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• How to Track Website Visitors : Benefits, Tools and FAQs

  31 août 2023, par Erin — Analytics Tips, Marketing

  Businesses spend a ton of time, money and effort into creating websites that are not only helpful and captivating, but also highly effective at converting visitors. They’ll create content, revise designs, add new pages and change forms, all in the hope of getting visitors to stay on the site and convert into leads or customers.

  When you track website visitors, you can see which of your efforts are moving the needle. While many people are familiar with pageviews as a metric, website visitor tracking can be much more in-depth and insightful.

  In this article, we’ll cover how website visitor tracking works, what you can track, and how this information can improve sales and marketing results. We’ll also explain global privacy concerns and how businesses can choose the right tracking software. 

  What is website visitor tracking ? 

  Website visitor tracking uses software and applications to track and analyse how visitors interact with your website. It’s a vital tool to help businesses understand whether their website design and content are having the desired effect.

  

  Website visitor tracking includes very broad, non-specific data, like how many times visitors have come to your site. But it can also get very specific, with personal information about the user and even recordings of their visit to your site. Site visits, which may include visiting several different pages of the same site, are often referred to as “sessions.”

  Although Google Analytics is the most widely used website visitor tracking software, it isn’t the most comprehensive or powerful. Companies that want a more in-depth understanding of their website may need to consider running a more precise tool alongside Google Analytics, like Matomo.

  As we’ll cover later, website tracking has many important business applications, but it also poses privacy and security concerns, causing some states and countries to impose strict regulations. Privacy laws and your company’s values should also impact what web analytics tool you choose.

  How website tracking works

  Website tracking starts with the collection of data as users interact with the website. Tracking technologies like cookies, JavaScript and pixels are embedded into web pages. These technologies then gather data about user behaviour, session details and user actions, such as pageviews, clicks, form submissions and more.

  More advanced tracking systems assign unique identifiers (such as cookies or visitor IDs) to individual users. This enables tracking of user journeys across multiple sessions and pages. These detailed journeys can often tell a different story and provide different insights than aggregated numbers do. 

  All this collected data is transmitted from the user’s browser to a centralised tracking system, which can be a third-party web analytics tool or a self-hosted solution. The collected data is stored in databases and processed to generate meaningful insights. This process involves organising the data, aggregating metrics, and creating reports.

  Analytics tools process the collected data to generate reports and visualisations that provide insights into user behaviour. Metrics such as pageviews, bounce rates, conversion rates and user paths are analysed. Good web analytics tools are able to present these insights in a user-friendly way. Analysts and marketing professionals then use this knowledge to make informed decisions to improve the user experience (UX).

  Advanced tracking systems allow data segmentation and filtering based on various criteria, such as user demographics, traffic sources, devices and more. This enables deeper analysis of specific user groups. For example, you might find that your conversion rate is much lower when your website is viewed on a mobile device. You can then dig deeper into that segment of data to find out why and experiment with changes that might increase mobile conversions.

  3 types of website tracking and their benefits

  There are three main categories of website tracking, and they each provide different information that can be used by sales, marketing, engineering and others. Here, we cover those three types and how businesses use them to understand customers and create better experiences.

  Website analytics 

  Website analytics is all about understanding the traffic your website receives. This type of tracking allows you to learn how the website performs based on pageviews, real-time traffic, bounce rate and conversions. 

  For example, you would use website analytics to determine how effectively your homepage drives people toward a product or pricing page. You can use pageviews and previous page statistics to learn how many people who land on your homepage read your blog posts. From there, you could use web analytics to determine the conversion rate of the call to action at the end of each article.

  

  User behaviour

  While website analytics focuses on the website’s performance, user behaviour tracking is about monitoring and quantifying user behaviour. One of the most obvious aspects of user behaviour is what they click on, but there are many other actions you can track. 

  The time a user spends on a page can help you determine whether the content on the page is engaging. Some tracking tools can also measure how far down the page a user scrolls, which reveals whether some content is even being seen. 

  Session recordings are another popular tool for analysing user behaviour. They not only show concrete actions, like clicks, but can also show how the user moves throughout the page. Where do they stop ? What do they scroll right past ? This is one example of how user behaviour data can be quantitative or qualitative.

  Visitor information

  Tracking can also include gathering or uncovering information about visitors to your site. This might include demographic information, such as language and location, or details like what device a website visitor is using and on which browser they view your website. 

  This type of data helps your web and marketing teams make better decisions about how to design and format the site. If you know, for example, that the website for your business-to-business (B2B) software is overwhelmingly viewed on desktop computers, that will affect how you structure your pages and choose images. 

