If you’re finding it hard to turn this data into clear steps forward, you’re not alone. Many people start off excited to see user data flow in, only to end up feeling stuck when that data doesn’t easily translate into results. With so much information and no clear direction, it’s easy to wonder if you’re really getting the value you hoped for.

At CUX, we’ve heard these frustrations many times, and we believe in a smarter approach. Our guide, [**_5 reasons why you’re not getting the most out of your analytics (and how CUX fixes it)_**](https://cux.io/download-5-reasons-why-youre-not-getting-the-most-out-of-your-analytics/), explores the most common reasons why users of the tools like Hotjar struggle to get meaningful results - and reveals how a different perspective can turn all that data into a roadmap for success.

Here’s a peek at some of the reasons analytics might be falling short:

### 1. You’re seeing what users do - but not why they’re doing it

Heatmaps and session replays show you where users are clicking, scrolling, or spending time. But they don’t reveal what’s really driving these behaviors. Are users intrigued by your product image, or are they frustrated it doesn’t expand? The lack of context leaves you guessing.

If you’ve felt stuck watching session after session, trying to figure out the “why” behind user actions, you’re not alone. Without insight into user intent, making impactful changes can feel like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

### 2. Setting up tracking and funnels takes forever

Setting up funnels and tracking every step users take often means tagging each click and action by hand. For most people, that means waiting for help from IT or spending hours on setup. And if users don’t take the exact path you planned, their actions might not even get tracked.

This setup process can take a lot of time, and it often means your team is stuck in setup mode instead of finding ways to improve.

### 3. Jumping between tools makes it hard to see the big picture

Hotjar offers strong qualitative insights, but to fully understand what’s driving results, you often need to combine it with quantitative data - like conversion rates or bounce rates - from other tools. Switching between platforms to try and “connect the dots” can lead to fragmented insights that don’t tell a clear story.

When you’re juggling multiple tools just to get a complete picture, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s truly impacting your business goals. All this back-and-forth can leave you with more questions than answers.

### 4. It’s hard to know where to start with all that data

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in session recordings and heatmaps, you’re not alone. Many teams spend hours sifting through data but still walk away without clear priorities for improvement. It’s easy to get bogged down in endless recordings and feel like you’re searching for insights in the dark.

Without a clear path through the data, all those replays can feel like a lot of noise - leaving you wondering if you’re missing something crucial.

### 5. You’re unsure if your changes are actually making an impact

Making site updates and optimizations is great - but how do you know if they’re working? While tools like Hotjar show you actions, like clicks or scrolls, they don’t provide feedback on the impact of those changes over time. This can leave you in the dark about which updates are actually moving the needle.

If you’ve been craving more concrete feedback on your changes, you’re not alone. Measuring impact is key to making smart, data-backed decisions, and when that feedback isn’t clear, it can feel like you’re taking shots in the dark.

## Curious about how to bridge the gap?

If any of these challenges sound familiar, our guide, [**_5 reasons why you’re not getting the most out of your analytics (and how CUX fixes it)_**](https://cux.io/download-5-reasons-why-youre-not-getting-the-most-out-of-your-analytics/), is here to help. We’ll break down common analytics pitfalls and **introduce you to a new way of thinking about user behavior** - one that goes beyond simply collecting data and helps you truly understand what your users need.


[![5 reasons why you’re not getting the most out of your analytics blog](https://content.cux.io/uploads/5_reasons_why_you_re_not_getting_the_most_out_of_your_analytics_blog_2b77638c4a.png)](https://cux.io/download-5-reasons-why-youre-not-getting-the-most-out-of-your-analytics/)


Download our guide to learn how CUX can make your data **more actionable** and help you make **improvements that truly matter**.

Tired of heatmaps and replays without results

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You’re watching heatmaps, replays, and clickmaps pile up - and yet, it feels like you’re spinning your wheels. Why isn’t this data bringing the breakthroughs you hoped for?

You set up Hotjar or another analytics tool to learn more about your users. Like most, you probably started with the free, basic version to access features like heatmaps, session replays, and clickmaps. But now that you’ve got all this data, what’s next? Are these tools actually helping you improve, or are they just adding to the workload?



Tired of heatmaps and replays without results?

### What I've learned
- **Sessions in CUX are measured differently than in Google Analytics** — they are "longer." The system waits for the user after a session ends, which helps us draw better conclusions. By watching the recordings, you can see users disappear for a few minutes and then return, which shows that they might be distracted by something else. It’s fascinating to witness! 😊
- **Selecting relevant recordings**. I can create what's called a "waterfall," which is a sequence of pages or events that a user navigates through. The system calculates how many users drop off at each stage and filters the recordings that document this. This is fantastic when you don’t have time to sift through all the recordings, which can pile up. CUX does this exceptionally well. For mobile traffic (which makes up 70-80% in medium and large e-commerce), I can:
**First**: filter out only those recordings that show user problems.
**Second**: sort them by mobile device, for example.

### How I used this knowledge and its impact on business
We managed to **boost the store's conversion rate by over 30%**, even though it was already fast, met Core Web Vitals requirements, and was designed according to best practices before implementation.
## Thanks to CUX, we made several key changes
- **InPost module**: We discovered that customers were moving to the next step in the cart without selecting a parcel locker. This insight led us to make necessary adjustments to enhance the user experience.
- **Mobile photo management module**: The store had a high rate of "dead clicks" on product images, where users clicked expecting to see an enlarged view or more details, but nothing happened. To address this issue, we implemented the mobile photo management module, allowing users to easily zoom in on images and view product details. 
- **Product card view**: We simplified the view by removing the option to add products to a wishlist, as customers weren’t using it at all.
- **Keeping the action button visible in the cart**: The mobile cart had a high scroll rate. It turned out that customers could not see the shipping information button, so we anchored it to ensure it remained visible while scrolling.

We still have several other changes to make, which the recordings from CUX have shown to be necessary. I’m very pleased with how quickly we can pinpoint the main issues. Thanks to our collaboration with a developer who understands the project and has time set aside for us, we can implement changes almost immediately. This allows us to see how these changes affect the store’s metrics the very next day. After training with the CUX team, I also compiled a list of several hypotheses that I plan to test.
## What can CUX bring to your business?
I think it helps quickly identify problems, which is harder with other solutions. You can design the entire customer journey to track effectively. It also helps reduce costs. CUX is a great alternative to UX audits, which can cost a fortune and often provide subjective recommendations based on an expert's experience. CUX shows how different customers behave depending on the industry, and not all heuristics will apply to your business.
Beyond the tool itself, I encountered friendly and supportive people at CUX who were open to collaboration and offered help at every step. I’m currently in regular contact with the team, discussing what more CUX can offer and what’s important from an e-commerce manager's perspective.
## Who is CUX for?
I believe CUX is perfect for professional online stores that are growing and facing conversion challenges. It’s all about the numbers: the more traffic you have, the more an increase in conversion rate translates into real revenue. Let’s look at an example table below:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Metrics Table</title>
    <style>
        table {
            width: 100%;
            border-collapse: collapse;
        }
        th, td {
            border: 1px solid #ddd;
            padding: 8px;
            text-align: left;
        }
        th {
            background-color: #f2f2f2;
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>

<table>
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th>Conversion Rate</th>
            <th>1.2%</th>
            <th>1.44% (+20%)</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>Traffic (sessions)</td>
            <td>100,000</td>
            <td>100,000</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Average Basket</td>
            <td>140 PLN</td>
            <td>140 PLN</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Number of Orders</td>
            <td>1,200</td>
            <td>1,440</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Revenue</td>
            <td>168,000 PLN</td>
            <td>201,600 PLN</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

</body>
</html>

The numbers in the table are just examples, but they illustrate that with a 20% increase, a store could generate an extra 403,200 PLN in annual revenue, assuming traffic stays steady (which usually grows over time). The conclusions are clear: **using tools that allow for efficiency gains in a relatively short time is always worth it**. So, in summary, if you want to boost your e-commerce success quickly, CUX could be the tool for you! 





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How to evaluate a tool after a few months? Very positively! I invite you to read on.

I learned about CUX from a colleague who is an analyst. During one of my creative evenings, I decided to reach out to CUX to see how I could learn to use this tool in my business. We agreed to launch a license for one of my operational projects, and I would go through the implementation process to get to know the tool and what it can do.

Client Review: How CUX is transforming my e-commerce strategies

## What are Experience Metrics? {What-are-Experience-Metrics?}
Experience Metrics in CUX provide you with **all of the most relevant data** regarding your visitors' overall experience on your website. CUX's algorithm detects **user behavior patterns** that may indicate technical or usability issues (points of frustration) on your website. These frustrations are then presented as actionable metrics, pinpointing specific pages and user behaviors that need attention. Essentially, Experience Metrics empower you to **proactively enhance your website's user experience**, ensuring that visitors feel satisfied and engaged rather than frustrated and driven away.

![experience metrics dashboard](https://content.cux.io/uploads/experience_metrics_dashboard_2ffa3012e1.png)

## Why frustration matters?
Ever felt the urge to scream at a website that just won't cooperate? You're not alone. Website frustration is the ultimate mood killer, turning happy browsers into click-abandoning rage-quitters faster than you can say "404 error." And these frustrated visitors aren't just annoyed... they're **lost leads** and **missed sales** opportunities. By identifying and addressing points of frustration, you can create a smoother, more enjoyable user experience that keeps visitors coming back for more.
## Experience Metrics in action
### Zooming
When users zoom in or out on your website, it's a sign they're struggling to see the content clearly or interact with it comfortably. For example, a user might repeatedly pinch-zoom on product images, indicating that they need a closer look to make a decision.

_Trigger: Poor image quality that lacks sufficient detail when viewed on a mobile device._

### Rage Click
This metric lights up when users repeatedly click in frustration, often signaling a problem with usability or functionality. For instance, imagine a user trying to submit a form but encountering errors, leading them to angrily click the submit button multiple times in quick succession.

_Trigger: Confusing button placement, unclear form instructions, technical errors that prevent form submission._

### Rage Key Press 

Similar to Rage Clicks, a spike in Rage Key Press (rapid key mashing on desktop) might suggest a frustrating form field or login process that isn't user-friendly.

_Trigger: A login form requiring overly complex passwords or special characters, a form field that doesn't accept valid input, technical glitches preventing form submission._

### Refreshing

Users refreshing a page repeatedly may indicate issues with content loading or navigation. For instance, if users keep refreshing a checkout page, it could signal confusion or errors in the payment process.

_Trigger: Large image files or unoptimized code causing slow loading times, server-side errors preventing the page from loading properly._

### Chaotic Movement

Imagine a visitor's mouse cursor darting around erratically on a product page. This Chaotic Movement suggests confusion or difficulty finding relevant information. The product page layout might be cluttered or overwhelm visitors.

_Trigger: Confusing navigation menus, overwhelming product listings with poor organization, lack of clear calls to action._

### Chaotic Scrolling
Rapid, up-and-down scrolling is a classic sign of Chaotic Scrolling. This might indicate content that's too long, poorly organized, or lacks a clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to find what they need.

_Trigger: Extremely long blog posts without proper section breaks or headings, content that lacks clear visual hierarchy, information overload with too much text and not enough visuals._

### Dead Clicks

Have you ever clicked a button that looks clickable but doesn't do anything? Dead Clicks expose these phantom elements on your website. These could be non-clickable images or broken buttons that frustrate users and disrupt their browsing flow.

_Trigger: Broken links, buttons with outdated functionality._

### Bounce Back
Bounce Back specifically refers to a single-page session on your website. The visitor landed on a page but didn't interact with it further (clicking links, scrolling down, filling out forms) and left immediately.

For example high Bounce Back rate on a specific blog post could indicate irrelevant content or a misleading title that doesn't accurately reflect the post's content. This leads visitors to leave the page immediately after landing on it.

_Trigger: Misleading title or description that doesn't accurately reflect the content, content irrelevant to the visitor's search intent, slow loading times, mobile un-friendly design._
## Become a UX master: embrace data and curiosity
Don't be afraid to dig deep into your Experience Metrics! The more you understand how users interact with your site, the better you can make it. Here are some bonus tips to become a UX champion:
- Be inquisitive! **Always ask "why?"** Why did users abandon that form? Why are they scrolling so erratically? The answers to these questions will guide your improvements.
- **Befriend analytics tools**! Experience metrics are gold, and CUX is the best tool in the business for uncovering them. Use the power of data to become a UX legend!

