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• How to use Behavioural Analytics to Improve Website Performance

  20 septembre 2021, par Ben Erskine — Analytics Tips, Plugins, Heatmap
  

  User behavioural analytics (UBA) give your business unique insights into your customers. 

  Where traditional website metrics track what actions are completed or how many visitors you have, user behaviour shows the driving factors behind those actions. UBA tools such as website heatmap software provide an easy-to-read visualisation of this data. 

  Ultimately, user behaviour analysis improves website performance and conversions by boosting customer engagement, optimising positive customer experiences, and focusing on the most important part of your sales : the people who are actually buying from you. 

  What is user behaviour analytics ?

  User behaviour analytics (UBA) is data that shows how customers and website visitors interact with your brand online. 

  UBA is tracked using tools such as heatmaps, session recordings and data visualisation software. 

  Where traditional web analytics track metrics such as page views and bounce rates, behavioural analytics provide an even more in-depth picture of your website or funnel success. 

  For example, UBA tracks actions like 

  • How far users are scrolling down the page 
  • Which CTA’s and copy they are focusing on (or not focusing on) 
  • Which design elements, links or buttons they are interacting with 
  • What is happening in between each action

  Tracking user behaviour metrics help keep visitors on your website longer because they analyse where customers may be confused or unclear so you can fix it. 

  What’s the difference between data and behavioural analytics ?

  There are a few key differences between data and behavioural analytics. While data analytics are beneficial to improving website performance, using UBA creates a more customer-centric approach to funnel building. 

  The biggest difference between data and behavioural analytics ? Metric data shows which actions are happening. Behavioural analytics show you WHY they are happening. 

  For example, data can show you that a customer bounced or clicked away. Behaviour analytics show you that a page took a long time to load, they tried to click a link several times and then maybe got frustrated and clicked away. 

  Key differences between data analytics and behavioural analytics : 

  • What is happening versus what is driving it 
  • Track an action (e.g. click-through) versus tracking inaction (e.g. hover without clicking) 
  • Measuring completion of an action versus the flow of actions to complete action 
  • Source of traffic versus individual actions 
  • What happens when someone takes an action versus what happens in between taking action 

  Matomo heatmaps offer both website analytics and user behaviour for a comprehensive analysis.

  Why do behavioural analytics help improve website performance ?

  User behaviour is important because it doesn’t matter how many website visitors you have if they don’t convert. 

  If you have a lot of traffic on mobile devices, but a low CTR, heatmaps show you what is causing the low conversions. Perhaps there is a button that isn’t optimised for mobile scrolling, or a pop up that covers important copy. 

  Analysing the driving factors behind each decision means that you can increase sign-ups and conversions without losing money on website traffic that never actually buys. 

  

  How do heatmap tools show website user behaviour analytics ? 

  Heatmap tools provide a visual representation of user behaviour. 

  There are several key ways that heatmap tracking can improve website performance and therefore your overall conversions.

  Firstly, heatmaps show where to optimise website structure. It uses real visitor experiences to indicate whether customers have to scroll to reach important content, whether important messages are being missed, and whether CTAs are clear. 

  Secondly, heatmaps provide always-on UX and useability testing for your website, identifying user frustrations and optimising their experience over time.

  They also show valuable user experience insights for A/B versions of a landing page. Not only will you see the raw conversion data, but you will also understand why one page converts more than another.

  Ultimately, heatmaps increase ROI on marketing by optimising the traffic that you are sending to your website.

  

  5 ways heatmaps and user behaviour analytics improve website performance and conversions

  #1. Improve customer experience

  One of the most important uses for UBA is to improve your customer experience. 

  Imagine you had a physical store. If there was something blocking customers from getting to the counter you could easily see and fix the problem. 

  It is just as important for an online store to find and fix these “roadblocks”. 

  Not only does it reduce friction in the sales funnel and make it easy for customers to buy from you, it improves their overall experience. And when 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, UBA should be one of your number one priorities for growing your bottom line. 