  Similarly, if visitor information tells you that you have a significant audience in France, your marketing team might develop new content to appeal to those potential customers.

  Use website visitor tracking to improve marketing, sales and UX 

  Website visitor tracking has various applications for different parts of your business, from marketing to sales and much more. When you understand the impact tracking has on different teams, you can better evaluate your company’s needs and build buy-in among stakeholders.

  Marketing

  At many companies, the marketing team owns and determines what kind of content is on your website. From landing pages to blog posts to the navigation bar, you want to create an experience that drives people toward making a purchase. When marketers can track website visitors, they can get a real look at how visitors respond to and engage with their marketing efforts. Pageviews, conversion rates and time spent on pages help them better understand what your customers care about and what messaging resonates.

  But web analytics can even help marketing teams better understand how their external marketing campaigns are performing. Tracking tools like Matomo reveal your most important traffic sources. The term “traffic source” refers to the content or web property from which someone arrives at your site. 

  For instance, you might notice that an older page got a big boost in traffic this month. You can then check the traffic sources, where you find that an influential LinkedIn user posted a link to the page. This presents an opportunity to adjust the influencer or social media aspects of your marketing strategy.

  

  Beyond traffic sources, Matomo can provide a visual user journey (also known as User Flow), showing which pages visitors tend to view in a session and even in what order they progress. This gives you a bird’s-eye view of the customer journey.

  Sales

  Just like your marketing team, your sales team can benefit from tracking and analysing website visitor information. Data about user behaviour and visitor demographics helps sales representatives better understand the people they’re talking to. Segmented visitor tracking data can even provide clues as to how to appeal to different buyer personas.

  Sales leadership can use web analytics to gauge interest over time, tie visitors to revenue and develop more accurate sales forecasts and goals. 

  

  And it’s not just aggregated website tracking data that your sales team can use to better serve customers. They can also use insights about an individual visitor to tailor their approach. Matomo’s Visits Log report and Visitor Profiles allow you to see which pages a prospect has viewed. This tells your sales team which products and features the prospect is most interested in, leading to more relevant interactions and more effective sales efforts.

  User experience and web development

  The way users interact with and experience your website has a big impact on their impression of your brand and, ultimately, whether they become customers. While marketing often controls much of a website’s content, the backend and technical operation of the site usually falls to a web development or engineering team. Website analytics and tracking inform their work, too.

  Along with data about website traffic and conversion rates, web development teams often monitor bounce rates (the percentage of people who leave your website entirely after landing on a page) and page load time (the time it takes for an individual web page to load for a user). Besides the fact that slow loading times inconvenience visitors, they can also negatively affect your search engine optimization (SEO).

  

  Along with session recordings, user experience teams and web developers may use heatmaps to find out what parts of a page draw a visitor’s attention and where they are most likely to convert or take some other action. They can then use these insights to make a web page more intuitive and useful.

  Visitor tracking and privacy regulations 

  There are different data privacy standards in other parts of the world, which are designed to ensure that businesses collect and use consumer data ethically. The most-discussed of these privacy standards is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which was instituted by the European Union (EU) but affects businesses worldwide. However, it’s important to note that individual countries or states can have different privacy laws.

  Many privacy laws govern how websites can use cookies to track visitors. With a user’s consent, cookies can help websites identify and remember visitors. However, many web visitors will reject cookie consent banners. When this happens, analysts and marketers can’t collect information from these visitors and have to work with incomplete tracking data. Incomplete data leads to poor decision-making. What’s more, cookie consent banners can create a poor user experience and often annoy web visitors.

  With Matomo’s industry-leading measures to protect user privacy, France’s data protection agency (CNIL) has confirmed that Matomo is exempt from tracking consent in France. Matomo users have peace of mind knowing they can uphold the GDPR and collect data without needing to collect and track cookie consent. Only in Germany and the UK are cookie consent banners still required.

  Choosing user tracking software

  The benefits and value of tracking website visitors are enormous, but not all tracking software is equal. Different tools have different core functionalities. For instance, some focus on user behaviour over traditional web analytics. Others offer detailed website performance data but offer little in the way of visitor information. It’s a good idea to start by identifying your company’s most important tracking goals.

  Along with core features, look for useful tools to experiment with and optimise your website with. For example, Matomo enables A/B testing while many other tools do not.

  

  Along with users of your website, you also need to think about the employees who will be using the tracking software. The interface can have a big impact on the value you get from a tool. Matomo’s session recording functionality, for example, not only provides you with video but with a colour-coded timeline identifying important user actions.

  

  Privacy standards and compliance should also be a part of the conversation. Different tools use different tracking methods, impacting accuracy and security and can even cause legal trouble. You should consider which data privacy laws you are subject to, as well as the privacy expectations of your users.

