statistics for 2025”
- HubSpot State of Marketing 2025 – Summary report
- Chartbeat – “Global Article Engagement Time Declines in Q1 2025”
- HubSpot Research – Web metrics importance study