  #2. Improve customer engagement

  Customer engagement is any interaction between a customer/product user and your business. 

  User behaviour analytics increase engagement at each customer journey touch point. 

  Using data from heatmaps will improve customer engagement because it gives you insights into how you can make your website more user friendly. This reduces friction and increases customer loyalty by making sure customers :

  • See important content 
  • Are not distracted by unnecessary elements 
  • Can easily access information or pages no matter what device they are using 
  • Are clicking on important page elements that take them further through the customer journey 

  For example, say a customer is on a sales page. A heatmap might show that pop ups or design elements like links to another page are pulling their attention away from the primary focus (i.e. the sales copy). 

  #3. Focus on customer-centric approach 

  A customer-centric approach means putting your customers at the centre of everything that you do. There is a lot of competition for your customers’ hard earned dollars, so you need to stand out. A good product or service is not enough on its own anymore. 

  User behaviour analytics are at the heart of customer-centric strategies. Instead of guessing how customers interact with your online presence, tools like heatmaps give insight into exactly what customers need. 

  This matched with an effective customer feedback strategy gives a holistic and effective approach to improving your customer experiences. 
  

  #4. Capture customer data across multiple channels

  Most customers won’t convert on their very first visit to a website. They might interact with your business across many channels and research your product multiple times before purchasing. 

  Multi Channel Conversion Attribution, also known as Cross Channel Attribution, lets you assign a value to each visit prior to a conversion or prior to a sale. By applying different attribution models, you get a better view on which channels actually lead to a conversion.

  User behaviour analytics like the multi channel conversion attribution that Matomo offers can show you exactly where you should focus your money to acquire new customers. 

  #5. Track and measure business objectives

  User behaviour analytics like heatmaps can show you whether you are actually hitting your targets. 

  Setting goals helps track your website performance against business objectives. 

  These include objectives such as lead generation, online sales and increased brand exposure. Matomo has a specific function for tracking goals and measuring analytics.

  Using a combination of UBA and data metrics will produce the most effective conversions. 

  For example, a customer reaching the payment confirmation page is a common objective to measure conversions. However, it is only tracked if they actually complete the action. Measuring on-page customer activity with heatmaps shows why they do or do not convert so you can fix issues. 

  Final thoughts on user behaviour analytics 

  User behavioural analytics (UBA) provide a unique and in-depth insight into your customers and their needs. Unlike traditional data metrics that track completed actions, UBA like heatmaps show you what happens in between each action and help fix any critical issues. 

  Heatmaps are your secret weapon to improving website performance while staying customer-centric ! 

  Want to know how heatmap analytics increase conversions and improve customer experience without spending more on traffic or marketing ? Check out some of the other in depth guides below. 

  The Ultimate Guide to Heatmap Software

  10 Proven Ways Heatmap Software Improves Website Conversions

  Heatmap Video

  Session Recording Video

• The Ultimate Guide to HeatMap Software

  20 septembre 2021, par Ben Erskine — Analytics Tips, Plugins, Heatmaps

  One of the most effective ways to improve the user experience on your website is to use heatmap software. As well as in-depth insight on how to improve your website and funnels, user behaviour analytics complement traditional web metrics with insights from your customers’ point of view. 

  Heatmap software shows actual user behaviour. That means that you have a visual representation of why a customer might not be converting instead of guessing. 

  By tracking clicks, mouse movement, and page scrolling as well as analysing above the fold content engagement and overall session recordings, heatmap software helps improve user experience and therefore customer retention and conversions.  

  

  What is heatmap software ?

  Heatmap software is a data visualisation tool that uses colour to show what actions a user is taking on a website. 

  If there is a design element on a page that many users engage with, it will show as red/hot. For elements that are less engaging, it will show on the analysis as blue/cold. 

