Dwell time (also known as read time) is the amount or interval of time, usually measured in seconds for minutes, an audience member spends viewing the outdoor advertising display or billboard. A digital billboard, for example, on a major roadway or highway may have a dwell time of 10-12 seconds. A digital LED billboard at an intersection would have a longer dwell or read time, often of 30-45 seconds, since the vehicle would have to wait for the light to change. A digital bus stop ad, for example, likely has a dwell time of somewhere between five (5) and fifteen (15) minutes, or as long as people typically wait for a bus. The longer the dwell or read time the more desirable the sign or outdoor billboard unit is to an advertiser. See also Read Time.
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