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• CRO Testing : The 6-Steps for Maximising Conversion Rates

  10 mars 2024, par Erin

  It’s a nightmare every marketing manager faces. Traffic is soaring after you’ve launched new digital marketing campaigns, but conversions have barely moved.

  Sound familiar ?

  The good news is you’re not alone — loads of marketing managers struggle to get potential customers to purchase. The better news is that you can test dozens of strategies to turn around your site’s fortunes. 

  Conversion rate optimisation testing (CRO testing for short) is the name for this kind of experimentation — and it can send conversion rates and revenue soaring.

  In this article, we’ll explain CRO testing and how you can start doing it today using Matomo. 

  What is CRO Testing ? 

  CRO testing is optimising your site’s conversion funnel using a series of experiments designed to improve conversion rates.

  A CRO test can take several forms, but it usually involves changing one or more elements of your landing page. It looks something like this :

  1. You hypothesise what you expect to happen.
  2. You then run an A/B test using a dedicated CRO platform or tool.
  3. This tool will divide your site’s traffic, sending one segment to one variation and the other segment to another.
  4. The CRO tool will measure conversions, track statistical significance, and declare one variation the winner. 

  A CRO tool isn’t the only software you can use to gather data when running tests. There are several other valuable data sources, including :

  • A web analytics platform : to identify issues with your website
  • User surveys : to find out what your target audience thinks about your site
  • Heatmaps : to learn where users focus their attention
  • Session recordings : to discover how visitors browse your site

  Use as many of these features, tools, and methods as you can when brainstorming hypotheses and measuring results. After all, your CRO test is only as good as your data.

  On that note, we need to mention the importance of data accuracy when researching issues with your website and running CRO tests. If you trust a platform like Google Analytics that uses data sampling (where only a subset of data is analysed), then there’s a risk you make business decisions based on inaccurate reports.

  In practice, that could see you overestimate the effectiveness of a landing page, potentially wasting thousands in ad spend on poorly converting pages. 

  That’s why over a million websites rely on Matomo as their web analytics solution—it doesn’t sample data, providing 100% accurate website traffic insights you can trust to make informed decisions.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Types of CRO Testing 

  There are three core types of CRO tests :

  A/B testing

  A/B testing, or split testing, is when you test two versions of the same page against each other. Usually, the two pages have only one difference, such as a new headline or a different CTA. 

  

  In the test above, for example, we test what happens if we remove one of the affiliate links from a page. We hypothesise that conversions won’t change because these links aren’t effective.

  A/B/n testing

  A/B/n testing is when you test multiple variations of the same element on the same page. 

  Rather than just testing one headline against another, for example, you test multiple different headlines at once.

  

  In the test above in Matomo, we’re testing a website’s original header against a wider and smaller version. It turns out the wider header converts significantly better. 

  Multivariate testing

  In a multivariate CRO test, you test multiple different elements at the same time. That could mean testing combining a different headline, CTA button, and image. 

  Multivariate testing can save time because you test multiple elements at once and find the best combination of elements. But you’ll usually need a lot of traffic to find a statistically significant result.

  Why is CRO testing important ?

  Who doesn’t want more conversions, right ? Improving your conversion rate is the core benefit of running a CRO test, but there are a couple of other reasons you should do it, too :

  

  Improve conversion rates

  How well does your website convert visitors ? The average conversion rate of a typical website is 2.35%, but better-performing websites have significantly higher conversion rates. The top 25% of websites across all industries convert at a rate of 5.31% or higher.

  CRO testing is the best way to improve your site’s conversion rate by tweaking elements of your website and implementing the best results. And because it’s based on data, not your intuition, you’re likely to identify changes that move the needle. 

  Optimise the user experience

  CRO tests are also a great way to improve your site’s user experience. The process of CRO testing forces you to understand how users navigate your website using heatmaps and session recordings and fix the issues they face. 

  You could simplify your form fields to make them easier to fill in, for example, or make your pages easier to navigate. In both cases, your actions will also increase conversion rates.

  Decrease acquisition costs

  Improving your conversion rate using CRO testing will usually mean a decrease in customer acquisition costs and other conversion metrics. 