   

  Heatmap software like Matomo helps businesses to improve user experience and increase conversions by tracking elements such as :

  • Flow through sales funnels 
  • Individual session recordings for user experience 
  • A/B page comparisons 
  • Form analytics for sign ups and conversions 
  • Media interaction such as instruction or sales videos
  • Clicks on important links and information 

  Using data visualisation software like a heatmap provides more in-depth data when combined with standard website metrics. 

  What is heatmap software used for ?

  Heatmap software tracks website user behaviour to improve website performance and increase conversions. 

  Heatmaps can show you a detailed analysis of : 

  • Where visitors are clicking (or not clicking) 
  • Where visitors are hovering with their mouse
  • How far users are scrolling or stopping 
  • Where the focus is above the fold 
  • What roadblocks or frictions customers are facing in the sales funnel

  Analysing activity on your website and across channels from your customers point of view is critical in developing a customer-centric business model. 

  This is because heatmaps not only show you what customers are doing but why they are doing it. 

  Heatmap software is ideal for businesses updating and redesigning websites. It also helps to answer important growth questions such as “how can we improve our user experience ?” and “why is our sales funnel not converting better ?”. 

  The benefits of using data visualisation like heatmaps for your website

  Heatmaps are critical for improving websites because they drastically improve customer experience. 

  Customer experience is one of the most important factors in modern business success. A Walker study found that customer experience is one of the biggest differentiators between brands, overtaking other factors such as price. 

  Where straightforward website metrics show customers left a page without action, data visualisation and session recordings show what happens in between them arriving and leaving. This gives web developers and marketers invaluable insights to improve website design and ultimately increase conversions. 

  How heatmap software improves your website and conversions

  There are a few key ways that heatmap software boosts website performance and conversions. All of them focus on both creating a seamless buyer journey and using data to improve results over time. 

  How heatmap software improves conversions ; 

  • By improving UX and usability– 70% of online businesses fail due to bad usability. Heatmaps identify user frustrations and optimise accordingly 
  • By improving content structure – Heatmaps take the guesswork out of design layout and content structure by showing real visitor experiences on your website 
  • By comparing A/B landing pages – Using heatmaps on alternate landing pages can show you why conversions are working or not working based on user activity on the page
  • By optimising across devices – See how your visitors are interacting with your content to learn how well optimised your website is for various devices and remove roadblocks 

  Heatmap analytics you need to improve website user experience

  Click heatmap

  Click heatmaps are useful for two key reasons.

  Firstly, it shows where website users are clicking. 

  Heatmaps that show clicks give you a visual representation of whether copy and CTA links are clear from the customers’ point of view. It can also show whether a customer is clicking on a design feature that doesn’t link anywhere. 

  Secondly, it shows where website users are not clicking. This is just as important when developing funnels and improving user experiences.

  For example, you may have a CTA button for a free trial or purchase. A click heatmap analysis would show if this isn’t clicked on mobile devices and informs developers that it needs to be more mobile-friendly.

  

  Mouse move or hover heatmap

  Like a click heatmap, a mouse hover heatmap shows how you can improve the overall user experience.

  For example, hover heatmaps identify where your visitors engage on a particular webpage. Ideally, of course, you want them to engage with CTAs. Analysing their mouse movements or where they are hovering for more information gives you an indication of any page elements that are distracting them or not working.

  

  Scroll heatmap

  A scroll heatmap uses colours to visualise how far down in a page your visitors scroll. For most web pages, the top will have the most impressions and will naturally get less views (i.e. get “colder” on the heatmap) further down the page. 

  This lets you find out if there is important content positioned too far down the page or if the page is designed to encourage users to keep scrolling.

  No matter how good your product or service is, it won’t convert if potential customers aren’t engaged and scrolling far enough to see it.

  

  Above the fold analysis 

  Above the fold is the content that a visitor sees without scrolling. 

  In a heatmap, the “Average Above the Fold” line will show you how much content your visitors see on average when they open your page. It also shows whether the page design is engaging, whether it encourages visitors to keep scrolling, and whether important information is too far down the page and therefore being missed. 