<button>[START FREE TRIAL](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_medium=post&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=experiencemetrics)</button>

## Where to find Experience Metrics in CUX

CUX conveniently places Experience Metrics in several key areas for easy access and analysis.

### Dashboard
Provides a quick overview of user frustrations relevant to your chosen goals. Ideal for a high-level understanding. 
### Experience Metrics Tab
Offers a deep dive into all metrics, including percentages of visits with specific patterns, distribution over time, and URLs where these patterns occur most frequently. Great for detailed analysis.
### Goals Section
Focuses on visits that achieved specific goals and highlights Experience Metrics relevant to those successful sessions. It's a great way to understand what's working and what needs improvement.
### Heatmaps
Heatmap is a visual representation of users actions, based on events like clicks, link clicks, or mouse movements. Plus, you'll also spot some Experience Metrics like Rage Clicks, Dead Clicks, and Zoom on the heatmap. To make it even more useful, you can filter heatmaps using the Experience Metric filter on the Heatmaps page. 
### Visit Recordings
And if you really want to get up close and personal, take a look at the visit recordings. Visit recordings provide a detailed playback of individual user sessions on a website, capturing the user's entire journey with all interactions and Experience Metrics. When an Experience Metric is detected during a session, you'll see it highlighted as a pink indicator on the timeline of the CUX player. Additionally, the filter option allows you to filter recordings based on specific Experience Metrics.
## All-in-one user experience insights with CUX
CUX empowers you to unlock the full potential of your website with everything you need for user experience optimization. From detailed heatmaps to comprehensive visit recordings, CUX provides a wealth of data to inform your decisions. By leveraging Experience Metrics, you can identify pain points, prioritize improvements, and ultimately **boost conversions** by enhancing the overall user experience

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Ever spend hours crafting the perfect landing page, only to see bounce rates skyrocket? Traffic seems good, but conversions are lagging. The design looks polished, yet users just aren't clicking where you expect them to. What's the missing piece?

Ever spend hours crafting the perfect landing page, only to see bounce rates skyrocket? Traffic seems good, but conversions are lagging. The design looks polished, yet users just aren't clicking where you expect them to. **What's the missing piece?**


When we want to **understand how users really use a website or product**, we need more than the usual numbers. In this article, we'll discuss a **powerful set of metrics** that can help you uncover hidden user pain points that may be the reasons why they come, they see, and they...bounce.

Decode your visitors with Experience Metrics

As you’re well aware from our previous deep dive into User Behavior Analysis, whether you're managing a bustling e-commerce store or a feature-rich mobile app, knowing how users interact is essential.

By analyzing what users click on, how long they stay on specific pages, or where they encounter any roadblocks, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions. This can be anything from streamlining a confusing checkout process to making your content more engaging. This not only leads to happier visitors and more satisfying user experience, but most of all to increased conversions. Sounds pretty amazing, right? But the question remains: **where do we find all this data**?
## Web analytics & digital experience tools {#Web-analytics-&-digital-experience-tools}
Let’s get down to business and start with the essentials - web analytics and digital experience tools. While both are crucial for understanding user behavior, they offer different perspectives. 

Web analytics tools like [Google Analytics](https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/){do:follow} provide quantitative clues on user behavior, focusing on measurable data like page views, clicks, and time spent on each page. 

However, numbers alone can't tell the whole story. [User behavior analytic tools](https://cux.io/user-behavior-analytics-tools/) like CUX take things a step further. They reveal the "why" behind user behavior, armed with qualitative approach: 
- [Heatmaps](https://cux.io/features/heatmaps/) offer a visual representation of user interaction. Hot zones reveal where users click, scroll, and linger. This lets you see what grabs their attention, what confuses them, and where they might be getting stuck.
- [Visit Recordings](https://cux.io/features/visit-recordings/) let you peek over your users' shoulders as they navigate your website. You can see exactly how they interact with every element, from the moment they enter to the moment they close your website, no matter the number of tabs open.
- [Conversion Waterfalls](https://cux.io/features/conversion-waterfalls/)visualize the entire user journey, mapping out the touchpoints users encounter from initial landing to conversion (or abandonment).
- [Experience Metrics](https://help.cux.io/support/solutions/articles/103000094403-experience-metrics) bridge the gap between data and action. They reveal insights such as zooming behavior, chaotic movement, refreshing patterns, dead clicks, and [rage clicks](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/). By analyzing them, you can uncover hidden pain points, optimize usability, and ultimately enhance the overall user experience.

By [leveraging both quantitative and qualitative data](https://cux.io/blog/from-metrics-to-motivations-how-to-combine-quantitative-and-qualitative-data/), you gain a comprehensive understanding of user behavior on your website or app. 

>**TIP**: While looking for a behavior analysis software, seek out a tool that integrates both data types for improved efficiency and effectiveness. This integration streamlines analysis processes, allowing you to focus more on actionable insights!

## User Surveys and Feedback
User surveys and feedback provide a direct line of communication with your users, allowing you to gain an even deeper understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

Here are some popular methods for collecting user surveys and feedback:

- Website Surveys: Embed short surveys within your website or app to gather real-time feedback on specific actions or page interactions. These surveys can pop up at strategic points during the user's journey, such as after completing a purchase, to gather immediate insights into their experience.
- **Email Surveys**: Send targeted email surveys to specific user segments to gather in-depth feedback on broader topics. 
- **User Interviews**: Conduct one-on-one interviews with users to delve deeper into their experiences and thought processes.
- **Usability Testing**: Observe users as they interact with your website or app, and gather their feedback on specific tasks or functionalities.
- **Customer Feedback**: In addition to surveys and direct interactions, customer feedback, including reviews, comments, and support tickets, offers real-time insights into user satisfaction, concerns, and suggestions.

## A/B testing
Next up is [A/B testing](https://cux.io/blog/how-do-a-b-tests-work/) - a controlled experiment where you compare two versions of a webpage, feature, or design element to see which one performs better based on desired user interaction. By analyzing the outcomes, you learn about your users' preferences and behaviors, refining your strategies with precision.

By integrating A/B testing with the other user behavior data sources, you create a powerful feedback loop. You gather user insights, formulate hypotheses based on that data, test those hypotheses through A/B testing, and then refine your website or app based on the results. 

## Mobile apps
In our mobile-first world, apps are a goldmine of user behavior data. From tracking how often users open the app to understanding the features they love (or ignore), mobile analytics offer a direct line to user engagement. Mobile app analysis is like observing customers in a store, noting what they pick up, what they put back, and what makes them check out.

## CRM systems
CRM systems are like the diary of your customer relationships - they store customer data and interactions, including email communication, support tickets, and purchase history. 

Here's how CRMs capture valuable user behavior data:

- **Interactions**: Every time a customer reaches out through email, phone, live chat, or social media, that interaction is logged in the [CRM](https://instantly.ai/crm){.do-follow}. This includes details like the reason for contact, the tone of the conversation, and any resolutions reached. Over time, this builds a history that reveals a customer's communication preferences and potential areas of concern.
- **Support Tickets**: When a customer submits a support ticket, the CRM captures the details of the issue they're facing. By analyzing these tickets, companies can identify common problems and user pain points. This helps improve products or services and streamline customer support processes.
- **Purchase History**: CRM systems integrate seamlessly with sales and e-commerce platforms. Every purchase a customer makes is recorded, including the specific items bought, the frequency of purchases, and any preferred channels (online store, physical store, etc.). This data provides insights into user buying habits, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns and personalized recommendations.
- **Engagement with Marketing Materials**: Some [small business CRMs](https://capsulecrm.com/industries/crm-small-business/){.do-follow} track how customers interact with marketing emails or targeted ads within the CRM interface. This can reveal which marketing messages resonate most and which customer segments require a different approach.

## Stop Guessing, Start Knowing with CUX
Now, armed with a diverse toolkit of data sources, and the knowledge you gained, you’re ready to put it into action! 

But the question remains: **where do you begin**? How do you navigate the vast sea of user data and extract meaningful insights to drive your business forward? Well, we have advice for you - start with [CUX](https://cux.io/)!

By integrating quantitative metrics with qualitative data from heatmaps, visit recording, and experience metrics, CUX offers a holistic approach to user behavior analytics. It not only streamlines analysis but also provides nuanced insights for enhancing user experience – all without needing any technical expertise.

Start collecting your user data with a [free trial](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_medium=article&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=datasources). Your users will thank you, and your business will flourish like never before. 


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This article will guide you where to find the valuable information for User Behavior Analysis, exploring different tools and resources.

Understanding how people use your website is key to making it successful. In our previous article, we explored the power of [User Behavior Analysis](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/) (UBA). If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, now’s the perfect time to catch up! Once you’ve got the basics covered, let’s explore further. This article will guide you where to find the valuable information for User Behavior Analysis, exploring different user behavior data sources. 


Common Sources of User Behavior Data

## Understanding Cookies {#Understanding-Cookies}
Before diving into the specifics of Google Consent Mode 2.0 (GCM v2), let’s revisit cookies, the data collection mechanism it regulates. Cookies are small text files websites store on user devices (whether it's a computer, phone, or tablet) as they browse the web. These cookies act like tiny digital breadcrumbs, storing information about users' online activity.
### There are two main types of cookies relevant to GCM v2:
- **First-party cookies**: These are cookies your website puts directly on users' devices. They are primarily used to enhance the user experience by remembering user preferences, maintaining login sessions, and storing other site-specific information.
- **Third-party cookies**: Placed by a domain other than your website. These cookies are often used by advertisers (like Google Ads) to track users' browsing behavior across different websites. This allows them to target users with personalized ads based on their interests.

In essence, **cookies help websites remember you and your preferences**. An online store might use first-party cookies to remember the items in your shopping cart. An advertiser might use third-party cookies to track the websites you visit and show you ads related to your browsing history.

**Understanding cookies is crucial in the context of GCM v2.** This update gives users more say in how cookies track their online activity. Imagine users feeling empowered, not confused, when they see your consent box. By clearly explaining cookies and why they're used in your consent box, you can build trust through transparency and ensure users make informed decisions about their data. Think of it as a win-win: users understand what data is being collected and have control, while you get valuable insights to improve your website and marketing strategies.
## What is Consent Mode 2.0?
Google Consent Mode v2 introduces an updated mechanism that empowers companies to customize the functionality of Google tags based on user consent to advertising and analytics cookies. But it’s not just about technical adjustments (although that's happening behind the scenes).

**The key feature for website owners is a user-friendly consent box**. This box appears when users first visit your site and explains what kind of cookies are used. It offers users the flexibility to choose their level of consent: accept all cookies, reject all of them, or select only the ones they're comfortable with.

While website owners may view this as an added hurdle, its significance cannot be underestimated or overlooked. We'll explore the consequences of skipping it later in this article. **Google Consent Mode v2 is a response to growing user privacy concerns and stricter regulations**. By adapting your website to this new standard, you demonstrate respect for user privacy and ensure compliance with the latest rules. This, in turn, helps you maintain a positive user experience and continue to leverage user data for your marketing activities.
### What happens if I don’t implement Consent Mode 2.0?
Failing to implement Consent Mode v2 can have serious consequences, including:
- **Limited Data**: Without a proper consent mechanism, you might collect less user data or data of lower quality. 
- **Reduced Targeting**: Lack of this data will hinder your ability to understand your audience, personalize the user experience, and optimize your marketing efforts.
- **Limited Access to Features**: Some features and functionalities within Google products like Analytics or Ads might rely on specific types of cookies that require user consent through GCM v2. Without implementing it, you might be missing out on valuable data and insights.
- **Non-Compliance with Regulations**: Data privacy regulations are constantly evolving, and GCM v2 reflects Google's efforts to comply with stricter user consent requirements. Failing to implement it could put you at risk of violating these regulations, potentially leading to fines or other penalties.