  After all, if the cost of your PPC ads stays the same but you convert more traffic, then each new customer will cost less to acquire.

  How to do CRO testing in 6 steps 

  Ready to get your hands dirty ? Follow these six steps to set up your first CRO test :

  Have a clear goal

  Don’t jump straight into testing. You need to be clear about what you want to achieve ; otherwise, you risk wasting time on irrelevant experiments. 

  If you’re unsure what to focus on, look back through your web analytics data and other tools like heatmaps, form analytics, and session recordings to get a feel for some of your site’s biggest conversion roadblocks. 

  Maybe there’s a page with a much lower conversion rate, for example — or a form that most users fail to complete. 

  If it’s the former, then your goal could be to increase the conversion rate of this specific landing page by 25%, bringing it in line with your site’s average. 

  

  Make sure your new conversion goal is set up properly in your website analytics platform, too. This will ensure you’re tracking conversions accurately. 

  Set a hypothesis

  Now you’ve got a goal, it’s time to create a hypothesis. Based on your available research, a hypothesis is an assumption you make about your conversion rate optimisation test.

  A heatmap of your poorly converting landing page may show that users aren’t focusing on your CTA button because it’s hidden below the fold. 

  You could hypothesise that by placing the CTA button directly under your headline above the fold, your conversion rate should increase. 

  Whatever your goal, you can use the following template to write a hypothesis :

  If we [make this specific change], then [this specific outcome] will occur because [reason].

  Design your test elements

  Most marketing managers won’t be able to run CRO tests independently. A team of talented experts must create the assets you need for a successful experimentation. This includes designers, copywriters, and web developers. 

  Don’t just have them create one new element at a time. Accelerate the process by having your team create dozens of designs simultaneously. That way, you can run a new CRO test as soon as your current test has finished. 

  Create and launch the test

  It’s time to launch your test. Use a CRO tool to automate building your test and tracking results. 

  With Matomo’s A/B Testing feature, it’s as easy as giving your test a name, writing a hypothesis and description, and uploading the URLs of your page variants.

  

  Matomo handles everything else, giving you a detailed breakdown at the end of the test with the winning variant. 

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Analyse the results

  You can only review the results of your CRO test once it has reached statistical significance — which means the observed outcome isn’t the result of chance.

  In the same way you wouldn’t say a die is unbiased after three rolls, you need thousands of visitors to see your landing pages and take action before deciding which is better. 

  Luckily, most CRO testing platforms, including Matomo, will highlight when a test reaches statistical significance. That means you only need to look at the result to see if your hypothesis is correct. 

  Implement and repeat

  Was your test a success ? Great, you can implement the results and test a new element. 

  Yep, that’s right. There’s no time to rest on your laurels. Continuous CRO testing is necessary to squeeze every conversion possible from your website. Just like fashion trends, website effectiveness changes over time. What works today might not work tomorrow, making ongoing CRO testing beneficial and necessary.

  That’s why it’s a good idea to choose a CRO testing platform like Matomo with no data limits.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  CRO testing examples you can run today 

  There’s no shortage of CRO tests you can run. Here are some experiments to get started with :

  Change your CTA design and copy

  Calls to action (CTAs) are the best elements to optimise during your first CRO test. You can change many things about them ; even the smallest optimisation can have a huge impact. 

  Just take a look at the image below to see how diverse your CTAs could be :

  

  Changing your CTA’s copy is a great place to start, especially if you have generic instructions like “Apply Now.”

  Try a more specific instruction like “Download your free trial” or “Buy now to get 30% off.” Or test benefit-led instructions like “Reduce your ad spend today” or “Take back control of your data.”

  Changing the colour of your CTAs can also yield more conversions. Bright colours are always a good bet. Just make sure your button stands out from the rest of your page. 

  Move the CTA button placement

  The placement of your CTA can be just as important as its copy or colour. If it’s down at the bottom of your page, there’s a good chance most of your visitors will miss it. 

  Try moving it above the fold to see if that makes a difference. Then, test multiple CTA buttons as opposed to just one. 