  Above the fold analysis is arguably the most important as this is the section that the highest number of traffic will see. Using this information ensures that the right content for conversion is seen by the highest number of visitors. 

  

  Session recording

  Session Recording lets you record a real visitor session, so you can see clicks, mouse movements, scrolls, window resizes, page changes, and form interactions all in one. 

  They allow you to understand the experience from the point of view of your visitor and then optimise your website to maximise your success.

  Heatmap software like Matomo takes this one step further and allows you to gather session recordings for individual segments. By analysing sessions based on segments, you can further personalise and optimise based on customer history and patterns.

  

  Final thoughts on heatmap software 

  Heatmap software improves your user experience by easily spotting critical issues that you can then address. 

  As well as that, heatmap analytics like clicks, mouse movement, scroll, above the fold analysis and session recordings increase your marketing ROI by making the most of your existing traffic. 

  It’s a win-win ! 

  Now that you know what heatmap software is, the benefits of using heatmaps on your website and how it can improve your user experience, check out more handy resources.

  10 Proven Ways Heatmaps Improve Website Conversions

  How to use Behavioural Analytics to Improve Website Performance

  Heatmap Overview Video

  Session Recording Overview Video

• How to Choose a GDPR Compliant Web Analytics Solution

  2 mars 2022, par Matthieu Aubry — Privacy

  Since the launch of GDPR, one big question has lingered around with uncertainty – is Google Analytics GDPR compliant ? The current GDPR enforcement trend happening across the EU is certainly shedding some light on this question.

  Starting with the Austrian Data Protection Authority’s ruling on Google Analytics and more recently, CNIL (the French Data Protection Authority) has followed suit by also ruling Google Analytics illegal to use. Organisations with EU-based web visitors are now scrambling to find a compliant solution.

  The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) has already started delivering formal notices to websites using Google Analytics, so now is the time to act. According to CNIL, organisations have two options :

  1. Ceasing use of the Google Analytics functionality (under the current conditions) 
  2. Use a compliant web analytics tool that does not transfer data outside the EU

  Getting started 

  For organisations considering migrating to a compliant web analytics tool, I’ve outlined below the things you need to consider when weighing up compliant web analytics tools. Once you’ve made a choice, I’ve also included a step-by-step guide to migrating away from Google Analytics. This guide is useful regardless of which GDPR compliant analytics provider you choose.

  Before getting started, I recommend that you document your findings against the following considerations while reviewing GDPR compliant Google Analytics alternatives. This document can then be shared with your Data Protection Officer (DPO) to get their final recommendation.

  10 key considerations when selecting a GDPR compliant web analytics tools

  Many tools will claim to be GDPR compliant so it’s important that you do your due diligence and review tools against the following considerations. 

  1. Where does the tool store data ? 

  The rulings in France and Austria were based on the fact that Google Analytics stores data in the US, which does not have an adequate level of data protection. Your safest option is to find a tool that legally stores data in the EU.

  You should be able to find out where the data is stored in the organisation’s privacy policy. Generally, data storage information can be found under sections titled “Subprocessors” and “Third-party services”. Check out the Matomo Privacy Policy as an example. 

  If you’re unable to easily find this information or it’s unclear, reach out to the organisation for more information.

  2. Does the tool offer anonymous tracking ?

  Anonymous tracking comes with many benefits, including :

  • The ability to track visitors without a cookie consent screen. Due to the privacy-respecting aspect of cookieless tracking, you don’t need to worry about the extra steps involved with compliant cookie banners.
  • More accurate data. When visitors deny tracking cookies, you lose out on valuable data. With anonymous tracking there is no data lost as you don’t need consent to track.
  • Simplified GDPR compliance. With this enabled, there are fewer steps you need to take to get GDPR compliant and stay GDPR compliant.

