Notes on Benchmark Usage
These benchmarks are based on insight pages published or updated during the reporting period and include both organic and paid traffic, though performance is primarily driven by organic traffic. Use them as a directional guide, not a strict measure of success.
These benchmarks apply to Insight Pages only and should not be compared directly against homepages, service pages, industry pages, careers content, people/partner pages, location pages, or campaign landing pages. Performance will vary based on audience, topic, promotion, seasonality, and page objectives.
Bounce rate should be reviewed alongside engagement time and session duration, as a low bounce rate alone does not indicate meaningful engagement.
H1 2026 Insight Page
Benchmarks by Page Age
| Page Age | Views | Total users | New users | Returning users | Avg. session duration | Avg. engagement time | Bounce rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30 Days | 286 | 168 | 84 | 88 | 3:11 | 1:44 | 19.2% |
| 31-90 Days | 303 | 152 | 56 | 66 | 3:44 | 1:10 | 18.4% |
| 91-180 Days (6-Month) | 380 | 192 | 92 | 94 | 3:07 | 1:13 | 18.8% |
Use case: Compare content against other pages at a similar stage in their lifecycle. This helps set expectations for newly published content, identify underperforming pages, and evaluate how pages mature over time.
Benchmarks by Language
| Language | Views | Total users | New users | Returning users | Avg. session duration | Avg. engagement time | Bounce rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 364 | 175 | 91 | 72 | 3:19 | 1:13 | 18.5% |
| French | 37 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 2:22 | 0:45 | 15.4% |
Use case: Compare pages against content in the same language. English and French content have different audience sizes, search demand, and traffic patterns, so performance expectations should be adjusted accordingly. French pages typically generate lower traffic volumes but can still demonstrate strong engagement and provide significant value to their target audience.
How to Use These Benchmarks
- Newly published content (0-30 days): Compare against the 0-30 day benchmark to assess early reach and engagement. During this stage, success is typically driven by promotion, distribution, search discoverability, and content relevance. Use the language benchmarks (EN vs. FR) alongside page age benchmarks to set realistic expectations for performance.
- Content optimization reviews (31-90 days): Use this benchmark to identify pages that may benefit from SEO, AEO, internal linking, or promotional support. Pages in this range should begin generating consistent traffic through organic search, internal linking, and ongoing promotion.
- Evergreen content (91-180 days): Use these benchmarks to evaluate long-term performance and identify content worth refreshing or repurposing. Pages in this category should demonstrate sustained traffic, engagement, and returning visitors.
- Language matters: English and French content have different audience sizes, search demand, and traffic patterns. French pages should be benchmarked against other French content, while English pages should be benchmarked against other English content rather than directly compared to one another.
- Context matters: A highly promoted campaign page may exceed these benchmarks significantly, while a niche thought leadership article may generate lower traffic but still be considered successful if it reaches the intended audience.
Key Takeaway for H1 2026 benchmarks
Insight pages published or updated in H1 2026 typically generated 286-380 views, 152-192 users, 1:10-1:44 of average engagement time, and 3-4 minutes of average session duration while maintaining bounce rates around 18-19%. Use page age benchmarks to evaluate content performance over time and language benchmarks (EN vs. FR) to set realistic expectations based on audience size and search demand.
How to Interpret Performance
Views
Good Signs
- Strong visibility in search results
- Effective promotion and distribution
- Healthy traffic growth over time
Watch Outs
- Low views on strategic content may indicate discoverability or promotion challenges.
- High views paired with low engagement may indicate the content is not meeting visitor expectations.
Average Engagement Time
Good Signs
- 60+ seconds typically indicates users are actively consuming content.
- Longer engagement often signals strong content relevance and quality.
Watch Outs
- Less than 30 seconds may suggest content is not meeting expectations or users are quickly leaving the page.
New and Returning Users
Good Signs
- Higher new user volumes indicate strong discoverability and audience growth.
- Returning visitors indicates the content is providing ongoing value and supporting repeat engagement.
Watch Outs
- Very low new user volumes may indicate insufficient search visibility.
- Very low returning users may indicate limited long-term value.
Session Duration
Good Signs
- Between 2 and 4 minutes generally indicates users are exploring content and navigating the site.
Watch Outs
- Less than 1 minute may indicate visitors are encountering friction or reaching a dead end without a clear next action.
Bounce Rate
Good Signs
- Under 30-40% typically indicates users are engaging with content or continuing their journey within the website.
Watch Outs
- Above 70% may suggest visitors are not finding what they expected, CTAs are unclear, or content does not align with search intent.
Metric Definitions
Views: The total number of times a page was viewed, including repeat views by the same visitor.
Total Users: The total number of users who visited the page during the reporting period.
New Users: Visitors who are landing on the website for the first time based on GA4 tracking.
Returning Users: Visitors who have previously visited the website and returned.
Average Session Duration: The average amount of time users spend on the website during a visit, which may include multiple pages.
Average Engagement Time: The average amount of time users actively engage with content through actions such as scrolling, clicking, or interacting with content.
Bounce Rate: The percentage of sessions where users leave without taking another meaningful action. Lower bounce rates generally indicate stronger engagement and navigation.
Scroll Depth: The percentage of page content viewed by users through scrolling. This can be used as an indicator of content consumption but should always be reviewed alongside engagement metrics and conversions.