  

  Some industries have especially high data security standards. Government and healthcare organisations, for example, may require visitor tracking software that is hosted on their premises. While there are many purely cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) tracking tools, Matomo is available both On-Premise (also known as self-hosted) and in the Cloud.

  Frequently asked questions

  Here are answers to some of people’s most common questions about tracking website visitors.

  Can you track who visited your website ?

  In most cases, tracking your website’s traffic is possible. Still, the extent of the tracking depends on the visitor-tracking technology you use and the privacy settings and precautions the visitor uses. For example, some technologies can pinpoint users by IP address. In other cases, you may only have access to anonymized data.

  Is it legal to track someone’s IP address ?

  It is legal for websites and businesses to track someone’s IP address in the sense that they can identify that someone from the same IP address is visiting a page repeatedly. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are considered personally identifiable information (PII). The GDPR mandates that websites only log and store a user’s IP address with the user’s consent.

  How do you find where visitors are clicking the most ?

  Heatmap tools are among the most common tools for learning where visitors click the most on your website. Heatmaps use colour-coding to show what parts of a web page users either click on or hover over the most.

  Unique tracking URLs are another way to determine what part of your website gets the most clicks. For example, if you have three links on a page that all go to the same destination, you can use tracking links to determine how many clicks each link generates.

  Matomo also offers a Tag Manager within the platform that lets you manage and unify all your tracking and marketing tags to find out where visitors are clicking.

  What is the best tool for website visitor tracking ?

  Like most tools, the best website visitor tracking tool depends on your needs. Each tool offers different functionalities, user interfaces and different levels of accuracy and privacy. Matomo is a good choice for companies that value privacy, compliance and accuracy.

  Tracking for powerful insights and better performance

  Tracking website visitors is now a well-ingrained part of business operations. From sales reps seeking to understand their leads to marketers honing their ad spend, tracking helps teams do their jobs better.

  Take the time to consider what you want to learn from website tracking and let those priorities guide your choice of visitor tracking software. Whatever your industry or needs, user privacy and compliance must be a priority.

  Find out how much detail and insight Matomo can give you with our free 21-day trial — no credit card required.

• Consent management platforms : Keys to compliance and user trust

  14 juin, par Joe

  Today’s marketing managers and data analysts face a tricky balancing act : gaining meaningful customer insights while respecting user privacy. Finding ways to navigate the maze of complex privacy regulations while managing consent at scale can be daunting. 

  Consent management platforms (CMPs) offer a solution. They allow companies to collect data ethically, manage user consent efficiently, and comply with privacy regulations like Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

  This guide explains everything you need to know about CMPs : how they function, why they’re essential for data governance, and how they work hand-in-hand with analytics platforms to promote transparency and build trust with users.

  What is a consent management platform (CMP) and what is it for ?

  A consent management platform (CMP) helps organisations collect, organise, and store user consent for personal data processing purposes. In short, it’s a tool that ensures data collection respects user privacy and complies with regulations like the GDPR and CCPA.

  Without a CMP, businesses could face hefty fines and penalties for violating data privacy laws in different parts of the world. This shows how vital these tools are to all modern businesses.

  How do consent management platforms work ?

  CMPs give users a clear and straightforward way to provide explicit consent for data collection. These platforms manage both the technical aspects of consent storage and the user experience on your site or app.

  Here’s a simplified breakdown :

  • Cookie consent banners : The CMP displays a banner whenever a user visits your website. This banner explains the types of personal information collected and for what purpose.
  • User choice : The user can accept or reject cookies and trackers. They can often customise their preferences to choose which specific data types they’re willing to share.
  • Preference storage : The CMP stores the user’s choices. This information helps ensure that you only collect and process the permitted data.
  • Integration with other systems : CMPs integrate with other systems, such as analytics platforms and advertising networks, to ensure that data collection and processing comply with the user’s choices throughout the customer experience.

  

  A key feature of CMPs is their role in shaping privacy policy design. This design encompasses the layout, visual elements, and cues employed to seek user consent.

  A recent study by Karlstad University in Sweden showed that privacy policy design significantly influences user comprehension and willingness to disclose information. In other words, it affects consent rates considerably and is key to enhancing data collection.

  Importance of consent management for compliance

  As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, consent management is taking centre stage. Although it applies to all technologies and systems that gather or handle personal data, few instances are as relevant as smart homes.

  Smart home devices have unique access to our personal spaces and private lives. They represent a unique challenge to consent management since one person is potentially granting access to personal data from themselves and other people who may be inside or around the house.

