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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“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


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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.


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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.


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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.


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


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


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Interaction nodes cluster groups of pages based on intelligence algorithm


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The areas between interactions show visitor flow and website departure


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


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


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Visitor Flow reports can be segmented

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


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

Create segment: rasmussen.co/goal-completions


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


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You can change the dimensions of Visitor Flow reports

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


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…or by operating system…


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…or by browser…


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…or by location


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


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Landing PageForm Error

The Visitors Flow report can reveal obvious issues at a glance


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Homepage

Info Page 1

Campaign performance is clearer


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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


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


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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.


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


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

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


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


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Bring together quantitative and qualitative data to form hypotheses.

Design and build a test with what you know.


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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.’”


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Control

Challenger

Win

ne

r

Control Challenger

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


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Control

Challenger

Win

ne

r

23% lift with 96% confidence


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You don’t have to be a data scientist on

the New York Times Research &

Development team to score big data wins


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


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Josh Braaten - @JLBraatenAssociate Director of Inbound Marketing Collegis Education

Thank you!

using google analytics visitors flow reports to boost conversion rates

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