  Heatmaps and session recordings can identify whether this test is worthwhile. If users rarely focus on your CTA or just don’t scroll far enough to find it, then it’s a good bet you could see an uptick in conversions by moving it. 

  Try different headlines

  Your website’s headlines are another great place to start CRO testing. These are usually the first (and sometimes only) things visitors read, so optimising them as much as possible makes sense. 

  There are entire books written about creating persuasive headlines, but start with one of the following tactics :

  • Include a benefit
    • “Achieve radiant skin—discover the secret !”
  • Add numbers
    • “3 foolproof methods for saving money on your next vacation”
  • Using negative words instead of positive ones
    • “Avoid these 7 mistakes to unlock your potential for personal growth”
  • Shortening or lengthening your headline
    • Shortened : “Crush your fitness goals : Expert tips for success”
    • Lengthened : “Embark on your fitness journey : Learn from experts with proven tips to crush your wellness goals”

  Add more trust signals

  Adding trust signals to your website, such as brand logos, customer reviews, and security badges, can increase your conversion rate.

  We use it at Matomo by adding the logos of well-known clients like the United Nations and Amnesty International underneath our CTAs.

  

  It’s incredibly effective, too. Research by Edelman finds that trust is among the top three most important buying decision factors, above brand likeability.

  Start CRO testing with Matomo

  CRO testing is a data-backed method to improve your site’s conversion rate, making it more user-friendly and decreasing customer acquisition costs. Even a small improvement will be worth the cost of the tools and your time. 

  Fortunately, there’s no need to allocate hundreds of dollars monthly for multiple specialised testing tools. With Matomo, you get a comprehensive platform offering web analytics, user behaviour insights, and CRO testing – all conveniently bundled into one solution. Matomo’s pricing starts from just $19 per month, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.

  Plus, rest assured knowing that you are GDPR compliant and the data provided is 100% accurate, ethically empowering you to make informed decisions with confidence.

  Take the first step on your CRO testing journey by trying Matomo free for 21 days ; no credit card required.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

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• Top 5 Customer Segmentation Software in 2024

  12 mars 2024, par Erin

  In marketing, we all know the importance of reaching the right customer with the right message at the right time. That’s how you cut through the noise.

  For that, you need data on your customers — even though gathering the data is not enough. You can have all the data worldwide, but that raises an ethical responsibility and the need to make sense of it.

  Enter customer segmentation software — the answer to delivering personalised customer experiences at scale. 

  This article lists some of the best customer segmentation tools currently in the market. 

  We’ll also go over the benefits of using such tools and how you can choose the best one for your business.

  Let’s get started !

  What is customer segmentation software ?

  Customer segmentation software is a tool that helps businesses analyse customer data and group them based on common characteristics like age, income, and buying habits.

  The main goal of customer segmentation is to gain deeper insights into customer behaviours and preferences. This helps create targeted marketing and product strategies that fit each group and makes it easier to predict how customers will behave in the future.

  

  Benefits of a customer segmentation software

  Understanding your customers is the cornerstone of effective marketing, and customer segmentation software plays a pivotal role in this endeavour. 

  You can deliver more targeted and relevant marketing campaigns by dividing your audience into distinct groups based on shared characteristics. 

  Specifically, here are the main benefits of using customer segmentation tools :

  • Understand your audience better : The software helps businesses group customers with common traits to better understand their preferences and behaviour.
  • Make data-driven decisions : Base your business and marketing decisions on data analytics.
  • Aid product development : Insights from segmentation analytics can guide the creation of products that meet specific customer group needs.
  • Allocate your resources efficiently : Focusing on the customer segments that generate the most revenue leads to more effective and strategic use of your marketing resources.

  Best customer segmentation software in 2024 

  In this section, we go over the top customer segmentation tools in 2024. 

  We’ll look at these tools’ key features and pros and cons.

  1. Matomo

  

  Matomo is a comprehensive web analytics tool that merges traditional web analytics, such as tracking pageviews and visitor bounce rates, with more advanced web analytics features for tracking user behaviour. 

  With robust segmentation features, users can filter website traffic based on criteria such as location and device type, enabling them to analyse specific visitor groups and their behaviour. Users can create custom segments to analyse specific groups of visitors and their behaviour.

