using google analytics visitors flow reports to boost conversion rates

San Francisco • September 10–13, 2013 • #SESSF @SESConf

Google Analytics ShowdownUsing Visitor Flow Reports to Boost Conversion RatesJosh BraatenCollegis EducationAssociate Director of Inbound Marketing

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

@twitterhandle

@JLBraaten

“We’ve found that visualization is one of the most important guideposts in this search for

knowledge, essential to understanding where we should

look and what we should look for in our statistical analysis.”

- Sinan Aral andNikolaos Hanselmann

New York Times R&D Lab

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

This page drives conversation on Twitter but a low

volume on traffic, which indicates

people are sharing, but aren’t

reading the New York Times article.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

A lot of traffic, but not a lot of Twitter

conversation indicates traffic to

the New York Times articles

through links from other online

sources instead of social media.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Traffic and Twitter engagement move

in tandem with each other on this

article. Traffic peaks are largest

when three influencers and

their followers engage with New

York Times article.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Google Analytics has a tool that facilitates visual exploration called the Visitors Flow report

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

The Google Analytics Visitors Flow report shows how visitors engage with your site

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Interaction nodes cluster groups of pages based on intelligence algorithm

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@JLBraaten

The areas between interactions show visitor flow and website departure

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

The Visitors Flow report can tell a story about pages and entire websites

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Let’s take a look at the advanced features of the Visitors Flow report

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Visitor Flow reports can be segmented

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San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Apply a segment based on landing pages or channels to observe visitor engagement

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Apply a segment for visits that convert to understand the effective paths

Create segment: rasmussen.co/goal-completions

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Apply a segment for visits that don’t convert to look for experience gaps

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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You can change the dimensions of Visitor Flow reports

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San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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See how visitors flow through your website based on specific channels…

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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…or by operating system…

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…or by browser…

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@JLBraaten

…or by location

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

The Visitors Flow report is a helpful starting point when examining a website for CRO testing opportunities

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Landing PageForm Error

The Visitors Flow report can reveal obvious issues at a glance

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Homepage

Info Page 1

Campaign performance is clearer

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@JLBraaten

Campaign 1 Homepage

Section Page

Sub-Section Page

Sub-Section Page

Sub-Section Page

All Others

Section Page

Info Page 1

Sub-Section Page

Sub-Section Page

Homepage

All Others

Section Page

Homepage

Sub-Section Page

Sub-Section Page

Info Page 1

All Others

Section Page

Info Page 2

Homepage

Info Page 1

Sub-Section Page

All Others

Visitors Flow can also be used to visualize complex user behaviors

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Use Visitors Flow to go from big data to big insights to big conversion rate optimization testing wins

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Homepage

Info Page 1

Let’s look at that homepage again

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Take a look at the most detailed quantitative Google Analytics reports for KPI performance of the page in question.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Use Google Consumer Surveys to ask potential customers how they feel about key issues/features.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Usertesting.com is great for understanding how people perform tasks.

Test broad tasks to help determine how to organize, narrow to help position.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Use Qualaroo to allow users to rate a page and tell you what’s missing.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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Bring together quantitative and qualitative data to form hypotheses.

Design and build a test with what you know.

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Control

Challenger

Win

ne

r

Control

Are you accredited?

What programs are online?

Are you in Wisconsin?

“I look for programs first, then locations.”

“I don’t get all the movement.”

Most degree-seekers care about outcomes

“That person looks ‘X-Files green.’”

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Control

Challenger

Win

ne

r

Control Challenger

Build a challenger that embodies design responses to questions posed by your thorough analyses

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Control

Challenger

Win

ne

r

23% lift with 96% confidence

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

You don’t have to be a data scientist on

the New York Times Research &

Development team to score big data wins

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

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@JLBraaten

Instead, crack open your Visitors Flow report in your Google Analytics account

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

@twitterhandle

@JLBraaten

Josh Braaten - @JLBraatenAssociate Director of Inbound Marketing Collegis Education

Thank you!