  A 2023 study by the University College London and the University of Oxford pointed out that clear design principles and granular, contextual permission structures are essential in these situations.

  However, consent management isn’t just best practice. It’s a widespread legal requirement. Not meeting these requirements can result in hefty penalties and reputational damage to your organisation.

  Consent management under GDPR

  The European Union’s GDPR is a data protection law applicable to organisations that process the personal data of individuals residing in the European Economic Area (EEA). It’s based on the principle of opting in.

  The GDPR is one of the strongest data privacy laws globally. For non-compliance, fines can be up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s total global turnover (whichever is higher).

  It’s also one of the most heavily enforced privacy laws. According to enforcementtracker.com, Meta was fined €1.2 billion in 2023, with GDPR fines reaching over €2 billion that year alone. In the UK, the largest GDPR fine is €22.05 million, according to Statista. It pays to comply.

  The GDPR has specific rules around consent, including that it must be :

  • Freely given : Users must not be pressured or coerced.
  • Specific : Must be given for specific data processing purposes.
  • Informed : Users must be provided with clear and concise information.
  • Unambiguous : Permission must be granted through clear and affirmative action, such as checking a box or tapping a button.

  CMPs help you meet these requirements by providing a transparent and user-friendly way to obtain and manage consent.

  Consent management under CCPA

  The CCPA is another privacy protection law for businesses collecting personal information from California residents. It grants Californians the right to know what data is being collected about them, to prevent it from being sold, and to request its deletion.

  CMPs support CCPA compliance by enabling users to exercise their rights and ensuring transparent data collection practices.

  Managing consent under other regulatory frameworks

  In addition to the GDPR and CCPA, numerous other privacy regulations can impact your organisation. These regulations include :

  • The COPPA in the US
  • Brazil’s LGPD
  • Japan’s APPI
  • Canada’s PIPEDA.
  • Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 

  A CMP will help streamline the process by providing a clear, practical framework to ensure you meet all applicable requirements.

  Key features to look for in a CMP

  Choosing the right CMP is crucial for global business.

  Here are some key features to consider :

  Custom banners

  Consent banners are often among users’ first digital interactions with your brand. It should be clear, concise and visually appealing. Look for a CMP that allows you to :

  • Customise the banner’s design to match your website’s branding and aesthetics.
  • Control the banner’s positioning for optimal visibility.

  End-user management tools

  The CMP should also offer a user-friendly interface allowing visitors to grant, manage and withdraw consent.

  This includes customisable banners, granular permissions, and a preference centre. The latter is a dedicated space where users can manage their preferences anytime.

  Integration capabilities with existing systems

  The CMP should integrate with your existing technology stack, including your analytics platform, marketing automation tools and CRM. This integration ensures a smooth workflow and prevents data silos.

  How to select the right CMP for your organisation

  To find the perfect CMP, focus on your specific needs and priorities. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make an informed decision :

  Assessing organisational needs and goals

  Start by clearly defining your organisation’s requirements. Consider the following :

  • Types of data collected : What personal data do you collect (for example, cookies, IP addresses, location data) ?
  • Compliance requirements : Which privacy regulations must you comply with (GDPR, CCPA, COPPA) ?
  • Website or app complexity : How complex is your website or app in terms of user interactions and data collection points ?
  • Budget : How much are you willing to invest in a CMP ?

  Comparing features and pricing

  Once you thoroughly understand your needs, you can compare the features and pricing of various CMPs. Look for key features like :

  • Customisable banners
  • Granular options
  • Preference centre
  • Integration with existing systems
  • Analytics and reporting

  Once you’ve shortlisted a few options, compare the pricing and choose the best value for your budget. Take advantage of free trials before committing to a paid plan.

  Checking verified user reviews

  Read user reviews on platforms like G2 or Trustpilot to get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of different CMPs. Look for reviews from similar organisations regarding size, industry and compliance requirements.

  Integration with a privacy-focused analytics platform

  A consent management platform acts as the bridge between your users and your analytics and marketing teams. It ensures user preferences are communicated to your analytics setup, so data collection and analysis align with their choices and comply with privacy regulations. 

  Finding a consent manager integration that works with your analytics setup is essential for businesses.

  Top five consent management platforms

  The CMP market is pretty competitive, with many players providing excellent solutions. According to Emergen Research, it was valued at $320.9 million in 2021 and is growing at 21.2%.

  Here are five of our top choices 

  1. usercentrics

  usercentrics is a comprehensive CMP with customisable banners, granular consent options and a preference centre.

