In a previous post, I discussed the new Google Analytics and how this version has placed a greater emphasis on path analysis.  For those who may be new to the topic, path analysis is the practice of reviewing website behavior relating to browsing tendencies, in an effort to better understand the effectiveness of copy, content, and information architecture.

One of the most important tools in being able to conduct effective path analysis is the ability to generate uder defined “funnels” for processes that exist on your current site.  For instance, as an eCommerce merchant, you may have the following processes that you want to track.

 Cart – Checkout Transaction process

Search Results to Order Process

Homepage to Email sign up process

Key landing page conversion funnels within PPC advertising

In these instances, when conducting path analysis, you want to create page progressions that replicate how a user will shop your store and identify the pages that are creating the most leakage.  Omniture, a web analytics software leader, provides the capaibilties to do this exercise by dragging and dropping pages within their PathFinder report module.

By creating these page progressions for path analysis, you can identify the pages within the progression that are losing high numbers of visitors.  By taking new approaches to layout, copy, creative, images, etc on these pages – you will be taking the steps necessary to be proactive in positively impacting convesrion rates through concrete web analytics data.



Tags: Multivariate Testing, eCommerce Usability