## Best practices for obtaining marketing consent
### Content
_Transparency is the key_

DO:

✅ Use **clear and concise language** that users can easily understand. Avoid technical jargon and legalese.

✅ Briefly **explain the different types of cookies** used on your website (e.g., first-party for preferences, third-party for advertising).

✅ **Highlight user benefits**. Explain how the data collected will be used to improve the user experience (e.g. suggesting relevant content, remembering preferences).

DON'T:

❌ **Confuse users with technical terms or legalese**. Keep it simple and focus on clear communication.

❌ **Leave users in the dark about cookie types**. Transparency fosters trust.

❌ **Focus solely on data collection without explaining the value proposition for users**. Explain how consenting benefits them.

### Consent Box Design
_Design an effective consent box that emphasizes user choice while still achieving your data collection goals_

DO:

✅ **Focus on Positive Options**: Instead of prominently featuring a "reject all" button, prioritize options that encourage users to choose the level of consent they're comfortable with. Here's an example structure:
- "**Accept All Cookies**" - This clearly communicates the benefits of full consent (e.g., personalized experience, relevant content).
- "**Manage Preferences**" - This empowers users to select specific cookie types they'd like to allow (e.g., functional cookies for website performance, analytics cookies to improve the site).

✅ **Visual Hierarchy**: Design your consent box with a clear visual hierarchy. Use contrasting colors, bold fonts, and appropriate spacing to draw user attention to the "Accept All" and "Manage Preferences" options. "Manage Preferences" can be slightly less prominent, but still easily accessible.

✅ **Link to a Detailed Privacy Policy**: Provide a clear link to your website's privacy policy for users who want to learn more about data collection practices.

DON'T:

❌ **Limit user choice by only offering "accept all" or "reject all" options**. Granular control empowers users.

❌ **Hide the consent box or make it difficult to find**. Users should be able to easily see and interact with it.

❌ **Use Dark Patterns**. Don't resort to manipulative tactics like pre-checked boxes or making the "Manage Preferences" option difficult to find. This can erode user trust and potentially lead to lower opt-in rates.

By following these design principles, you can create a consent box that is informative, transparent, and empowers users to choose their level of data sharing. This builds trust and fosters a sense of control for your website visitors. **With the Google Consent Mode 2.0 (GCM v2), obtaining informed consent is no longer optional – it's essential**. Without user permission for marketing and analytics cookies, you'll lose the ability to personalize the user experience, target your marketing efforts effectively, and gain valuable insights to improve your website. A well-designed, effective consent box becomes the bridge between respecting user privacy and achieving your marketing goals. By prioritizing transparency and user choice, you can encourage informed consent and ensure continued success in the age of data privacy regulations.

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As of March 2024, website owners using Google products like Analytics, Ads, and Tag Manager are required to implement Google Consent Mode 2.0 (GCM v2).

**Starting from March 2024, website owners using Google products like Analytics, Ads, and Tag Manager are required to [implement Google Consent Mode](https://developers.google.com/tag-platform/security/guides/consent?consentmode=advanced){do:follow} 2.0 (GCM v2)**. This update ensures users have greater control over their data privacy by giving them a choice about which cookies are used to track their activity on the website. But implementing GCM v2 is just one piece of the puzzle. The design of your consent box plays a critical role in how users perceive your website and whether they choose to share their data. This article will explore the key principles for crafting effective consent boxes that promote informed consent, transparency, and ultimately, higher opt-in rates.

Effective Consent Boxes: Google Consent Mode 2.0

## What is Retroactive Analysis? {#What-is-Retroactive-Analysis?}
Retroactive analysis, also known as retrospective analysis or post-event analysis, refers to the process of reviewing and examining historical data to gain a profound understanding of past events, user interactions, and performance metrics. It allows digital professionals to gain insights, identify patterns, and understand the critical factors that have shaped their digital landscape. 

As [businesses strive for continuous improvement](https://cux.io/blog/cux-as-a-tool-for-enterprises/) and seek to enhance the user experience, retroactive analysis becomes a cornerstone in the decision-making process.
## How Retroactive Analysis Differs from Real-time Analysis?
While real-time analysis focuses on what’s happening right now, capturing immediate data and current trends, [retroactive analysis](https://cux.io/knowledge-base/what-is-a-retroactive-analysis/) steps back in time to provide a more comprehensive view, revealing long-term trends, identifying patterns, and offering a deeper understanding of the factors that have influenced the digital landscape over time. 

The main difference is in the timing: real-time analysis is about the current moment, while retroactive analysis looks back to help plan the future. Both are useful but serve different purposes based on the need for instant insights or a more strategic thoughtful look back.
## Real-world Examples of the Benefits of Looking Back
Consider an e-commerce platform identifying a decline in user engagement. If they only use real-time analysis, they'd see the current decrease. But, by looking back over time, they may find out that this decline is a seasonal trend that occurs every year. Armed with this historical knowledge, the platform can play ahead and adjust their marketing strategies during specific seasons, ensuring a more robust user engagement strategy.

Consider another scenario, this time in customer support, where a team suddenly faces a surge in ticket submissions. While real-time analysis may attribute this increase to a recent product launch, a a look back in time — retroactive analysis — reveals similar spikes during past promotional events. This historical insight indicates that promotions often lead to a rise in customer inquiries and support requests. Learning from this historical insight, the customer support team can prepare for and assign extra resources during promotional periods. This proactive approach ensures timely responses and not only improves customer satisfaction but also demonstrates the team's ability to learn from historical patterns and optimize their processes accordingly.
## How Can You Benefit from Retroactive Analysis?
Analyzing historical data in the context of [digital experience analytics](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/) can provide several valuable benefits. Here are some reasons why it's worth analyzing historical data:
- **Identifying Trends and Patterns**: Historical data allows you to identify trends and patterns over time. By analyzing past user interactions and behaviors, you can recognize recurring patterns that may help predict future trends and user preferences.
- **Understanding User Behavior Changes**: Digital platforms and user behaviors evolve over time. Examining historical data helps grasp how user behavior has shifted, enabling you to adapt your strategies to meet current and future user expectations.
- **Performance Benchmarking**: Comparing current performance metrics with historical data helps establish benchmarks. This allows you to evaluate the success of your digital initiatives, track improvements or declines, and set realistic goals for future efforts.
- **Root Cause Analysis**: When issues or challenges arise in the digital experience, historical data can be crucial for finding the root cause. By examining past data, you may uncover the factors that led to problems and implement corrective actions.
- **[Optimizing User Experience](https://cux.io/blog/5-ways-to-optimize-the-customer-journey/) (UX)**: Understanding past user interactions provides insights into what aspects of the user experience are effective and what areas need improvement. This information is valuable for optimizing the overall user experience.
- **Personalization and Targeting**: By analyzing past user preferences and behaviors, you can tailor content, recommendations, and marketing strategies to specific user segments, increasing engagement and satisfaction.
- **Data-Driven Decision-Making**: Historical data forms the basis for data-driven decision-making. It allows stakeholders to make informed choices based on past performance, rather than relying solely on intuition or speculation.
- **Continuous Improvement**: Digital experiences are not static; they evolve over time. Analyzing historical data is fundamental to a continuous improvement cycle. It enables organizations to learn from past successes and mistakes, iterating on strategies and refining digital experiences for ongoing enhancement.

In summary, analyzing historical data in digital experience analytics is essential for learning from the past, optimizing current strategies, and making [informed decisions](https://cux.io/blog/the-future-is-data-key-focus-areas-for-2024/) to enhance future digital experiences.
## The Power of Historical Data in CUX
cux.io stands as a robust digital experience analytics tool designed to help businesses analyze and optimize the performance of their digital platforms. By integrating CUX’s snippet into your website, you not only gain access to real-time data but also unlock the capability of exploring historical records.

### Key Features for Retroactive Analysis:
- **Optimization Insights from the Past**: Understand the impact of optimizations by analyzing historical data, providing a valuable perspective on the effectiveness of changes made over time.
- **Convenient Exploration**: CUX automatically collects data on user interactions, behaviors, and journeys. This data can include information about clicks, scrolls, navigation paths, and other relevant user actions and behaviors. You can conduct retroactive analysis at your convenience, [examining Customer Journeys](https://cux.io/blog/analyzing-user-behaviors-in-cux-step-by-step-guide/), Waterfalls (Conversion Funnels), or specific Goals.
- **Effortless Contextual Understanding**: Unlock contextual insights based on user behavior. Set up goals, such as button clicks, at any time and delve into historical data to gauge their performance. Unlike tools that limit results from the point of goal setting, CUX stands out by enabling users to examine Goals and Customer Journeys from historical data. This unique feature provides a holistic perspective, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of user interactions over time.
- **Comparative Analysis**: The tool enables users to seamlessly compare historical and real-time data. This facilitates a more thorough analysis, aiding in strategic decision-making for ongoing improvement.

Ready to discover the hidden gems in your digital world? Take CUX for a spin - a tool designed to make sense of your website's story. Picture the power of understanding the impact of past optimizations, exploring user interactions at your convenience, and gaining contextual insights effortlessly. Your journey to insightful digital understanding starts here.

<button> [Start the free trial](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_medium=blogcux&utm_source=www&utm_campaign=retroactive)</button>




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Understanding where you've been is often the key to navigating where you're going. — Cheesy as it may sound, it's relatable not just in life but also in digital experience analytics.

Understanding where you've been is often the key to navigating where you're going. — Cheesy as it may sound, it's relatable not just in life but also in digital experience analytics.

In this article, we'll explore the practical side of looking back—how understanding the past can shape a brighter future for your digital journey. No fancy jargon, just straightforward tips to make the most of your historical data and set the stage for success of your digital strategy. Join us as we uncover the secrets of using the past to boost your digital future through retroactive analysis.


Retroactive Analysis: Hidden Gems in Your Historical Data

## What Is User Behavior Analysis? {#What-Is-User-Behavior-Analysis?}
Unlike simple quantitative metrics such as clicks and scrolls, User Behavior Analytics best practices delve into the qualitative aspects of user interactions. It provides insights into the motivations, preferences, and intentions of users. It's like having a secret tool that allows you to understand the psychology behind user actions, and uncover the "why" behind their online behavior.

By leveraging User Behavior Analytics best practices, businesses can reveal hidden patterns, identify pain points, and explore opportunities to enhance user journeys. It's a powerful tool for gaining a deep understanding of user sentiments, preferences, and the factors influencing their decision-making process. This knowledge is invaluable for making informed decisions, optimizing user interfaces, and tailoring digital content to create a more engaging and user-friendly environment, which ultimately leads to increased conversions and improved overall performance.

### Examples of qualitative questions that UBA can address include:
- **Why** do users visit the website? **What specific elements** capture their attention during online interactions?
- **What factors** influence users' preferences for certain products or features?
- **What challenges or frustrations** do users encounter when navigating the site or utilizing specific features?
- **Which features** or **content** do users perceive as the **most valuable** and engaging?
- **What are users' expectations** regarding the design and functionality of products?
With UBA, you'll get the scoop on what your audience loves (and doesn't) so you can make your digital space a place they adore.
### Here with the User Behavior Analysis, you can:
- Verify the problems and frustrations of your customers,
- Craft user personas and behavior profiles,
- Make journey maps that truly resonate with your users,
- Enhance your marketing strategy,
- Boost sales (who doesn't want that?),
- And a whole lot more!
## Understanding User Behavior Metrics: Key Indicators for Success
Navigating the landscape of User Behavior Analysis requires a reliable compass – and that compass is metrics. These metrics go beyond numbers; they're like vital signs for your website's health, showing you how engaged and satisfied your users are. The most important Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for User Behavior vary depending on the specific goals and objectives of a business or website. However, **some universally significant User Behavior KPIs include**:
1. **Time on Page**: Measures the average time users spend on a particular page during their visit. A longer time usually indicates greater engagement.
2. **Bounce Rate**: Determines the percentage of users who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate may suggest that visitors are not finding what they're looking for or that the content is not engaging.
3. **Visit duration**: The entire time a user dedicates to exploring a website during a single visit. It underscores the importance of analyzing the entire user journey, considering potential interactions across multiple tabs.
4. **Exit Rate**: Indicates the percentage of users who leave the site from a specific page. High exit rates on particular pages may signal issues or lack of interest in that content.
5. **Conversions**: Tracks the number of users who perform a desired action, such as a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form. A higher conversion rate typically indicates effective user engagement. 
6. **Conversion Funnel**: The steps users take before completing a conversion. Helps identify potential problem areas and optimize the conversion process.
7. **Trust Metrics**: Evaluate the level of user trust in the website, products, or services. It may include reviews, ratings, and security certifications.
8. **User Retention**: Measures how well a website retains users over time. Analyzing user retention helps understand the long-term appeal and effectiveness of the platform.

