In plain English
A session starts when someone arrives and ends after a period of inactivity, thirty minutes by default. Returning after that starts a new session.
The timeout is configurable and platform-specific, which is why session counts never match between analytics tools. Someone reading an article for forty minutes generates two sessions.
What to know
Bounded by inactivity
Thirty minutes by default.
Configurable
Which changes the count.
Not comparable across tools
Different definitions.
Engaged sessions differ
A subset meeting engagement criteria.
Why it matters
Sessions are still the most practical unit for comparing traffic over time. They are a poor unit for anything involving individual people, where users or conversions serve better.
Common mistakes
×Comparing session counts across platforms.
×Changing the timeout mid-period.
×Treating sessions as visitors.
×Reporting sessions where conversions were the question.
FAQs
How long is a session?
Until thirty minutes of inactivity, by default.
Why do my session counts differ between tools?
Different timeout rules and different visibility.
WRITTEN BY TARIQ SALLAM
Marketing Consultant. Entrepreneur. Content Creator.
I'm a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and content creator. I help businesses grow through practical marketing, websites, SEO, content and AI.
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