  

  usercentrics geolocation rulesets page (Source : Usercentrics)

  This Google-certified CMP allows you to create global and regional consent rules to ensure compliance with local regulations like GDPR, CCPA and LGPD. For a smooth implementation, usercentrics provides access to a knowledgeable support team and a dedicated customer success executive.

  It’s worth noting that Usercentrics is the CMP we use here at Matomo. It helps us in our mission to collect and analyse data ethically and with a privacy-first mindset.

  • Key features : Customisable banners, granular permissions, cross-domain and cross-device capabilities, automatic website scans, reporting and analytics.
  • Pricing : Usercentrics offers a free plan and four paid subscription plans from €7 to €50 per month.

  2. Osano

  Osano is a user-friendly CMP focusing on transparency and ease of use.

  

  Osano’s main dashboard (Source : Osano)

  Osano can scan websites for tracking technologies without impacting the user experience.

  • Key features : Customisable banners, multi-language support, granular consent options, a preference centre and access to a knowledgeable team of compliance specialists.
  • Pricing : Osano offers a self-service free plan and a paid plan at $199 per month.

  3. Cookiebot

  Cookiebot is another popular CMP with numerous integration options, including Matomo and other analytics tools. 

  

  Cookiebot consent banner options (Source : Cookiebot)

  • Key features : A cookie scanner, a privacy trigger or button allowing users to change their consent settings, a consent management API and advanced analytics.
  • Pricing : Cookiebot offers a free plan and paid plans ranging from €7 to €50 per month.

  4. CookieYes

  CookieYes is well-suited for small businesses and websites with basic privacy needs. 

  

  CookieYes cookie banner options (Source : CookieYes)

  It offers various features, including multilingual support, geo-targeting, privacy policy generation, and a preference centre. CookieYes also integrates with analytics and CMS tools, making it easy to implement as part of your stack.

  • Key features : Customisable consent banners, granular consent options, preference centre, integration with Matomo, reporting and analytics.
  • Pricing : You can use CookieYes for free or subscribe to one of their three paid plans, which range from $10 to $55 per month.

  5. Tarte au Citron

  Tarte au Citron is an open-source, lightweight, and customisable CMP developed in France.

  

  (Source : Tarte au Citron)

  Its focus is on transparency and user experience. It provides many features free of charge, but many do require some technical knowledge to deploy. There’s also a paid subscription with ongoing support and faster implementation.

  Tarte au Citron integrates with Matomo, which is also open-source. If you’re building an open-source stack for your analytics, Matomo and Tarte au Citron make an excellent pair.

  • Key features : Open-source, customisable consent banners, integration with Matomo, works with over 220 services.
  • Pricing : You can deploy the open-source core for free, but Tarte au Citron offers three paid licenses starting at €190 for one year and reaching €690 for a lifetime license.

  How to implement cookie consent the right way

  Implementing cookie consent requires precision, time and effort. But doing it wrong can result in significant legal penalties and severe reputational damage, eroding user trust and impacting your brand’s standing. Here are the key dos and don’ts of consent :

  

  Provide clear and concise information

  Use plain language that is easy for anyone to understand. Avoid using technical terms or legal jargon that may confuse users.

  Prioritise transparency

  Be upfront about your data collection practices. Clearly state what data you collect, how you use it and who you share it with. Provide links to your privacy and cookie policies for users who want to learn more.

  Offer granular control

  Give users detailed control over as many of their cookie preferences as possible. Allow them to choose which categories of tracking cookies they consent to, such as strictly necessary, performance and marketing cookies.

  Implement user-friendly banners

  Ensure banners are prominently displayed, easy to understand, and use clear and concise language. Also, make sure they’re accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

  Respect “do not track” settings

  It’s essential to honour users’ choices when they enable their “do not track” browser setting.

  Document consent

  Maintain a record of user consent. This will help you demonstrate compliance with data privacy regulations and provide evidence of user consent in case of an audit or investigation.

  Regularly review and update consent policies

  Review and update your customer consent policies regularly to ensure they comply with evolving data privacy regulations and reflect your current data collection practices.

  Cookie consent pitfalls to avoid

  Here are some common pitfalls to avoid that may lead to legal penalties, loss of user trust or inaccurate analytics :

  • Avoid lengthy and complicated explanations. Overwhelming users with dense legal jargon or overly technical details can lead to consent fatigue and reduce the likelihood of informed consent.
  • Don’t force users to accept all cookies or none. Blanket consent options violate user autonomy and fail to comply with regulations like the GDPR.
  • Don’t make information about your data collection practices hard to find. Hidden or buried privacy policies breed suspicion and erode trust.
  • Avoid pre-checking all cookie consents. Pre-checked boxes imply consent without explicit user action, which is not compliant with GDPR and similar regulations. Users must actively opt in, not out.