  For those reasons, it may be important for you to select a tool that offers anonymous tracking functionalities. The level of anonymous tracking you require will depend on your situation but you should look out for tools that allow you to :

  • Disable fingerprinting 
  • Disable user profiles 
  • Anonymise data
  • Cookieless tracking

  If you want to read more about data anonymization, check out this guide on data anonymization in web analytics.

  3. Does the tool integrate with my existing tech stack ?

  You’ll want to ensure that a new web analytics tool will play well with other tools in your tech stack including things like your CMS (content management system), eCommerce shop, etc. You should list out all the existing tools that currently integrate with your Google Analytics and check that the same integrations can be re-created with the new tool, via integrations or APIs.

  If not, it could become costly trying to connect your existing tech stack to a new solution.

  4. Does the tool offer the same features and insights you are currently using in Google Analytics ? Or more, if necessary ? 

  Just because you are moving to a new web analytics platform, doesn’t mean you have to give up the insights, reports and features you’ve grown accustomed to with Google Analytics. Ensuring that a new platform provides the same features and reports that you value the most will result in a smoother transition away from Google Analytics.

  It’s unlikely that a new tool will have all of the same features as Google Analytics, so I’d recommend listing out and prioritising your business-critical features and reports. 

  If I had to guess, you probably set up Google Analytics years ago because it was the default option. Now is your chance to make the most of this switch from Google Analytics and find a tool that offers additional reports and features that better aligns with your business. If time permits, I’d highly recommend that you consider other features or reports that you might have been missing out on while using Google Analytics.

  Check out this comparison of Google Analytics vs Matomo to see side-by-side feature comparison.

  5. Does the tool accept Google Analytics data imports ? 

  The historical data in Google Analytics is a critical asset for many businesses. Fortunately, some tools accept Google Analytics data imports so you don’t lose all of the data you’ve generated over time.

  However, it’s important to note that any data you import from Google Analytics to a new tool needs to be compliant data. I’ll cover this more below.

  6. Does the tool provide conversion tracking exports ? 

  Do you invest in paid advertising ? If you do, then tracking the conversions from people clicking on these paid ads is critical in assessing your return on investment. Since sending IP addresses or other personal information to the US is illegal under GDPR, we can only assume that this will also apply to advertising pixel/conversion tracking (e.g., Facebook pixel, Google Ads conversion tracking, etc). 

  As an example, Matomo offers conversion tracking exports so you can get a better understanding of ad performance while meeting privacy laws and without requiring consent from users. See how it works with Matomo’s conversion tracking exports. 

  7. How will you train up your in-house team ? Or can you hire a contractor ?

  This is a common concern of many, and rightfully so. You’ll want to confirm what resources are readily available so you can hit the ground running with your new web analytics tool. If you’d prefer to train up your in-house team, check the provider’s site for training resources, videos, guides, etc.

  If you’d rather hire an external contractor, we recommend heading to LinkedIn, reaching out to your community or asking the provider if they have any recommendations for contractors.

  In addition, check that the provider offers technical support or a forum, in case you have specific questions and need help.   

  8. Does the tool offer self-hosting ? (optional)

  For organisations that want full control over their data and storage location, an on-premise web analytics tool will be the preferred option. From a GDPR perspective, this is also the easiest option for compliance.

  Keep in mind that this requires resources, regular maintenance, technical knowledge and/or technical consultants. If you’re unsure which option is best for your organisation, check out our on-premise vs cloud web analytics comparison breakdown.

  Find out more about self-hosting Matomo.

  9. Is the tool approved by the CNIL for tracking without consent ?

  This is an important step for websites with French users. This step will help narrow down your selection of tools. The CNIL offers a programme to identify web analytics solutions that can be used without tracking consent. The CNIL’s list of recommended web analytics tools can act as your starting point for solutions to review.

  While this step is specific to sites with French users, it can also be helpful for websites with visitors from any other EU country.

  Benefits of consent-free tracking

  There are many benefits of tracking without consent.
  