However, when we want to understand how users really use a website or product, we need more than the usual numbers. And as we want to share with you valuable user behavior tracking tips, that's where experience metrics come in. Tools like cux.io help us capture and analyze them. These metrics show us the detailed ins and outs of what users do, like, and where we can make things better. Let's dig into these metrics to make the user experience even better:
- **Zooming** - the action of adjusting the size of content on a screen, often done by users to enlarge or reduce elements for better visibility or usability. When visitors zoom in on your site, they're giving you valuable feedback without saying a word. Whether it's to read tiny text or admire the details of a product image, zooming highlights areas for improvement in accessibility and design.
- **Chaotic Movement** - happens when users are moving their cursor around in a messy or confused way on a website. It shows they might be having trouble finding things or understanding how the website works. Chaotic Movement signals user confusion, which, once understood, opens the door to simple yet impactful changes. Enhancing your site's navigation and layout can not only improve the user experience but potentially boost sales by making the journey to purchase smoother and more intuitive.
- **Refreshing** - tracks unexpected page reloads, which could be due to slow load times, incomplete content display, or layout issues. Hidden refreshes can frustrate users, often without site owners even realizing.
- **Dead Click** - happens when a user clicks on something on a website, expecting it to do something, but nothing happens. It's like trying to press a button that doesn't work.
- **[Rage Click](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/)** - an instance where a user repeatedly clicks on a part of a website or application in a very short period, usually out of frustration or confusion. It shows there might be a problem or something not working as expected on that part of the website.  It's a big red flag showing us exactly where a website is letting users down and sparking their frustration. 
- **[Refreshing](https://cux.io/knowledge-base/what-is-refreshing/)** - the number of visits where the content on your website was refreshed, either by the user or automatically - as a result of some user actions.
- **Bounce Back**- occurs when a user enters a website and promptly goes back to where they came from. It can happen due to reasons like mismatched content, slow loading times, or confusing navigation.

There are a lot of metrics that can help you understand users' behavior and make the analytics journey exciting. The fun part is that it's not only about numbers but real motivations and intents. Each click, scroll, and interaction is a digital footprint that unveils the story of user engagement. Metrics like time on page, bounce rate, and conversions provide the foundation, while experience metrics like Zooming, Chaotic Movement, Refreshing, Dead Click, [Rage Click](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/#how-can-i-use-rage-clicks-to-improve-customer-experience), and Bounce Back add color and depth to the narrative.

Understanding the human aspect behind the clicks transforms analytics into a captivating journey where websites evolve based on genuine user needs.

## Common Sources of User Behavior Data
The tapestry of User Behavior Analysis is woven from diverse threads of data, each contributing to a richer understanding. Web analytics tools (e.g. CUX), heatmaps, user surveys, and customer feedback collectively form the mosaic of insights. This comprehensive approach enables businesses to construct a holistic narrative of user behavior, transcending the limitations of isolated data streams.
## Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data
Our data story has two main characters: quantitative data, which is all about numbers, and qualitative data, which brings in the human touch with comments and feedback. One of the best user behavior tracking tips is as follows: _Balancing these two gives you a full understanding of what's going on_.

![Qualitative vs Quantitative data.png](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Qualitative_vs_Quantitative_data_bc749c4d17.png)

### **EXAMPLE**: Optimizing an E-commerce Website

_Quantitative Data_: 

- **Metric**: High Bounce Rate on Product Pages. 
- **Observation**: The analytics tool indicates that a significant number of users are leaving the website after viewing only one product page.

_Qualitative Data_:

- **Session Recording**: Watch session recordings of users who exited from product pages. Identify common patterns, such as users spending minimal time on the page or encountering usability issues. 
- **Heatmaps**: Examine heatmaps to see where users click the most on the product pages. Are they interacting with product images, descriptions, or reviews? Identify elements that attract attention and those that are ignored.

_Combined Insights_:

1. **Identifying Pain Points**: Session recordings reveal that users often encounter difficulties in the checkout process. They may hesitate or abandon carts due to unclear navigation.
2. **User Preferences**: Heatmaps show that users frequently click on product images but rarely engage with lengthy descriptions. They seem to prioritize visual elements.
69. **Survey Integration**: Integrate a survey at the checkout exit point, asking users about their experience. Qualitative responses may highlight frustrations with the checkout process or concerns about payment security.
70. **Actionable Steps**: With a combined understanding of quantitative and qualitative data, you can take targeted actions. For instance, optimize the checkout process based on specific pain points identified in session recordings. Improve visual elements on product pages to align with user preferences. Address concerns raised in surveys to enhance user trust.

By [combining both types of data](https://cux.io/blog/from-metrics-to-motivations-how-to-combine-quantitative-and-qualitative-data/), you gain a comprehensive perspective on user behavior – understanding not only **what** is happening (quantitative) but also **why** it is happening (qualitative). This holistic approach empowers you to make strategic and user-centric improvements to your e-commerce website.

## How To Perform a User Behavior Analysis? 
It's a step-by-step journey that involves setting clear goals, picking the right metrics, gathering data, and making sense of it all. Wondering what to begin with? Here's a suggested starting point:
1. **Define Clear Goals**: User behavior best practices start with defining the specific goals and objectives of your analysis. What do you aim to achieve? Whether it's improving user engagement, increasing conversions, or enhancing overall user experience, having clear goals will guide your entire process.
2. **Identify Key Metrics**: Select the key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your goals. Consider metrics like bounce rate, conversion rate, time on page, or experience metrics such as rage clicks or bounce back. These metrics will serve as the foundation for your analysis.
3. **Choose Analytical Tools**: Explore and choose the right analytical tools for your needs. Depending on your goals, tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or CUX.io can provide valuable insights. Ensure that the selected tools align with the type of data you want to collect, be it quantitative, qualitative or the best option - both.
4. **Set Up Tracking**: Implement tracking codes on your website to collect quantitative data. This includes page views, click-through rates, and other relevant metrics. Configure your analytical tools to capture user interactions effectively.
5. **Dive into Qualitative Analysis**: Integrate qualitative analysis features such as session recordings and heatmaps. Dive into user sessions to understand their behaviors, pain points, and areas of interest.
6. **Segment User Data**: [Segment user data](https://cux.io/blog/using-behavioral-segmentation-for-data-driven-business-decisions/) based on demographics, behaviors, or other relevant factors. Understand how different user groups interact with your website and whether there are notable variations in behavior.
7. **Analyze User Journeys**: [Map out typical user journeys](https://cux.io/blog/customer-journey-site-condition/) to identify common paths leading to conversions and potential drop-off points. Evaluate the effectiveness of conversion funnels. This step helps you understand the flow of user interactions on your site.
8. **Iterate and Optimize**: Iterate your analysis regularly and make continuous optimizations. Implement changes based on the insights gathered, whether it's adjusting the user interface, refining content, or optimizing conversion processes.
9. **Share Findings and Collaborate**: Foster collaboration between teams involved in website management, design, and content creation. Share findings and insights to ensure a collective understanding of user behavior and inform strategic decisions.

This systematic approach ensures a comprehensive analysis, empowering businesses with actionable insights for refining user experiences. Starting with these steps ensures a structured and goal-oriented approach to your user behavior analysis. As you progress, you'll refine your strategy based on the insights you uncover and the evolving needs of your users.
## Key Features to Look for in User Behaviour Analysis Software for E-commerce
The selection of User Behavior Analysis software becomes a critical decision in pursuing accurate insights. This section outlines pivotal features such as real-time tracking, customizable dashboards, seamless integration capabilities, and user-friendly interfaces. [Choosing the right tool](https://cux.io/blog/web-tracking-tools-which-one-is-the-best-for-your-company/) is akin to selecting a trusted ally, ensuring smooth implementation and interpretation of behavioral data.
### The most important functionalities are:
- **Heatmaps**: Visualize areas of the website where users frequently click, scroll, or spend the most time.
- **Session Recording**: Record actual user sessions, providing insights into how users navigate through a website or application.
- **Visit Recording**: Record the entire [user visit](https://cux.io/blog/visits-vs-sessions/), regardless of the number of tabs open or the duration.
- **Quantitative and Qualitative Data**: Choose a tool that allows you to collect and analyze the most important data in one place.
- **Conversion Funnel Analysis**: Track and analyze the stages users go through in the conversion process to identify potential bottlenecks.
- **Auto-capture Events**: Collect data automatically without any dev/IT skills.
- **[Retroactive Analysis](https://cux.io/blog/retroactive-analysis-hidden-gems-in-your-historical-data/)**: Create, compare and modify customer journeys using historical data
- **Goal-oriented Analysis**: Look for a tool that not only presents a complete picture of the data but also interprets the data about your business goals.
- **User Segmentation**: Enable grouping of users based on various criteria, facilitating the analysis of behaviors in specific segments.
- **A/B Testing**: Allows for comparing different versions of a page or feature to identify which version yields better results.
- **Integration with Other Analytical Tools**: Can collaborate with other data analysis tools, such as Google Analytics, for a more comprehensive perspective.
## The Key Business Benefits of Behavioral Data Analysis
Behavioral Data Analysis provides valuable business benefits, empowering organizations to optimize user experience marketing strategies and make informed, data-driven decisions:
- **Enhanced User Experience** (Happy users): Gain deep insights into user interactions, preferences, and pain points to improve products, services, and interfaces for an overall better user experience.
- **Informed Decision-Making** (No more guessing!): Say goodbye to random decisions. Understand user behavior for data-driven ones. Know exactly what works and what doesn't, so you can make choices that pay off.
- **Improved Conversion Rates** (More sales!): Identify bottlenecks enhance the user journey based on behavioral insights, and watch your sales go through the roof.
- **Personalized Marketing**: Create detailed user personas with behavioral data to personalize marketing campaigns, increasing relevance and engagement. It's like having a personal shopper for everyone!
- **Proactive Issue Resolution** (Fix problems before they blow up): Spot issues before they become big problems. Detect patterns in user behavior to address issues proactively, contributing to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- **More Customers**: Fine-tune user acquisition strategies by understanding how users discover and engage with products or services, investing resources more effectively.
- **Beat the Competition**: Stay ahead by leveraging behavioral data analysis, adapting quickly to user preferences and market trends, and outperforming competitors.
- **Enhanced Product Development**: Gain insights into valuable features and areas for improvement. Build products people can't live without by knowing exactly what they need.
- **Customer Retention (Friends Forever)**: Identify factors contributing to customer loyalty, address pain points, and reinforce positive experiences for enhanced customer retention.
## Why you should follow User Behavior Analytics best practices? Conclusion
Analyzing your user's behavior isn't just an option; it's a strategic imperative for any successful business. Guide to User Behavior Analysis serves as your compass, helping you navigate through user needs and preferences to create standout digital experiences.

### Thinking about giving UBA a go?
When it comes to analyzing data for websites and online products, there are many tools out there to make things easier. These tools [automate tasks like collecting and organizing data](https://cux.io/blog/stop-wasting-time-on-redundant-data-analysis/), allowing you to focus on understanding the results. One such tool is cux.io.

By leveraging available solutions, you don't have to bother with manual data collection, grouping, and analysis. Modern tools for qualitative analytics, like cux.io, bring significant simplifications to understanding online behaviors. They are designed to demystify the analytical process, making it more accessible to a wide range of users. As a result, even individuals without deep technical knowledge can fully harness the potential of qualitative analytics, swiftly identifying and responding to user needs. This not only makes the analysis process more efficient but also more intuitive.