  Emerging consent management trends 

  Consent management is constantly evolving and driven by new technologies, regulations, and user expectations. Here are some emerging trends to watch out for in the short term :

  • Increased automation : AI and machine learning are helping automate consent management processes, making them more efficient and effective.
  • Enhanced user experience : CMPs are becoming more user-friendly, focusing on providing an intuitive experience.
  • Privacy-preserving analytics : CMPs are being integrated with privacy-preserving analytics platforms, such as Matomo, to enable organisations to gain insights into user behaviour without compromising privacy.
  • Google Consent Mode : In 2024, Google rolled out Consent Mode v2 to align with the Digital Markets Act. Due to upcoming privacy regulations, more versions may be coming soon.

  The Privacy Governance Report 2024 also highlights the increasing complexity of managing data privacy, with more than four in five privacy professionals taking on additional responsibilities in their existing roles. This trend will likely continue in the coming years as more privacy laws are enacted.

  Addressing upcoming privacy regulations

  Data privacy and user consent requirements continue to emerge and evolve. Businesses must stay informed and adapt their practices accordingly.

  

  In 2025, several new privacy regulations are going into effect, including :

  • New state-level privacy laws in eight US states :
    • Delaware (1 January 2025)
    • Iowa (1 January 2025)
    • Nebraska (1 January 2025)
    • New Hampshire (1 January 2025)
    • New Jersey (15 January 2025)
    • Tennessee (1 July 2025)
    • Minnesota (31 July 2025)
    • Maryland (1 October 2025)
  • The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (which will be implemented from 1 August 2024 through 2 August 2026) and other AI-focused regulations.
  • The UK Adequacy Decision Review has a deadline of 27 December 2025.

  Organisations that collect, process or otherwise handle data from Europe and the above-named US states should proactively prepare for these changes by :

  • Conducting regular privacy impact assessments
  • Reviewing consent mechanisms regularly
  • Implementing data minimisation strategies
  • Providing user-friendly privacy controls

  Future-proofing your consent management strategy

  CMPs are essential for managing consent preferences, protecting user privacy, and earning customers’ trust through transparency and ethical data practices.

  When choosing a CMP, you should consider key features such as integration capabilities, customisation options and user-friendly interfaces.

  Integrating a CMP with a privacy-first analytics solution like Matomo allows you to collect and analyse data in a way that’s compliant and respectful of user preferences. This combination helps maintain data integrity while demonstrating a strong commitment to privacy. 

  Start your 21-day free trial today.

• What is Behavioural Segmentation and Why is it Important ?

  28 septembre 2023, par Erin — Analytics Tips

  Amidst the dynamic landscape of web analytics, understanding customers has grown increasingly vital for businesses to thrive. While traditional demographic-focused strategies possess merit, they need to uncover the nuanced intricacies of individual online behaviours and preferences. As customer expectations evolve in the digital realm, enterprises must recalibrate their approaches to remain relevant and cultivate enduring digital relationships.

  In this context, the surge of technology and advanced data analysis ushers in a marketing revolution : behavioural segmentation. Businesses can unearth invaluable insights by meticulously scrutinising user actions, preferences and online interactions. These insights lay the foundation for precisely honed, high-performing, personalised campaigns. The era dominated by blanket, catch-all marketing strategies is yielding to an era of surgical precision and tailored engagement. 

  While the insights from user behaviours empower businesses to optimise customer experiences, it’s essential to strike a delicate balance between personalisation and respecting user privacy. Ethical use of behavioural data ensures that the power of segmentation is wielded responsibly and in compliance, safeguarding user trust while enabling businesses to thrive in the digital age.

  What is behavioural segmentation ?

  Behavioural segmentation is a crucial concept in web analytics and marketing. It involves categorising individuals or groups of users based on their online behaviour, actions and interactions with a website. This segmentation method focuses on understanding how users engage with a website, their preferences and their responses to various stimuli. Behavioural segmentation classifies users into distinct segments based on their online activities, such as the pages they visit, the products they view, the actions they take and the time they spend on a site.

  Behavioural segmentation plays a pivotal role in web analytics for several reasons :

  1. Enhanced personalisation :

  Understanding user behaviour enables businesses to personalise online experiences. This aids with delivering tailored content and recommendations to boost conversion, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction.

  2. Improved user experience :

  Behavioural segmentation optimises user interfaces (UI) and navigation by identifying user paths and pain points, enhancing the level of engagement and retention.

  3. Targeted marketing :

  Behavioural segmentation enhances marketing efficiency by tailoring campaigns to user behaviour. This increases the likelihood of interest in specific products or services.