  Presenting as the ethical alternative to Google Analytics, Matomo emphasises transparency, 100% accurate data, and compliance with privacy laws.

  Key features

  • Heatmaps and Session Recordings : Matomo provides tools that allow businesses to understand website user interactions visually. This insight is crucial for optimising user experience and increasing conversions.
  • Form Analytics : This feature in Matomo tracks how users interact with website forms, helping businesses understand user behaviour in detail and improve form design and functionality.
  • User Flow Analysis : The tool tracks the journey of a website’s visitors, highlighting the paths taken and where users drop off. This is key for optimising website structure for better user experience and more conversions.
  • A/B Testing : Businesses can use Matomo to test different versions of web pages, determining which is more effective in driving conversions.
  • Conversion Funnels : This feature allows businesses to visualise and optimise the steps customers take toward conversion, identifying areas for improvement.

  Pros 

  • Affordability : With plans starting at $19 per month, Matomo is a cost-effective solution for CRO.
  • Free support : Matomo provides free email support to all Matomo Cloud users.
  • Open-source benefits : Being open-source, Matomo offers enhanced security, privacy, customisation options, and a supportive community.
  • Hosting options : Matomo is available either as a self-hosted solution or cloud-hosted.

  Cons

  • Cost for advanced features : Access to advanced features may incur additional costs for Matomo On-Premise users, although the On-Premise solution itself is free.
  • Technical knowledge required : The self-hosted version of Matomo requires technical knowledge for effective management.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  2. Google Analytics 

  

  Google Analytics 4 (GA4) comprehensively understands website and app performance. It focuses on event-based data collection, allowing businesses to understand user interactions across platforms. 

  Similarly to Matomo, GA4 provides features that allow businesses to segment their audience based on various criteria such as demographics, behaviours, events, and more.

  Key features

  • Event-based tracking : GA4’s shift to an event-based model allows for a flexible and predictive analysis of user behaviour. This includes a detailed view of user interactions on websites and apps.
  • Machine Learning and Smarter Insights : GA4 uses machine learning to automatically detect trends, estimate purchase probabilities and provide marketing insights.
  • Google Ads integration : The integration with Google Ads in GA4 enables tracking customer interactions from first ad engagement, providing a holistic view of the customer experience across various platforms.
  • Customer-centric measurements : GA4 collects data as events, covering a wide range of user interactions and offering a comprehensive view of customer behaviour.
  • Pathing reports : GA4 introduces new pathing reports, allowing detailed user flow analysis through websites and apps.
  • Audiences and filters : GA4 allows the creation of audiences based on specific criteria and the application of filters to segment and refine data analysis.

  Pros 

  • Integration with various platforms, including Google Ads, enhances cross-platform user journey analysis.
  • GA4 has a clean reporting interface, making it easier for marketers to identify key trends and data irregularities.
  • Google Analytics has an active community with an abundance of educational resources available for users.

  Cons

  • Complexity for beginners : The wide range of features and new event-based model might overwhelm users new to analytics tools.
  • Dependence on machine learning : Reliance on machine learning for insights and predictions may require trust in the tool’s data processing and large volumes of traffic for accuracy.
  • Transition from UA to GA4 : Users familiar with Universal Analytics (UA) might find the transition to GA4 challenging due to differences in features and data models.

  3. HubSpot

  

  HubSpot is a marketing and sales software that helps businesses attract visitors and turn them into paying customers. 

  It supports various business processes, from social media posts to email marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot organises and tracks user interactions across different channels, providing a unified and efficient approach to customer relationship management (CRM) and customer segmentation.

  Businesses can leverage HubSpot’s customer segmentation through lists, workflows, and smart content.

  Key features

  • Integration capabilities : HubSpot offers over 1,000 integrations in its ecosystem, ensuring seamless connectivity across various marketing, sales, and service tools, which helps maintain data consistency and reduces manual efforts.
  • Segmentation and personalisation : HubSpot allows businesses to deliver personalised content and interactions based on customer behaviour and preferences, using its robust CRM features and advanced automation capabilities.