<button> [Start the free trial](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_medium=blogcux&utm_source=www&utm_campaign=baguide)</button>

Get in touch to discover how our analytics can boost your business with insights you can't get anywhere else. Let's make your digital strategy shine with the power of User Behavior Analysis. [Connect with us](mailto:sales@cux.io) for a chat and see where CUX can take you!

[![5 golden data analytics tips.png](/uploads/5_golden_data_analytics_tips_514e626398.png)](https://cux.io/download-free-5-golden-tips-to-take-your-data-analytics-to-the-next-level/?utm_medium=blogcux&utm_source=www&utm_campaign=baguide)







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In the ever-evolving landscape of digital experiences, understanding user behavior has become a cornerstone for businesses striving to stay ahead. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital experiences, understanding user behavior has become a cornerstone for businesses striving to stay ahead. User Behavior Analysis (UBA) emerges as a powerful ally, unraveling the intricacies of user interactions and guiding strategic decisions. In this extensive guide to User Behavior Analysis prepared by CUX experts, we embark on a journey to explore the depths of understanding users' behavior, shedding light on its foundational principles and real-world applications.


The Basics of User Behavior Analysis - CUX Complete Guide

## Updated Subscription Tiers: Business, Business Plus and Enterprise
Our new pricing structure offers three packages: **Business**, **Business Plus** and **Enterprise**. These tiers are crafted to cater to different scales and types of businesses, ensuring everyone finds exactly what they need. Whether you're a startup or a big player, we've got just the right fit for you.

### Business: "Fly Solo" into the World of Behavioral Analytics

Perfect for individuals or the growing teams out there. You get all the essentials:

- **1 Seat**: Ideal for focused, individual use.
- **1 Project**: Manage and analyze a single project efficiently.
- **Up to 250,000 page views monthly**: Capture a significant amount of user interaction data.
- **1 Month Historical Data**: Look back and analyze trends with one month of historical data access.
- **2 Goals & 2 Waterfalls**: Set specific objectives and track performance.
- **Simple AI Insights**: Leverage AI for deep analytical understanding.

**Business Package** is your key to unlocking the power of [behavioral analytics](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-behavioral-analytics-in-e-commerce/) with essential, user-friendly features.

### Business Plus: Team Up and Get Hands-on Support
Designed for medium-sized and growing businesses, the **Business Plus** package is your gateway to an advanced analytical world. It includes:

- **5+ Seats**: Collaborate effectively with a small team.
- **1+ Projects**: Handle more projects with higher traffic capacity.
- **250,000+ page views per month**: Delve into a deeper analysis with an increased data recording capacity.
- **1+ Months Historical Data**: Enhance your strategic planning with access to an extensive archive of over a month's historical data.
- **Unlimited Goals & Waterfalls**: Set and track endless objectives without restrictions.
- **Simple Weekly Reports**: Receive straightforward, insightful reports weekly to keep your team ahead of the curve.
- **Smart Alerts**: Stay proactive with automated alerts that keep you informed about key changes and trends.
- **Advanced Data Masking**: Safeguard sensitive data with robust protection, ensuring privacy while you gain valuable insights.
- **1 Hour Monthly Support**: Benefit from direct human-to-human support for optimal platform use.
- **1 Hour of Technical Onboarding**: Meet with our Support Tech Team for smooth setup and account configuration.

**Business Plus** package provides a comprehensive set of features for deeper analysis and teamwork, enhanced by personalized AI support and straightforward reporting.
### Enterprise: Tailor-Made Solutions for Big Players
The Enterprise package is crafted for large organizations needing customized solutions:

- **10 Seats**: Perfect for big teams, boosting teamwork and productivity..
- **Unlimited Projects**: Freedom to manage an endless number of projects, regardless of traffic volume.
- **Unlimited Visit Recordings**: Capture exhaustive user data for in-depth analysis.
- **Unlimited Goals & Waterfalls**: Aim high with no limits on your goals and tracking.
- **Unlimited AI Insights**: Enjoy endless AI-powered insights and support for deep analysis and strategy.
- **Simple Weekly Reports**: Keep everyone on track and stay proactive with regular reports.
- **Full Technical & Analytical Onboarding**: Get all the help you need to integrate our platform smoothly.
- **Dedicated Customer Success Manager**: Have your own success guru for personalized support and strategic insights.
- **Audits with Optimization Recommendations**: Regular audits to fine-tune your performance.
- **Custom Paperwork:** All the documentation, just the way your business needs it.

**Enterprise** package is designed to provide everything a large organization needs, with a personal touch and comprehensive support.

## Flexible Add-Ons: Extra Toppings 🍕 to your Subscription
Spice up your subscription with our range of flexible add-ons, designed to complement your core package. We understand that each business has unique needs. That's why we've added an array of add-ons, including technical and analytical onboarding, tool configuration, and audits, allowing you to enhance your package as needed.
<br>

<button>[SEE ALL ADD-ONS](https://cux.io/pricing/)</button>

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## Pay Your Way – Monthly or Yearly
We're all about choices. Choose between monthly or yearly payment plans. Yearly plans come with attractive discounts (2 months free!), providing more value for long-term commitments. It's all about what works for you.

## Getting Started
Ready to explore our new pricing model? Head over [here](https://cux.io/pricing/) and see how our new packages can benefit your business.

We're thrilled to offer these changes and believe they will bring significant benefits to our users. Your feedback is invaluable, so drop us a line, share your thoughts, or just say hi at [sales@cux.io](mailto:sales@cux.io) (You can also use the form on the left hand side).


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We're excited to announce a significant update to our pricing structure, designed to better align with your diverse needs.

We're excited to announce a significant update to our pricing structure, designed to better align with your diverse needs. Our goal is to provide more flexibility and value, ensuring you get exactly what you need from our services.

Introducing our new pricing model – tailored to your business needs

>This is a guest post written by Natasha Lane. Natasha is a lady of a keyboard and one hell of a geek. She has been working for, and collaborating with, individual clients and companies of all sizes for more than a decade. Natasha specializes in writing about design, branding, digital marketing, and business growth. She is also addicted to art in all its forms and grilled tofu.

But that's not all. Businesses investing in customer journey optimization now face an additional hurdle. They must capture their target audience's attention in a world of almost unlimited choices. 

Arguably, the only way to do it organically (and with a satisfactory ROI) is to invest in high-quality, customer-centric content. So, if you want to learn how to create great content for every stage of the modern customer journey, here's where to start.
## Before You Begin the Content Creation Process {#Before-You-Begin-the-Content-Creation-Process}
Content creators often say that the best way to start publishing is to just get started. However, investing in content marketing for your business necessitates a slightly more goal-oriented approach. For this reason, you must base your content marketing activities on well-planned strategies. 

Although this may sound complicated, ensuring success doesn't necessarily have to be so. 

By doing the necessary prep work — defining your audience, [segmenting potential customers](https://cux.io/blog/using-behavioral-segmentation-for-data-driven-business-decisions/), identifying relevant topics to cover, etc. — you can come up with a list of guidelines that will allow you to get the biggest bang for your buck with every single piece of content you publish.
## How to Create Content for the Modern Customer Journey
Once you've set yourself up for success, it's time to start the production process. 

Depending on what stage your chosen audience populates, you'll try to reach different goals and use diverse formats. 
That doesn't necessarily mean that one type of content can't work for multiple stages. In fact, even the same article can serve numerous purposes. 

However, understanding [how consumers shop](https://blog.gwi.com/marketing/retail-trends/) and their priorities at each phase of the sales funnel will help you create better resources that will drive engagement, conversions, and loyalty.
### Awareness Stage
When creating content for the awareness stage of the buyer's journey, your primary goal should be to answer your audience's questions, present them with educational resources, create a market for your solutions, and (most importantly) raise product and brand awareness.

You must understand that the people you're trying to reach aren't aware of your brand's existence nor of the effectiveness of your solutions. All they know is that they have a pain point they wish to solve (not necessarily by investing in a product or service).

So, when creating content for the awareness stage of the buyer's journey, there are three things you must do:
1. First and foremost, you must understand future customers' pain points and frustrations.
2. Secondly, you need to be willing to address these pain points head-on.
3. Thirdly, you must research how your prospects search for solutions — identifying keywords, preferred research channels, and trusted resources.

If you've done these three things, you'll be well on your way toward success — no matter what formats you decide to invest in.

For example, SEO-optimized blog posts are the most popular type of Top of Funnel (ToFu) content. Their potential lies in two factors. The first one is that [86% of consumers](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/state-of-consumer-trends-report) see search engines as the most effective online channel for finding answers to their questions. The second is that blogs are a great format to work with. As they answer general consumer questions, they can allow you to attract your target audience's attention and win them over by presenting them with valuable information condensed into an easy-to-consume resource.

If you look at ShopSolar's [How Much Solar Power Do I Need for My RV](https://shopsolarkits.com/blogs/learning-center/how-much-solar-power-do-i-need-for-my-rv-everything-you-need-to-know-about-off-grid-rving), you'll see that the article takes a direct approach to answering a specific question. However, what makes this particular blog post stand out is that it's made with one distinct goal in mind: getting web visitors to start interacting with the brand, whether by using its free calculator resources (just like a restaurant might add a [tip calculator](https://www.omnicalculator.com/other/tip){.do-follow} to its website), checking out one of the business' ready-made solar kits, or getting in touch with the brand's experts to receive personalized solar power advice.

![shop sholar blog post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_2_06c7b1623c.png)
_Source: shopsolarkits.com_

For a slightly more elevated approach, consider creating long-form educational content and writing headings that contain phrases like 'guide' and 'how to,' which have been shown to [triple organic traffic in 2022](https://lp.semrush.com/rs/519-IIY-869/images/State Of Content Marketing 2022.pdf).

![going blog post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_3_78794d61a7.png)
_Source: going.com_

The third format you need to capture consumers in the awareness stage of the modern customer journey is **social media content**.

According to research, the average time a person spends on social networks daily in 2023 is [151 minutes](https://www.statista.com/statistics/433871/daily-social-media-usage-worldwide/). Moreover, some consumer behavior studies have shown that [76% of consumers](https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/resources/76-of-consumers-buy-products-seen-in-social-media-posts) have purchased products they saw in branded social media posts. And it's also worth noting that [47% of US consumers](https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/nearly-half-of-us-consumers-say-they-have-made-a-purchase-through-social-media/) have used social commerce, with this type of shopping rapidly gaining popularity.

Considering these points of data, brands looking to engage awareness-stage consumers with ToFu content need to invest in high-quality social media content that will maximize reach and drive solution understanding. These can include a variety of formats: contests, educational videos, or influencer marketing campaigns like the collaboration between [Tumi](https://www.tumi.com/) and F1 driver Lando Norris below.

![tumi post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_4_ff28d542f9.png)
_Source: instagram.com_

### Consideration Stage
When creating content for the consideration stage, your primary concern should be to support consumers in making the best buying decision for their needs. 

During this phase, people already know what their pain point is and how they can solve it. So, they will be looking for resources that present objective, trustworthy, data-based, and insightful info about the various services/products available on the market.

Without any doubt, **product comparisons** are the best format to invest in for the consideration stage. On the one hand, they're a great way to naturally move prospects through the sales funnel. On the other hand, when enhanced with the right CTAs, they can also serve to drive conversions, which is particularly valuable to brands trying to shorten the sales cycle.

For instance, if you check out the [Best Amazon Repricer Tools to Use in 2023 ](https://startupresources.io/best-amazon-repricer/)guide from Startup Resources, you'll see that it's an excellent example of MoFu content. It presents readers with super-objective purchase advice. It highlights the benefits of using Amazon repricer tools. And it provides direct links to each of the solutions mentioned.

![startup resources post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_5_9508f6ed7d.png)
_Source: startupresources.io_

Alternatively, **single-product deep dives** — especially those written with a scientific proof-oriented approach like the [What Is the Best Creatine Supplement? (2023 Science Update)](https://www.transparentlabs.com/blogs/all/best-creatine-supplement) guide from Transparent Labs — can be a solid investment for the non-linear customer journey. This piece of content works similarly to product review and product comparison articles. However, what it does differently is that it prioritizes trust-building by backing up each claim with a direct link to a scientific study. This particular approach works perfectly in low-trust industries like health or finance, where consumers exercise extra caution when choosing what products to invest in.