  4. Conversion rate optimisation :

  Analysing behavioural data reveals factors influencing user decisions, enabling website optimisation for a streamlined purchasing process and higher conversion rates.

  5. Data-driven decision-making :

  Behavioural segmentation empowers data-driven decisions. It identifies trends, behavioural patterns and emerging opportunities, facilitating adaptation to changing user preferences and market dynamics.

  6. Ethical considerations :

  Behavioural segmentation provides valuable insights but raises ethical concerns. User data collection and use must prioritise transparency, privacy and responsible handling to protect individuals’ rights.

  The significance of ethical behavioural segmentation will be explored more deeply in a later section, where we will delve into the ethical considerations and best practices for collecting, storing and utilising behavioural data in web analytics. It’s essential to strike a balance between harnessing the power of behavioural segmentation for business benefits and safeguarding user privacy and data rights in the digital age.

  

  Different types of behavioural segments with examples

  1. Visit-based segments : These segments hinge on users’ visit patterns. Analyse visit patterns, compare first-time visitors to returning ones, or compare users landing on specific pages to those landing on others.
     • Example : The real estate website Zillow can analyse how first-time visitors and returning users behave differently. By understanding these patterns, Zillow can customise its website for each group. For example, they can highlight featured listings and provide navigation tips for first-time visitors while offering personalised recommendations and saved search options for returning users. This could enhance user satisfaction and boost the chances of conversion.
  2. Interaction-based segments : Segments can be created based on user interactions like special events or goals completed on the site.
     • Example : Airbnb might use this to understand if users who successfully book accommodations exhibit different behaviours than those who don’t. This insight could guide refinements in the booking process for improved conversion rates.
  3. Campaign-based segments : Beyond tracking visit numbers, delve into usage differences of visitors from specific sources or ad campaigns for deeper insights.
     • Example : Nike might analyse user purchase behaviour from various traffic sources (referral websites, organic, direct, social media and ads). This informs marketing segmentation adjustments, focusing on high-performance channels. It also customises the website experience for different traffic sources, optimising content, promotions and navigation. This data-driven approach could boost user experiences and maximise marketing impact for improved brand engagement and sales conversions.
  4. Ecommerce segments : Separate users based on purchases, even examining the frequency of visits linked to specific products. Segment heavy users versus light users. This helps uncover diverse customer types and browsing behaviours.
     • Example : Amazon could create segments to differentiate between visitors who made purchases and those who didn’t. This segmentation could reveal distinct usage patterns and preferences, aiding Amazon in tailoring its recommendations and product offerings.
  5. Demographic segments : Build segments based on browser language or geographic location, for instance, to comprehend how user attributes influence site interactions.
     • Example : Netflix can create user segments based on demographic factors like geographic location to gain insight into how a visitor’s location can influence content preferences and viewing behaviour. This approach could allow for a more personalised experience.
  6. Technographic segments : Segment users by devices or browsers, revealing variations in site experience and potential platform-specific issues or user attitudes.
     • Example : Google could create segments based on users’ devices (e.g., mobile, desktop) to identify potential issues in rendering its search results. This information could be used to guide Google in providing consistent experiences regardless of device.

  

  The importance of ethical behavioural segmentation

  Respecting user privacy and data protection is crucial. Matomo offers features that align with ethical segmentation practices. These include :

  • Anonymization : Matomo allows for data anonymization, safeguarding individual identities while providing valuable insights.
  • GDPR compliance : Matomo is GDPR compliant, ensuring that user data is handled following European data protection regulations.
  • Data retention and deletion : Matomo enables businesses to set data retention policies and delete user data when it’s no longer needed, reducing the risk of data misuse.
  • Secured data handling : Matomo employs robust security measures to protect user data, reducing the risk of data breaches.

  Real-world examples of ethical behavioural segmentation :

  1. Content publishing : A leading news website could utilise data anonymization tools to ethically monitor user engagement. This approach allows them to optimise content delivery based on reader preferences while ensuring the anonymity and privacy of their target audience.
  2. Non-profit organisations : A charity organisation could embrace granular user control features. This could be used to empower its donors to manage their data preferences, building trust and loyalty among supporters by giving them control over their personal information.

  

  Examples of effective behavioural segmentation

  Companies are constantly using behavioural insights to engage their audiences effectively. In this section, we’ll delve into real-world examples showcasing how top companies use behavioural segmentation to enhance their marketing efforts.

  

  1. Coca-Cola’s behavioural insights for marketing strategy : Coca-Cola employs behavioural segmentation to evaluate its advertising campaigns. Through analysing user engagement across TV commercials, social media promotions and influencer partnerships, Coca-Cola’s marketing team can discover that video ads shared by influencers generate the highest ROI and web traffic.