  Pros 

  • Comprehensive support : HubSpot offers a range of support options, including a knowledge base, real-time chat, and more.
  • User-friendly interface : The platform is designed for ease of use, ensuring a smooth experience even for less tech-savvy users.
  • Personalisation capabilities : HubSpot provides personalised marketing, sales and service experiences, leveraging customer data effectively.

  Cons

  • High price point : HubSpot can be expensive, especially as you scale up and require more advanced features.
  • Steep learning curve : For businesses new to such comprehensive platforms, there might be an initial learning curve to utilise its features effectively.

  4. Klaviyo

  

  Klaviyo is a marketing automation software primarily focused on email and SMS messaging for e-commerce businesses. It’s designed to personalise and optimise customer communication. 

  Klaviyo integrates with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, making it a go-to solution for online stores. Its strength lies in its ability to use customer data to deliver targeted and effective marketing campaigns.

  Key features

  • Email marketing automation : Klaviyo allows users to send automated and personalised emails based on customer behaviour and preferences. This feature is crucial for e-commerce businesses in nurturing leads and maintaining customer engagement.
  • SMS marketing : It includes SMS messaging capabilities, enabling businesses to engage customers directly through text messages.
  • Segmentation and personalisation : Klaviyo offers advanced segmentation tools that enable businesses to categorise customers based on their behaviour, preferences and purchase history, facilitating highly targeted marketing efforts.
  • Integration with e-commerce platforms : Klaviyo integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, allowing easy data synchronisation and campaign management.

  Pros 

  • Enhanced e-commerce integration : Klaviyo’s deep integration with e-commerce platforms greatly benefits online retailers regarding ease of use and campaign effectiveness.
  • Advanced segmentation and personalisation : The platform’s strong segmentation capabilities enable businesses to tailor their marketing messages more effectively.
  • Robust automation features : Klaviyo’s automation tools are powerful and user-friendly, saving time and improving marketing efficiency.

  Cons

  • Cost : Klaviyo can be more expensive than other options in this list, particularly as you scale up and add more contacts.
  • Complexity for beginners : The platform’s wide range of features and advanced capabilities might overwhelm beginners or small businesses with simpler needs.

  5. UserGuiding

  

  UserGuiding is a no-code product adoption tool that lets businesses create in-app user walkthroughs, guides, and checklists to onboard, engage, and retain users.

  UserGuiding facilitates customer segmentation by enabling businesses to create segmented onboarding flows, analyse behavioural insights, deliver personalised guidance, and collect feedback tailored to different user segments.

  Key features

  • In-app walkthroughs, guides and checklists : UserGuiding has multiple features that can promote product adoption early in the user journey.
  • In-app messaging : UserGuiding offers in-app messaging to help users learn more about the product and various ways to get value.
  • User feedback : UserGuiding allows businesses to gather qualitative feedback to streamline the adoption journey for users.

  Pros 

  • User-friendly interface
  • Customisable onboarding checklists
  • Retention analytics

  Cons

  • Need for technical expertise to maximise all features
  • Limited customisation options for less tech-savvy users

  What to look for in a customer segmentation software 

  When choosing a customer segmentation software, choosing the right one for your specific business needs is important. 

  Here are a few factors to consider when choosing your customer segmentation tool :

  1. Ease of use : Select a tool with an intuitive interface that simplifies navigation. This enhances the user experience, making complex tasks more manageable. Additionally, responsive customer support is crucial. It ensures that issues are promptly resolved, contributing to a smoother operation.
  2. Scalability and flexibility : Your chosen tool should adjust to your needs. A flexible tool like Matomo can adjust to your growing requirements, offering capabilities that evolve as your business expands.
  3. Integration capabilities : The software should seamlessly integrate with your existing systems, such as CRM, marketing, and automation platforms. 
  4. Advanced analytics and reporting : Assess the software’s capability to analyse and interpret complex data sets, without relying on machine learning to fill data gaps. A robust tool should provide accurate insights and detailed reports, enabling you to make informed decisions based on real data.
  5. Privacy and security considerations : Data security is paramount in today’s digital landscape. Look for features like data encryption, security storage, and adherence to privacy standards like GDPR and CCPA compliance. 
  6. Reviews and recommendations : Before making a decision, consider the reputation of the software providers. Look for reviews and recommendations from other users, especially those in similar industries. This can provide real-world insights into the software’s performance and reliability.