![transparent blog post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_6_56411a6b3d.png)
Source: transparentlabs.com

One additional thing to note about consideration stage content, however, is that the modern customer journey doesn't always progress from awareness to the consideration stage. Sometimes, buyers enter the funnel at this phase. 

So, it is essential to approach content creation for this part of the shopping process by ensuring that you **don't alienate awareness-stage buyers** with too much technical jargon or too little information about the pain point you're addressing. 

Digestive Warrior achieves the ideal balance between awareness and consideration-oriented content in its [Histamines: Is Bone Broth Making You Sick](https://digestivewarrior.com/blogs/post/histamines-is-bone-broth-making-you-sick) resource. As a guide that works for both top and mid-funnel buyers, it's an excellent example of how one single article can work for multiple stages of the sales funnel, as long as it prioritizes building credibility and trust as the best way to [inspire conversions](https://cux.io/blog/increase-conversions-with-blog/) in today's competitive market.

![digesive warrior post](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_7_2940212856.png)
Source: digestivewarrior.com

Additional ways to win at consideration-stage content marketing is to invest in the creation of resources that deliver the necessary value to your audience while also helping you capture more leads.

**Ebooks, industry trend reports, and newsletters** can all work wonderfully for brands dealing with longer sales cycles. Because these resources present prospects with unique value, they can inspire lead generation on landing pages. You can even use them as CTAs on existing content pages, like in the [8 Handpicked Competitor Analysis Tools](https://ahrefs.com/blog/competitor-analysis-tools/) on the Ahrefs blog.

![ahrefs blog](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_8_f075058cb3.png)
Source: ahrefs.com

### Decision Stage
Lastly, as you approach the end of the modern customer journey, understand that you'll need decision-stage content to help inspire your prospects to convert.

In general, decision-stage content is the most sales-oriented of all the formats we've mentioned. Most brands approach this phase of the purchasing process by populating it with offers and coupons meant to push prospects over the conversion line. 

However, research shows that overt ads aren't always the best way to inspire conversions. GWI discovered that the [most common advertising mistakes](https://blog.gwi.com/trends/what-people-think-about-ads/) include:

- Showing too many ads.
- Allowing sales-oriented content to block the content users are trying to access.
- Not personalizing ads and showing irrelevant advertisements next to inappropriate content.
- Ignoring user privacy for the sake of presenting them with an ad.

With this in mind, it's apparent that approaching the content creation process when targetting conversion-ready buyers needs to be more user-oriented, personalized, and relevant. 

Fortunately, various formats can help businesses boost sales without frustrating more ad-sensitive buyers.

For example, product previews, extended free trials, and interactive tools — like this one from [MarketBeat](https://www.marketbeat.com/dividends/calculator/) — are all great ways to nudge people to convert while minimizing their perception of risk. If you choose to employ these types of decision stage content, be sure to practice full transparency (how long people can use the free trial/tool, whether they need a credit card to sign up, how much the price is, etc.). Moreover, make sure to have a bulletproof onboarding strategy in place so that you [maximize product adoption](https://cux.io/blog/how-to-act-on-ux-research-to-improve-product-adoption/) and inspire loyalty.

![market beat calculator](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Image_9_8201eaef56.png)
Source: marketbeat.com

Secondly, knowing that, ultimately, people are most likely to trust purchasing advice from peers, industry experts, and influencers, do your best to create decision-stage social proof content.

In addition to featuring reviews, ratings, customer stories, and UGC on your landing pages, also do your best to present prospects with more detailed instances of social proof, such as case studies and outcome reports. 

For example, if you check out Hey Digital's [How We Helped Wiza Achieve 88% Growth in Sign-up Conversions](https://www.heydigital.co/case-studies/wiza), you'll see that it's filled not just with real-life data and results. But more importantly, this piece of content goes into lots of detail on how the brand achieved the outcome it describes, significantly improving the resource's credibility and its conversion-boosting potential.

## Final Thoughts
Creating great content for every stage of the modern customer journey requires a lot of work. And not just during the production phase. Producing stellar resources necessitates in-depth research, strategization, monitoring, adapting, and, of course, full alignment with your prospect's position in the sales funnel.

Nonetheless, investing resources into content marketing always pays off. And not only that, but great content has the potential to significantly outperform most other marketing practices.

So, if you're looking to take your business to the next level, try to implement the tips above. And do your best to get a jump start on developing and publishing content that will inspire customer loyalty. Because ultimately, getting your audience to convert won't amount to much if you can't get them to stick to your brand well into the future.


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The modern customer journey is more complex than ever. 

The modern [customer journey](https://cux.io/blog/5-ways-to-optimize-the-customer-journey/) is more complex than ever. 

No longer a linear process, in 2023, it involves multiple channels, including search engines, social media, product reviews, word of mouth, and offline research. Moreover, the modern customer journey is also [unpredictable](https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/CMO/us-modern-consumer-decision-making-journey.pdf). Nowadays, some buyers take months to make a single small purchase, while others decide to invest in big-ticket items in mere seconds.


How to Create Great Content for Every Stage of the Modern Customer Journey

## 1. Data-Driven Decision Making: Turning Insights into Action {#1.-Data-Driven-Decision-Making:-Turning-Insights-into-Action}
_Data-driven decisions are no longer be a buzzword but a strategic imperative. In 2023, we saw more and more businesses getting serious about data for planning and executing their marketing and growth. Many were on the hunt for the best tools and solutions for collecting, validating data and drawing valuable conclusions._

_Moving forward, businesses will increasingly rely on analytics to guide and validate their strategies. With the right tools in hand, the ability to extract useful insights from large datasets will empower marketers to make informed decisions, adjust campaigns on the fly, and allocate resources where they make the most impact._

### Understanding the Essence
Data-Driven decision making involves the careful process of leveraging data analytics to shape and validate marketing strategies. It's a shift from gut-feel decisions to those backed by actionable insights drawn from comprehensive datasets. In essence, it's about transforming raw data into well-thought-out strategic moves.
### The Evolution Beyond Buzzwords
Although the term has been floating around in the business and marketing sphere, 2024 marks the era where this concept transitions from a theoretical idea to a hands-on, essential tool. The essence lies in harnessing the wealth of data available and turning it into actionable strategies.
### Why It Matters
For marketers, the skill to turn insights into action is a game-changer. It goes beyond just looking at basic metrics, enabling a deep understanding of customer behavior, market trends, and how well campaigns are doing. In a world flooded with information, it's about being able to pick out the important signals from all the noise. 
### Optimizing in Real-Time
The real power of Data-Driven Decision Making comes to life in its ability to optimize campaigns in real-time. Rather than waiting for post-campaign analysis from their [PPC agency](https://velocityppc.com/){.do-follow}, marketers can adjust their strategies on the fly. This agility is priceless in a landscape where trends change swiftly, ensuring that resources are allocated where they matter most.
### Resource Allocation and Efficiency
Marketing budgets are no longer spent on guesswork; instead, they are directed precisely where the data indicates the highest impact. This not only maximizes ROI but also fosters a culture of accountability and results-driven decision-making.
### The Transition to Proactive Strategies
As businesses adopt Data-Driven Decision Making, they move from reactive to proactive strategies. Forseeing market trends, understanding customer preferences, and predicting shifts in behavior become integral parts of the decision-making process. This foresight becomes a powerful tool for staying ahead of the competition.
### Challenges and Considerations
Yet, with great power comes responsibility. Marketers need to navigate the challenge of data overload and ensure that ethical considerations are at the forefront. Striking a balance between the pursuit of insights and maintaining privacy and data security is crucial for preserving trust with the audience.
### The Bottom Line
In 2024, Data-Driven Decision Making is not just a trend—it's a transformative force. For marketers and business leaders, embracing this shift means unlocking a new level of precision, agility, and success in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. It's not just about collecting data; it's about turning that data into a strategic advantage that propels your business forward.
## 2. Engaging Audiences with Data: Beyond the Clicks and Likes
_Data will be the key for boosting engagement, going beyond traditional metrics. By understanding user behavior, preferences, and journey touchpoints, brands can craft compelling narratives and interactive experiences that drive sales. This data-centric approach will foster long-lasting relationships, driving brand loyalty in an era of fleeting digital attention. At the core of this trend is a focus on understanding the customer journey – a concept that takes center stage for marketers, business owners, and product leaders in 2024._
### Understanding the Essence
Engaging Audiences with Data means delving deep into intricacies of user behavior, preferences, and the detailed touchpoints of their journey. The focus shifts from counting clicks to crafting compelling narratives based on real insights. Here is where [user behavior analysis](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/) comes into play. Identifying user frustrations, pinpointing pain points, or recognizing the most attractive content becomes instrumental. These insights empower the tailoring of experiences to precisely meet audience needs, creating a more personalized and resonant connection between brands and their audience.
### The Evolution Beyond Metrics
Although click-through rates and likes provide a basic understanding of engagement, 2024 signifies a paradigm shift. This trend indicates a departure from superficial metrics towards a holistic approach, where each interaction contributes to a deeper understanding of the audience.
### Why It Matters
For marketers, it's about creating meaningful connections. Beyond the quantitative metrics, this trend allows businesses to understand the 'why' behind customer actions. It's the difference between knowing a customer clicked on a product and understanding why they did, leading to insights that drive future engagement strategies.
### Predicting Future Interactions
It's no longer enough to understand past actions; it's about it's about predicting what comes next. Analyzing data allows businesses to foresee needs, preferences, and potential challenges, enabling proactive engagement strategies that resonate with the audience.
### Challenges and Considerations
While diving into engaging audiences with data brings exciting possibilities, businesses encounter a practical challenge: picking the right tools. This step is crucial because doing the analysis manually can eat up time and invite errors. The real challenge is finding tools that fit the unique needs of the business while making data analysis easy and error-free.
### The Bottom Line
In 2024, Engaging Audiences with Data is more than numbers; it's an invitation to forge meaningful connections, understand the intricate dance of the customer journey, and use insights to create experiences that captivate and resonate.
## 3. Revolutionizing Product Development Through Data: From Concept to Market Success
_In the dynamic realm of business innovation, the spotlight in 2024 is also on data-driven product development. It's a significant shift that promises to redefine how businesses conceive, create, and successfully bring products to market._
### Why It Matters
For businesses, data-driven product development is a game-changer. IIt's like tailoring products to what customers want and what the market needs. Instead of guessing and relying on assumptions, businesses can tap into a rich tapestry of data to [understand what customers truly want](https://cux.io/blog/cux-insights-understanding-your-product-through-data/), ensuring that the end product is not just a creation but a solution to real needs.
### Efficiency and Precision
The real power of this approach lies in its ability to optimize efficiency and precision. By analyzing data throughout the product lifecycle, businesses can streamline processes, reduce time-to-market, and allocate resources where they will have the most impact. It's about creating products that resonate in the market while maximizing resource efficiency.
### Tailoring Products to Customer Needs
At its core, data-driven product development ensures that products aren't just created for the sake of innovation but are tailored precisely to meet customer needs. Understanding the pain points, preferences, and behaviors of the target audience allows businesses to design products that seamlessly integrate into customers' lives.
### Challenges and Considerations
The realm of data-driven product development in 2024 comes with intricate challenges. Seamless data integration requires meticulous planning, posing a complexity to address. Meeting the skill set requirements of the workforce emerges as a crucial consideration. Balancing data insights with creative innovation is pivotal, along with overcoming challenges like interpreting ambiguous data and ensuring consistent product quality. Managing organizational inertia, adapting to dynamic markets, and addressing evolving skill demands highlight the landscape's complexities. Strategic solutions to these challenges not only refine processes but also unlock the full potential of data integration throughout the product lifecycle.
### The Bottom Line
In 2024, data-driven product development isn't an add-on to the usual way. For businesses, it's an invitation to integrate data into the very DNA of product creation, ensuring that each offering is a result of informed decisions and a deep understanding of what users really need. It's not just about putting products out there; it's about launching things that people will love, all guided by insights from data.
## 4. Ethical Data Practices: Building Trust in the Age of Privacy Concerns
_In the era where data plays a starring role, ethical data practices take the spotlight. Brands must prioritize transparency, user consent, and data security. By sticking to strict ethical standards, businesses can foster trust with their audience, assuring them that their data is handled responsibly._
### Why It Matters
For businesses, ethical data practices are more than just compliance; they're a strategic must-have. In an era where privacy concerns are significant, consumers are becoming more cautious about how their data is handled. By embracing ethical standards, businesses can set themselves apart, creating a reputation as trustworthy guardians of user information. This, in turn, lays the foundation for long-term customer loyalty and brand advocacy.
### Challenges and Considerations
Navigating the landscape of ethical data practices comes with its set of challenges. Striking the right balance between data utilization and user privacy requires careful consideration. Businesses need to grapple with evolving regulations, ensure clear communication about data usage, and implement robust security measures. This is particularly crucial when selecting analytical tools, where robust security measures must be prioritized. The challenge extends beyond mere adherence to standards; it involves actively showcasing a dedication to ethical practices. Ensuring data security throughout the entire analytical process becomes paramount, emphasizing the responsibility businesses bear in handling data ethically and responsibly.
### Requirements for Ethical Data Analytical Tools:
- **Security Measures**: The tool should have robust [cybersecurity platform](https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/cybersecurity-platform/){.do-follow} features to protect user data from unauthorized access and breaches.
- **Compliance**: It must comply with relevant data protection regulations and standards to ensure legal and ethical data handling.
- **Transparency**: The tool should provide clear insights into how it processes and utilizes data, fostering transparency in data practices.
- **User Consent Mechanism**: A built-in mechanism for obtaining and managing user consent is crucial to ensure that data usage aligns with user preferences.
- **Data Anonymization and Encryption**: The tool should support practices like data anonymization and encryption to safeguard user identities and sensitive information.
- **Regular Updates**: Regular updates to the tool ensure that it stays current with evolving security standards and regulatory requirements.
- **User-Friendly Interface**: An intuitive and user-friendly interface assists users in understanding and navigating the tool's features, promoting responsible data practices.
- **Compatibility**: The tool should be compatible with a variety of systems and platforms, ensuring seamless integration into different business environments.
- **Data Governance**: The tool should support effective data governance, allowing businesses to define and enforce policies related to data access, usage, and retention.
### The Bottom Line
In 2024, ethical data practices are not a mere checkbox on a compliance list; they are a cornerstone of sustainable business success. Beyond legal obligations, businesses embracing ethical data practices are better positioned to cultivate trust with their audience. The bottom line is clear: trust is a currency that, once earned through ethical data handling, pays dividends in the form of customer loyalty, positive brand perception, and sustained success in the competitive digital landscape.
## Conclusion
2024 is on the horizon, and the future belongs to those who wield the power of data strategically. From Data-Driven Decision Making revolutionizing marketing to Engaging Audiences with Data crafting meaningful connections, and Revolutionizing Product Development Through Data reshaping innovation, this is the era of precision, agility, and success.

