Analyzing the Path your Visitors Take on the Web
November 19, 2007
A key to running any successful business is understanding how people find your business and growing those opportunities and the same holds true with online businesses. This is called “Path Analysis” and it’s typically done one of two ways (okay there is a three way too).
Goal Oriented (Linear) Path Analysis - As it sounds conversions are based on the completion of a “Goal”. The Goal could be signing up for a newsletter, making a payment or buying the latest Bob Marley CD that’s on sale online but regardless it is clearly defined.
Click Opportunity based Path Analysis - This one is a little more confusing. Click Opportunities are based on the given page where a user is being sent to and takes into account all links on that given page. This requires a more abstract approach towards looking at data because the only goal is getting someone to the correct web page and what they do after that is up to them. Online media companies prefer this approach towards path analysis because page views are the “gold” of the business and as long as the audience is navigating the website, reading white papers or articles and other content then it doesn’t matter where they go.
Hybrid Path Analysis (The third one!) - This type of path analysis involves a mixed approach towards path analysis because some goals may be a part of the website and it may also need the analysis of Click Opportunities because the goal of the website may be to attract a readership and sell a product.
If you are one of the brave designing your own website for your business then this should be a primary concern and you can answer the question by asking “What is my website trying to do?” then you aren’t doing too bad.
Luc
Related Articles:
- Using Funnel Visualization in Google Analytics
- Google Analytics: How to Track a Goal
- The Sales Funnel Continues
- Funneling Sales for your Business
- Google Analytics has 3 views that meet your needs
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[…] website which is why path analysis is a vital step to long term success running an online business. Check out my article on Path Analysis if you haven’t had a chance to read […]