  

  Leverage Matomo’s segmentation capabilities to deliver personalised experiences

  Segmentation is the best place to start if you want to deliver personalised customer experiences. There are several customer segmentation software in the market. But they’re not all the same.

  In this article, we reviewed the top segmentation tools — based on factors like their user base, features, and ethical data privacy considerations.

  Ideally, you want a tool to support your evolving business and segmentation needs. Not to mention one that cares about your customers’ privacy and ensures you stay compliant. 

  Enter Matomo at the top of the list. You can leverage Matomo’s accurate insights and comprehensive segmentation capabilities without compromising on privacy. Try it free for 21-days. No credit card required.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

  Your email address
  

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  Your information will be used to create an account on our cloud service. For more information please consult our privacy policy.
  
  
  

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• Web Analytics : The Quick Start Guide

  25 janvier 2024, par Erin

  You’ve spent ages carefully designing your website, crafting copy to encourage as many users as possible to purchase your product. 

  But they aren’t. And you don’t know why. 

  The good news is you don’t have to remain in the dark. Collecting and analysing web analytics lets you understand how your users behave on your site and why they aren’t converting. 

  But before you can do that, you need to know what those metrics and KPIs mean. That’s why this article is taking things back to basics. Below, we’ll show you which metrics to track, what they mean and how to choose the best web analytics platform. 

  What is web analytics ?

  Web analytics is the process of collecting, analysing and reporting website data to understand how users behave on your website. Web analytics platforms like Matomo collect this data by adding a code line to every site page. 

  Why is it important to track web analytics ?

  There are plenty of reasons you should start tracking web analytics, including the following :

  

  Analyse user behaviour

  Being able to analyse user behaviour is the most important reason to track website analytics. After all, you can’t improve your website’s conversion rate if you don’t know what users do on your site.

  A web analytics platform can show you how users move around your site, the links they click on and the forms they fill in. 

  Improve site experience

  Web analytics is a fantastic way to identify issues and find areas where your site could improve. You could look at your site’s exit pages, for example, and see why so many users leave your site when viewing one of these pages and what you can do to fix it.

  It can also teach you about your user’s preferences so you can improve the user experience in the future. Maybe they always click a certain type of button or prefer one page’s design over another. Whatever the case, you can use the data to make your site more user-friendly and increase conversions.

  Boost marketing efforts

  Web analytics is one of the best ways to understand your marketing efforts and learn how to improve them.

  A good platform can collect valuable data about your marketing campaigns, including :

  • Where users came from
  • What actions these users take on your site
  • Which traffic sources create the most conversions

  This information can help you decide which marketing campaigns send the best users to your site and generate the highest ROI. 

  Make informed decisions

  Ultimately, web analytics simplifies decision-making for your website and marketing efforts by relying on concrete data instead of guesswork.

  Rather than wonder why users aren’t adding products to their shopping cart or signing up for your newsletter, you can analyse how they behave and use that information to hypothesise how you can improve conversions. Web analytics will even give you the data to confirm whether you were right or wrong. 

  What are the key metrics you should track ?

  Getting your head around web analytics means knowing the most important metrics to track. Below are seven key metrics and how to track them using Matomo. 

  Traffic

  Traffic is the number of people visiting your website over a period of time. It is the lifeblood of your website since the more visits your site receives, the more revenue it stands to generate.

  However, simply having a high volume of visitors does not guarantee substantial revenue. To maximise your success, focus on attracting your ideal customers and generating quality traffic from those who are most likely to engage with your offerings.

  Ideally, you should be seeing an upward trend in traffic over time though. The longer your website has been published and the more quality and targeted content you create, the more traffic you should receive. 

  Matomo offers multiple ways to check your website’s traffic :

  • Visits log report
  • Real-time visitor map
  • Visits in real-time report

  The visits log report in Matomo is perfect if you want a granular view of your visitors.