Yet, amidst the data-driven ascent, let's not forget the ethical trail. Ethical Data Practices are not a checkbox; they are your foundation for trust, loyalty, and sustained success.

As you gear up for 2024, make these areas your focal points. Dive into the depths of data, create connections that resonate, innovate with purpose, and champion ethical practices. Here's to your success in 2024 – may it be a year of data-driven triumphs! Good luck!

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As we're getting set for 2024, many of us are wrapping up, drawing conclusions, and gearing up for the new year. In light of this, we've put together some essential suggestions to focus on.

As we're getting set for 2024, many of us are wrapping up, drawing conclusions, and gearing up for the new year. In light of this, we've put together some essential suggestions to focus on, helping you shape a powerful strategy and plan your actions for successful 2024. Join us in turning lessons into strategies and aspirations into achievements.

The Future is Data: Key Focus Areas for 2024

In this article, we'll look into the origin of the term, understand what red herrings are in the context of digital behavioral analysis, provide examples, and discuss strategies to distinguish between real anomalies and mere distractions.
## What is the origin of the term “Red herring“? {#What-is-the-origin-of-the-term-“Red-herring“?}
The term "red herring" has quite an interesting origin. There is no fish species called "red herring", rather it is a name given to a fish (usually herring) prepared in a particular way - strongly cured in brine or heavily smoked. This process gives the fish a strong smell and can even turn its flesh red. According to an old story, a pungent red herring was pulled along a trail until a puppy learned to follow the smell. Later, when the dog was being trained to track the faint odor of a fox or a badger, the trainer would drag a red herring across the animal's trail to confuse the dog with its strong scent. Eventually, the dog would figure out to stick to the original scent rather than getting distracted by the stronger one. This practice gave rise to the term "red herring" to describe a misleading clue that diverts attention from the real issue.

![red herrings](https://content.cux.io/uploads/red_herrings_1ed26ef5f7.png)

## What are Red Herrings in Digital Behavioral Analysis
As in any other analytical field - in digital behavioral analysis red herrings are data points that may seem significant at first glance but, upon closer inspection, prove to be inconsequential or even misleading. These anomalies can arise from various sources, such as technical glitches, changes in user behavior, or random fluctuations. To better understand red herrings, let's explore a couple of examples:

**Traffic spikes**: Imagine noticing a sudden surge in website traffic. While it's tempting to celebrate this apparent popularity boost, it could be a red herring. The spike might result from a bot attack or a one-time event unrelated to genuine user interest.

**Abnormal conversion rates**: Suppose there's a sudden increase in conversion rates on your e-commerce website. Although it may initially seem cause for celebration, this could be a red herring if the spike is driven by a specific demographic or location that doesn't align with your target audience. Investigate whether these conversions are genuine or if they result from a technical glitch or fraudulent activity.

**Engagement time and time-on-page anomalies**: Parameters like time-on-page and engagement are often used to evaluate user interest in content. For instance, a sudden drop in time-on-page or engagement might be interpreted as users losing interest, but it could be caused by changing content and media so users can quickly find the information they seek. Alternatively, it might result from an auto-refresh feature that creates a new pageload in our tool while, for the user, it's still the same page and content.

**Anomalies in Experience Metrics**: In CUX, we use Experience metrics, such as Rage or Dead Clicks, Zooming, Chaotic Scrolling, and others to identify reasons behind user frustrations and gain valuable insights for website optimization. However, depending on the context of user behavior, these metrics can sometimes be red herrings. Imagine observing a spike in [Rage Clicks](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/) on your product pages. The heatmap reveals that most of those clicks are concentrated around product gallery navigation arrows. While the initial conclusion might be that the element is broken, it could also be a way users navigate through your gallery—swiftly clicking on an arrow to reach a product picture they are interested in.

Explore insights on assessing user experience using Experience Metrics in our Knowledge Base article, [How do I know the user experience on my website isn’t good?](https://help.cux.io/support/solutions/articles/103000101297-how-do-i-know-the-user-experience-on-my-website-isn-t-good-).

## How to Distinguish Between Genuine Anomalies and Red Herrings
Identifying whether an anomaly is a red herring or a genuine cause for concern is crucial for effective digital behavior analysis. Here are some strategies to help differentiate between the two:

1. Contextual understanding: Examine the anomaly in the context of your overall web data. Is it consistent with your website's typical patterns, or does it stand out as an aberration? [Understanding the broader context can help assess the anomaly's significance](https://cux.io/blog/cux-insights-understanding-your-product-through-data/).
2. Correlation with events: Check if the anomaly coincides with any specific events, such as marketing campaigns, website updates, or external factors. Understanding the timeline can provide insights into the cause of the anomaly.
3. User feedback and behavior analysis: Engage with user feedback and [analyze user behavior data](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/). If an anomaly corresponds with negative user experiences, it might be a genuine issue. On the other hand, if users are unaffected or unaware, it could be a red herring. The best way to do it in CUX is through visit recordings. CUX provides you with various sorting and filtering options that will help you to watch only those most relevant recordings and get to the answers as quickly as possible. 
4. Conduct long-term analysis: Leverage your analytical tools to dig deeper into the data. Look for patterns, correlations, and outliers. In CUX we recommend to extend the retention period to be able to validate whether an anomaly is a consistent trend or a one-time occurrence.

In the fascinating world of digital behavior analysis, red herrings may steer us off course if we don't spot and tackle them. By delving into their origin, exploring everyday examples, and using smart analysis strategies, web analysts can cut through the clutter. This helps them zero in on the valuable insights that shape well-informed decisions. The secret lies in approaching anomalies with a keen eye, always on the lookout for the real story behind the data.



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In the world of web analysis, deciphering data and uncovering valuable insights can be a challenging task, much like solving a puzzle. 

In the world of web analysis, deciphering data and uncovering valuable insights can be a challenging task, much like solving a puzzle. Similar to seeking hints in a puzzle, we search for unusual data in our analysis. However, even these hints can be tricky and make us go the wrong way, just like puzzle pieces that seem right at first but confuse us later. In web analysis, we call these misleading hints "red herrings." They can make things puzzling, so we have to be careful and smart to understand what's really happening and what's hidden in the data.



Navigating the deep waters of data: unraveling the mystery of red herrings

## URLs - the foundation of good information architecture {#URLs---the- -foundation-of-good-information-architecture}
The URL structure of a website acts as the cornerstone of its informational architecture. A thoughtfully designed website structure improves user experience and facilitates in-depth website analysis. While it contributes to a positive user journey, it plays a crucial role in providing a clear roadmap for analytical tools to interpret and dissect the content on your site. The benefits extend beyond user satisfaction, impacting the precision and depth of your website analytics. Let's explore some examples of well and poorly structured URLs in the context of different website types.

### Travel Website
 
✅ **DO**: example.com/destinations/europe/paris-exploration

In this case, users and analytics tools easily understand that this URL leads to information about exploring Paris within the broader context of European destinations. The structured URL enhances both user experience and facilitates comprehensive website analysis.

❌ **DON’T**: example.com/index.php?id=123

In contrast, this poorly structured URL lacks meaningful information and readability. Analyzing such URLs becomes challenging, potentially resulting in incomplete or inaccurate insights, impacting both user experience and data analysis.

### E-commerce Website

✅ **DO**: example.com/categories/electronics/smartphones/iphone-13

For an e-commerce site, a well-structured URL includes categories (electronics, smartphones) and specific product details (iphone-13). This not only aids users in understanding the page but also facilitates precise analysis of product categories and individual product performance.

❌ **DON’T**: example.com/product.php?p=5678

On the other hand, a poorly structured URL lacking descriptive segments makes it challenging for users and analytical tools to discern the product or category. This hinders both user experience and detailed analysis.

### Blog Website

✅ **DO**: example.com/topics/technology/latest-gadgets-review

In a blog setting, a well-structured URL includes clear topics and context, as seen in this example about the latest gadgets review. This enhances user understanding and aids analytical tools in categorizing and analyzing the content effectively.

❌ **DON’T**: example.com/latest-gadgets-reviev

Here, a poorly structured URL without descriptive segments provides little context about the content. Analyzing such URLs becomes less straightforward, impacting both user comprehension and detailed segmented analysis.
## Enhancing analysis through additional parameters in URLs
Going beyond the basics, adding extra details to your website URLs can be a game-changer for in-depth analysis. It's like adding extra tools to your analytical toolbox, helping you fill gaps and take your insights to the next level. Now, let's look at some straightforward examples in different scenarios:
### Tracking User Search:
- example.com/search?query=keyword&type=web

Parameters like "?query=keyword&type=web" assist in tracking user searches for specific content types. Analyzing such parameters allows for insights into popular search queries and preferred content types, contributing to a more personalized user experience.
### Selecting Product Parameters:
- example.com/product/laptop?brand=dell&specs=16GB_RAM

Parameters like "?query=keyword&type=web" assist in tracking user searches for specific content types. Analyzing such parameters allows for insights into popular search queries and preferred content types, contributing to a more personalized user experience.
### Filtering Blog Posts:
- example.com/posts?category=tech&author=johndoe

In a blog setting, parameters like "?category=tech&author=johndoe" help [track user](https://cux.io/website-tracking/how-to-track-user-activity-on-website/) interactions with specific content categories and authors. Analyzing these parameters contributes to understanding popular topics, authors, and tailoring content to audience interests.
### User Engagement Metrics:
- example.com/product-details?leave-review=true

In this scenario, the parameter "?leave-review=true" signifies that the user has expressed intent to leave a review for the product. Analyzing this parameter provides valuable insights into user engagement with the review functionality, allowing businesses to encourage and facilitate the review process further. This data is instrumental in understanding user sentiments and improving the overall review collection experience.
### Pagination Depth Tracking:
- example.com/articles?category=news&page=3

In content-heavy websites, tracking pagination depth with parameters like "?category=news&page=3" provides insights into how far users navigate through paginated content. This helps optimize content presentation and assess user interest in specific sections.
### Event Tracking for Virtual Conferences:
- example.com/virtual-event/session?topic=ai&speaker=jane_doe

For virtual events, parameters like "?topic=ai&speaker=jane_doe" assist in tracking user engagement with specific sessions. Analyzing these parameters provides insights into popular topics and speakers, enhancing the planning of future virtual conferences.
## Code matters
The cleanliness and organization of your website's code significantly impact the ease of analysis. Use proper HTML tags, CSS styles, and JavaScript functions to ensure a well-structured and readable codebase. This not only facilitates analysis but also makes your site more maintainable and scalable.