     This insight guides the reallocation of resources, leading to increased sales and a more effective advertising strategy.

  2. eBay’s custom conversion approach : eBay excels in conversion optimisation through behavioural segmentation. When users abandon carts, eBay’s dynamic system sends personalised email reminders featuring abandoned items and related recommendations tailored to user interests and past purchase decisions.

     This strategy revives sales, elevates conversion rates and sparks engagement. eBay’s adeptness in leveraging behavioural insights transforms user experience, steering a customer journey toward conversion.

  3. Sephora’s data-driven conversion enhancement : Data analysts can use Sephora’s behavioural segmentation strategy to fuel revenue growth through meticulous data analysis. By identifying a dedicated subset of loyal customers who exhibit a consistent preference for premium skincare products, data analysts enable Sephora to customise loyalty programs.

     These personalised rewards programs provide exclusive discounts and early access to luxury skincare releases, resulting in heightened customer engagement and loyalty. The data-driven precision of this approach directly contributes to amplified revenue from this specific customer segment.

  Examples of the do’s and don’ts of behavioural segmentation 

  

  Behavioural segmentation is a powerful marketing and data analysis tool, but its success hinges on ethical and responsible practices. In this section, we will explore real-world examples of the do’s and don’ts of behavioural segmentation, highlighting companies that have excelled in their approach and those that have faced challenges due to lapses in ethical considerations.

  Do’s of behavioural segmentation :

  • Personalised messaging :
    • Example : Spotify
      • Spotify’s success lies in its ability to use behavioural data to curate personalised playlists and user recommendations, enhancing its music streaming experience.
  • Transparency :
    • Example : Basecamp
      • Basecamp’s transparency in sharing how user data is used fosters trust. They openly communicate data practices, ensuring users are informed and comfortable.
  • Anonymization
    • Example : Matomo’s anonymization features
      • Matomo employs anonymization features to protect user identities while providing valuable insights, setting a standard for responsible data handling.
  • Purpose limitation :
    • Example : Proton Mail
      • Proton Mail strictly limits the use of user data to email-related purposes, showcasing the importance of purpose-driven data practices.
  • Dynamic content delivery : 
    • Example : LinkedIn
      • LinkedIn uses behavioural segmentation to dynamically deliver job recommendations, showcasing the potential for relevant content delivery.
  • Data security :
    • Example : Apple
      • Apple’s stringent data security measures protect user information, setting a high bar for safeguarding sensitive data.
  • Adherence to regulatory compliance : 
    • Example : Matomo’s regulatory compliance features
      • Matomo’s regulatory compliance features ensure that businesses using the platform adhere to data protection regulations, further promoting responsible data usage.

  Don’ts of behavioural segmentation :

  • Ignoring changing regulations
    • Example : Equifax
      • Equifax faced major repercussions for neglecting evolving regulations, resulting in a data breach that exposed the sensitive information of millions.
  • Sensitive attributes
    • Example : Twitter
      • Twitter faced criticism for allowing advertisers to target users based on sensitive attributes, sparking concerns about user privacy and data ethics.
  • Data sharing without consent
    • Example : Meta & Cambridge Analytica
      • The Cambridge Analytica scandal involving Meta (formerly Facebook) revealed the consequences of sharing user data without clear consent, leading to a breach of trust.
  • Lack of control
    • Example : Uber
      • Uber faced backlash for its poor data security practices and a lack of control over user data, resulting in a data breach and compromised user information.
  • Don’t be creepy with invasive personalisation
    • Example : Offer Moment
      • Offer Moment’s overly invasive personalisation tactics crossed ethical boundaries, unsettling users and eroding trust.

  These examples are valuable lessons, emphasising the importance of ethical and responsible behavioural segmentation practices to maintain user trust and regulatory compliance in an increasingly data-driven world.

  Continue the conversation

  Diving into customer behaviours, preferences and interactions empowers businesses to forge meaningful connections with their target audience through targeted marketing segmentation strategies. This approach drives growth and fosters exceptional customer experiences, as evident from the various common examples spanning diverse industries.

  In the realm of ethical behavioural segmentation and regulatory compliance, Matomo is a trusted partner. Committed to safeguarding user privacy and data integrity, our advanced web analytics solution empowers your business to harness the power of behavioral segmentation, all while upholding the highest standards of compliance with stringent privacy regulations.

  To gain deeper insight into your visitors and execute impactful marketing campaigns, explore how Matomo can elevate your efforts. Try Matomo free for 21-days, no credit card required.