  

  It shows you each user session and get a detailed picture of each user, including :

  • Their geographic location
  • The number of actions they took
  • How they found your site
  • The length of time they stayed
  • Their device type
  • What browser they are using
  • The keyword they used to find your site

  Traffic sources

  Traffic sources show how users access your website. They can enter via a range of traffic sources, including search engines, email and direct visits, for instance.

  Matomo has five default traffic source types :

  • Search engine – visitors from search platforms (like Google, Bing, etc.)
  • Direct traffic – individuals who directly type your website’s URL into their browser or have it bookmarked, bypassing search engines or external links
  • Websites – visits from other external sites
  • Campaigns – traffic resulting from specific marketing initiatives (like a newsletter or ad campaign, for instance)
  • Social networks  – visitors who access your website through various social media platforms (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. etc.)

  But each of these can be broken into more granular sources. Take organic traffic from search engines, for example :

  

  Matomo tracks visits from each search engine, showing you how many visits you had in total, how many actions those visitors took, and the average amount of time those visitors spent on your site. 

  You can even integrate Google, Bing and Yahoo search consoles to monitor keyword performance and enhance your search engine optimisation efforts.

  Pageviews

  Whenever a browser loads a page, your web analytics tool records a pageview. This term, pageview, represents the count of unique times a page on your website is loaded.

  You can track pageviews in Matomo by opening the Pages tab in the Behaviour section of the main navigation. 

  

  You can quickly see your site’s most visited pages in this report in Matomo. 

  Be careful of deriving too much meaning from pageviews. Just because a page has lots of views, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s quality or valuable. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the page might be confusing, so users have to keep revisiting it to understand the content. Second, it could be the default page most visitors land on when they enter your site, like the homepage. 

  While pageviews offer insights, it’s important to dig deeper into user behaviour and other metrics to truly gauge a page’s importance and impact.

  Average time on page

  Time on page is the amount of time users spend on the page on average. You can see average time on page in Matomo’s page analytics report.

  A low time on page score isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Users will naturally spend less time on gateway pages and checkout pages. A short time spent on checkout pages, especially if users are successfully completing their transactions, indicates that the checkout process is easy and seamless.

  Conversely, a longer time on blog posts is a positive indicator. It suggests that readers are genuinely engaged with the content.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Returning visitors

  Returning visitors measures the number of people who visit your site more than once. It can be expressed as a number or a percentage. 

  While some analytics tools only show returning visitors as a percentage, Matomo lets you learn more about each of them in the Visitor profile report. 

  

  This report offers a full summary of a user’s previous actions, including :

  • How many times they’ve visited your site
  • The pages they viewed on each visit
  • Where they visited from
  • The devices they used
  • How quickly pages loaded

  When people keep coming back to a website, it’s usually a positive sign and means they like the service, content or products. But, it depends on the type of website. If it’s the kind of site where people make one-off purchases, the focus might not be on getting visitors to return. For a site like this, a high number of returning visitors could indicate that the website is confusing or difficult to use. 

  It’s all about the context – different websites have different goals, and it’s important to keep this in mind when analysing your site.

  Conversions

  A conversion is when a user takes a desired action on your website. This could be :

  • Making a purchase
  • Subscribing to your newsletter
  • Signing up for a webinar

  You can track virtually any action as a conversion in Matomo by setting goals and analysing the goals report.

  

  As you can see in the screenshot above, Matomo shows your conversions plotted over time. You can also see your conversion rate to get a complete picture and assign a value to each conversion to calculate how much revenue each conversion generates. 

  Bounce rate

  A visitor bounces when they leave your website without taking an action or visiting another page. 

  Typically, you want bounce rate to be low because it means people are engaged with your site and more likely to convert. However, in some cases, a high bounce rate isn’t necessarily bad. It might mean that visitors found what they needed on the first page and didn’t feel the need to look further. 

  The impact of bounce rate depends on your website’s purpose and goals.

  You can view your website’s bounce rate using Matomo’s page analytics report — the same report that shows pageviews.

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  Web analytics best practices

  You should follow several best practices to get the most from website analytics data. 