  For one, it simplifies GDPR compliance and reduces the chances of GDPR breaches and fines. Cookie consent screens have recently been the target for EU Data Protection Authorities because many websites are unknowingly serving cookie consent screens that do not meet GDPR requirements. 

  Yet another benefit, and quite possibly the most important is more accurate data. Even if a website displays a user-friendly, lawful consent screen, the majority of users will either ignore or reject cookie consent. Legally website owners can’t track anything unless the visitor gives consent. So not having a cookie consent screen ensures that every visit is tracked and your web analytics data is 100% accurate. 

  Lastly, many visitors have grown fatigued and frustrated with invasive cookie consent screens. Not having one on your site creates a user-friendly experience, which will likely result in longer user sessions and lower bounce rates.

  10. Does the tool offer a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) ? 

  Technically, any GDPR compliant web analytics tool should offer a DPA but for the sake of completeness, I’ve added this as a consideration. Double check that any tools you are looking at provide this legally binding document. This should be located in the Privacy Policy of the web analytics provider, if not reach out to request it.

  As an example, here’s Matomo’s Data Processing Agreement which can be found in our Privacy Policy under Subprocessors. 

  That wraps up the key considerations. When it comes to compliance, privacy and customer data, Matomo leads the way. We are looking forward to helping you achieve GDPR compliance easily. Start your free 21-day trial of Matomo now – no credit card required.

  Try Matomo Cloud

  A step-by-step guide to migrating from Google Analytics

  Once you’ve identified a tool that suits your needs and your Data Protection Officer (DPO) has approved, you’re ready to get started. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide with all the important steps for you to follow :

  1. Before getting started, you should sign or download the Data Processing Agreement (DPA) offered by your new web analytics provider.

  2. Register for the new tool and configure it for compliance. The provider should offer guides on how to configure for GDPR compliance. This will include things like giving your users an easy way to opt-out of all tracking, turning on cookieless tracking or asking users for consent and anonymizing data and IP addresses, for instance.

  3. Inform your organisation about the change. Whether your colleagues use the tool or not, it’s important that you share information about the new tool with your staff. Let them know what the tool will be used for, who will use the tool and how it complies with GDPR. 

  4. Let your DPO know that you’ve removed Google Analytics and have implemented the new tool.

  5. Update your records of processing activities to include the new tool.

  6. Update your privacy policy. You’ll need to include details about the web analytics provider, where the data is stored, what data is being collected, how long the data will be stored and why the data is being collected. The web analytics tool should readily have this information for you.

  As an example, if you decide to use Matomo as your web analytics tool, we provide a Privacy Policy template for you to use on your site and a guide on how to complete your privacy policy under GDPR with Matomo. Note that these are only applicable if you are using Matomo.

  In addition, if the tool has an opt-out feature, you will also need to put the opt-out into the privacy policy (e.g., when using cookieless tracking).

  7. Now, the exciting part. Add the tracking code to your site by following the steps provided by the web analytics tool. 

  If you’re not comfortable with this step, the provider should offer steps to do this and you can share this with your web developer.

  8. Once added, login to your tool and check to see if traffic is being tracked.

  9. If your tool does not offer Google Analytics data imports or you do not need the historical data in your new tool, go to step 11. 

  To plan for your Google Analytics data migration, you’ll first need to establish what historical data is compliant with GDPR.

  For example, you shouldn’t import any data stored beyond the retention period established in your Privacy Policy or any personally identifiable information (PII) like IP addresses that aren’t anonymised. Discuss this further with your DPO.

  10. Once you’ve established what data you can legally import, then you can begin the import. Follow the steps provided by your new web analytics solution provider.

  11. Remove Google Analytics tracking code from your site. This will stop the collection of your visitors data by Google as well as slightly increase the page load speed.

  If you still haven’t made a choice yet, try Matomo free for 21-days and see why over 1 million websites choose Matomo.