  Choose metrics that align with your goals

  Only some metrics your analytics platform tracks will be relevant to your business. So don’t waste time analysing all of them.

  Instead, focus on the ones that matter most to your business. A marketer for an e-commerce store, for example, might focus on conversion-related metrics like conversion rate and total number of transactions. They might also want to look at campaign-related metrics, like traffic sources and bounce rates, so they can optimise paid ad campaigns accordingly. 

  A marketer looking to improve their site’s SEO, on the other hand, will want to track SEO web analytics like bounce rate and broken links.

  Add context to your data

  Don’t take your data at face value. There could be dozens of factors that impact how visitors access and use your site — many of which are outside your control. 

  For example, you may think an update to your site has sent your conversions crashing when, in reality, a Google algorithm update has negatively impacted your search traffic.

  Adding annotations within Matomo can provide invaluable context to your data. These annotations can be used to highlight specific events, changes or external factors that might influence your website metrics.

  

  By documenting significant occurrences, such as website updates, marketing campaigns or algorithm changes, you create a timeline that helps explain fluctuations in your data.

  Go further with advanced web analytics features

  It’s clear that a web analytics platform is a necessary tool to understand your website’s performance.

  However, if you want greater confidence in decision-making, quicker insights and better use of budget and resources, you need an advanced solution with behavioural analytics features like heatmaps, A/B testing and session recordings. 

  Most web analytics solutions don’t offer these advanced features, but Matomo does, so we’ll be showcasing Matomo’s behavioural analytics features.

  Now, if you don’t have a Matomo account, you can try it free for 21-days to see if it’s the right tool for you.

  

  A heatmap, like the example above, makes it easy to discover where your users pay attention, which part of your site they have problems with, and how they convert. It adds a layer of qualitative data to the facts offered by your web analytics tool.

  Similarly, session recordings will offer you real-time playbacks of user interactions, helping you understand their navigation patterns, identify pain points and gain insights into the user experience.

  Then you can run experiments bu using A/B testing to compare different versions of your website or specific elements, allowing you to make informed decisions based on actual user preferences and behaviour. For instance, you can compare different headlines, images, page layouts or call-to-action buttons to see which resonates better with your audience. 

  Together, these advanced features will give you the confidence to optimise your website, improve user satisfaction and make data-driven decisions that positively impact your business.

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  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

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  How to choose a web analytics tool

  A web analytics tool is the best way to track the above metrics. Choose the best one for your company by following the steps below. 

  Look for the right features

  Most popular web analytics platforms, like Google Analytics, will offer the same core features like tracking website traffic, monitoring conversions and generating reports. 

  But it’s the added features that set great tools apart. Do you need specific tools to measure the performance of your e-commerce store, for example ? What about paid ad performance, A/B testing or form analytics ?

  By understanding exactly what you need from an analytics platform, you can make an informed choice. 

  Think about data accuracy

  Data accuracy is one of the biggest issues with analytics tools. Many users block cookies or opt out of tracking, making it difficult to get a clear picture of user behaviour — and meaning that you have to think about how your user data will be collected with your chosen platform.

  Google Analytics, for instance, uses data sampling to make assumptions about traffic levels rather than relying on accurate data. This can lead to inaccurate reports and false conclusions. 

  It’s why Matomo doesn’t use data sampling and provides 100% accurate data. 

  Understand how you’ll deal with data privacy

  Data privacy is another big concern for analytics users. Several major analytics platforms aren’t compatible with regional data privacy laws like GDPR, which can impact your ability to collect data in these regions. 

  It’s why many companies trust privacy-focused analytics tools that abide by regulations without impacting your ability to collect data. Matomo is a market leader in this respect and is one of the few web analytics tools that the Centre for Data Privacy Protection in France has said is exempt from tracking consent requirements.

  Many government agencies across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, including organisations like the United Nations and European Commission, rely on Matomo for web analytics.

  Conclusion

  Web analytics is a powerful tool that helps you better understand your users, improve your site’s performance and boost your marketing efforts. 

  If you want a platform that offers advanced features, 100% accurate data and protects your users’ privacy, then look no further than Matomo. 

  Try Matomo free for 21 days, no credit card required. 

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