**Semantics matters**: remember to use correct HTML elements. When you want your user to interact with website, introduce links: 
<pre>tag:&lt;a/&gt;</pre>
or buttons:
<pre>tag:&lt;button/&gt;</pre>
try to avoid generic elements like: 
<pre>tag:&lt;div/&gt;</pre>
Even if you handle correctly interactions using java script, analytics tools may have problem with correct identification of the purpose of these elements

**Using Proper IDs**: Assigning proper IDs to elements on your webpage is essential for accurate tracking and analysis. For instance, assigning unique IDs to key elements such as navigation bars, forms, and call-to-action buttons enables precise monitoring of user interactions. Suppose you have a subscription form on your website. Assigning a unique ID to the form fields and submit button, such as: 
<pre>&lt;input id="subscription-form-email"&gt;</pre>
<pre>&lt;input id="subscription-form-submit"&gt;</pre>
allows you to track user interactions accurately. You can analyze how many users are submitting the form, identify any drop-off points, and optimize the form for better conversions.

**Overall Clean and Tidy Code Practices**: Adopting good coding practices, such as indentation, commenting, and consistent naming conventions, contributes to code tidiness. A clean codebase is not only easier to analyze but also promotes collaboration among developers and ensures the long-term sustainability of your website.

In conclusion, building webpages with easy website analysis in mind is a fundamental aspect of a successful online presence. From optimizing URLs to maintaining clean and tidy code, every aspect contributes to a seamless analytical experience. For any further questions or assistance, feel free to contact our support team. Building a website for easy analysis is an investment in the success of your online venture, and we are here to help you every step of the way.

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In the fast-paced digital landscape, where data is key to making informed decisions, the importance of building webpages for easy analysis cannot be overstated.

In the fast-paced digital landscape, where data is key to making informed decisions, the importance of building webpages for easy analysis cannot be overstated. Whether you are a business owner, marketer, or a web developer, understanding how to structure and organize your website for seamless analysis is crucial for optimizing performance and user experience.

How to build websites for easy analysis: a comprehensive guide

## What's the offer about?

Our Vouchers open the door to a world of possibilities in the realm of digital experience analytics. These vouchers represent a **pre-purchased ticket** to unlock the full potential of our digital experience analytics tool, allowing you to gain invaluable insights into user behavior, optimize your digital assets, and elevate your overall online presence. Enter our world at any time within the 12-month period after your purchase, and let the journey to enhanced digital experiences begin!

## Why Buy the Voucher Now?

### Securing Future Budgets
One of the standout reasons to purchase the Vouchers is the ability to allocate remaining budget for this year effectively. By investing in a voucher now, you secure funds for next year's activities, ensuring that your digital experience analytics remain uninterrupted.
### Future-Proof Your Strategy
Stay ahead of the digital curve by future-proofing your strategy. Vouchers ensures on demand access to our analytics tool or services, providing you with a competitive edge.
### Enhanced Analytics Capabilities
With CUX.io, you're not just getting analytics; you're unlocking a suite of powerful tools to understand user interactions, optimize user journeys, and enhance overall user satisfaction. Whether you're a seasoned subscriber or a newcomer to our platform, there's something valuable for everyone.

## Types of Vouchers
Choose from our array of vouchers tailored to meet diverse needs:
- CUX.io **Business**: Ideal for gaining insights into user interactions.

![business voucher view](/uploads/11_8bc0bc556d.png)

- CUX.io **Business+**: Perfect for comprehensive digital experience optimization.

![business+ voucher view](/uploads/10_741bed94de.png)

- **Audit**: Let us uncover hidden potentials with a detailed analysis of your digital ecosystem.

![audit_voucher_view](/uploads/9_f3d213e00f.png)

- **Insights**: Elevate your strategies with in-depth 12 smaller monthly audit formats worth 4800 EUR.

![insights vouchers view](/uploads/12_c12d52b076.png)

## Who Can Benefit?
- **Digital Marketers**: Optimize campaigns, understand user engagement, and refine marketing strategies with the power of cux.io.
- **E-commerce Entrepreneurs**: Enhance the shopping experience, optimize conversions, and boost customer satisfaction to drive long-term success.
- **UX/UI Designers**: Design with precision by leveraging insights derived from our digital experience analytics. Create user-centric designs that resonate with your target audience.
- **IT and Development Teams**: Empower your development teams with data-driven decisions. Identify performance bottlenecks, troubleshoot issues, and ensure seamless digital experiences for your users.

## How to Secure Your Voucher:
Ready to seize the advantages offered by our Vouchers? Follow these simple steps to make your purchase:

**Choose Your Voucher Type**

Explore our range of vouchers, including options like Annual Business Subscription, Annual Business+ Subscription, Audit, and Insights. Each voucher is designed to cater to specific needs, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your requirements.

**Contact Us**

Ready to make your purchase? Reach out to us by sending an email to [sales@cux.io](mailto:sales@cux.io), filling out the form on the left or calling us at <a href="tel:+48792178563">+48 792 178 563 </a>. In your message, be sure to specify the type of voucher you're interested in and include the necessary details for your VAT invoice.

**Terms and Conditions**

Before finalizing your purchase, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the [terms and conditions](https://content.cux.io/uploads/Terms_of_Use_for_CUX_io_Vouchers_0c33536a5e.pdf) associated with cux.io Vouchers. Understanding the guidelines ensures a smooth and transparent experience throughout your voucher journey.

**Secure Your Voucher**

Once you're ready, our team will guide you through the process to secure your voucher efficiently. Whether you're a current subscriber or new to cux.io, our vouchers are designed to enhance your digital analytics capabilities.

**Explore, Optimize, Elevate**

With your voucher secured, you're now equipped to explore, optimize, and elevate your digital experiences. Dive into our suite of tools, uncover valuable insights, and take control of your online presence.

Remember, the power to enhance your digital strategy is just an email away. Contact us at [sales@cux.io](mailto:sales@cux.io) or <a href="tel:+48792178563">+48 792 178 563 </a> to embark on a journey to unparalleled digital insights with cux.io Vouchers!



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Do you want to make the most of your remaining budget this year and set the stage for a successful digital experience strategy in 2024? 


Do you want to make the most of your remaining budget this year and set the stage for a successful digital experience strategy in 2024? Look no further than the cux.io Vouchers, designed to empower your organization with cutting-edge digital experience analytics. 


Secure Your Digital Analytics Advantage with CUX.io Vouchers

## The Unexplored Potential of UTM Parameters {#The-Unexplored-Potential-of-UTM-Parameters}
For too many enterprises, UTM parameters remain an untapped or even undiscovered asset, lying dormant, and waiting to unlock their potential to inform, guide, and optimize marketing strategies. The consequences of this neglect are significant: **marketing budgets may be allocated ineffectively, campaigns could fall short of their potential, and chances to fine-tune strategies may pass by unnoticed.**

![UTM parameters](/uploads/UTM_parameters_7ed4ffc28f.png)

Even though UTM parameters are quite simple yet powerful, many businesses tend to either overlook their importance or hand off their management to external agencies. The result? **A gap in understanding and communication that unfortunately prevents valuable marketing data and insights from reaching the decision-makers who need them the most.**
## It's Time for a Change: Maximizing Marketing with UTM Parameters
UTM parameters can turn the data into actionable insights that can drive your enterprise forward. Whether you are a marketing specialist, a business owner, or a decision-maker in your organization, UTM parameters can become your most valuable ally, not just on Black Friday, but in every marketing campaign.

In the following sections, we will provide you with full understanding UTM tagging. You'll learn what UTMs actually are, how to choose the right parameters, what are the best practices to follow and common mistakes to avoid. **This read will empower you to take charge of your marketing data and make informed, data-driven decisions.** 
## What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM parameters are a way to track and analyze the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts, particularly in the context of website traffic. UTM stands for "Urchin Tracking Module," which was initially developed by Urchin Software Corporation (later acquired by Google) and is now commonly used in Google Analytics and other analytical tools. 

It's a set of tracking parameters added to the end of a URL. These parameters, often referred to as UTM tags or UTM codes, serve as data tags that help to identify and categorize the sources of traffic that lead users to your webpage. 

With UTM parameters you will be able to answer questions like:
- **Where did the traffic come from?** (e.g., social media, email, a specific website)
- **Which specific marketing campaign or ad led to the visit?** (e.g., a specific Facebook ad, email newsletter, or banner on a partner website)
- **What specific content or link within that campaign was clicked?** (e.g., a specific post, button or an image)
## UTM Key Components
UTM parameters consist of key-value pairs separated by the "?" and "&" symbols in a URL. The 5 standard UTM parameters you can use are:
- **utm_source**: This parameter indicates the source of your traffic, like a search engine (e.g., Google), a specific website (e.g. Example Domain ), a social media platform (e.g. Facebook), or an email newsletter.
- **utm_medium:** It defines the medium or type of marketing actions, such as "cpc" for cost-per-click advertising, "organic" for organic search, or "email" for email marketing.
- **utm_campaign:** This parameter is used to specify the marketing campaign or promotion, such as a Black Friday sale or a product launch.
- **utm_term:** While typically associated with paid search campaigns, this parameter can specify the keywords that triggered an ad or led to a particular click. This one can help you understand which keywords are driving traffic.
- **utm_content:** This parameter can be used to differentiate between different elements within the same campaign, such as various ad variations, links within an email, or specific calls to action.

Here's an example of a URL with UTM parameters:

![utm link example](/uploads/httpscux_ioutm_source_facebook_and_utm_medium_cpc_and_utm_campaign_Black_Friday_and_utm_term_sale_and_utm_content_ad_variant_1_800_x_150_px_62b1f6c52b.png)

As you can see, it serves as a valuable tool for understanding the effectiveness of your online marketing activities. But now the big question is, **how to leverage the power of UTM tagging in the most effective way**. 

To explore the answers and gain deeper insights, download our **[UTM Cheat Sheet](https://cux.io/download-free-utm-cheat-sheet/)** with best practices, naming convention guide, and a case study:

[![UTM Lead Magnet](/uploads/UTM_Lead_Magnet_99a0a6cf6e.png)
](https://cux.io/download-free-utm-cheat-sheet/)

## Using UTM Parameters for Black Friday Marketing
As Black Friday is just around the corner, the stakes are high for the majority of enterprise's marketing campaigns. This is the time when marketing departments go all-in with their budgets to ensure a successful season of promotions. That's why tracking and measuring every activity is absolutely essential, particularly during this critical period. Luckily, UTM tags are ready to help you with:

**Distinguishing multiple promotions**: On Black Friday, it's common to run multiple promotions simultaneously. UTM tags will allow you to differentiate between these promotions with ease. For instance, you can use unique campaign names in your UTM tags for each promotion, such as "BlackFridaySale" and "BFBundleDeal."

**Measuring individual performance**: With UTM tags, you can track the performance of each Black Friday promotion separately. This means that you can precisely measure which promotion is driving more traffic, conversions, or revenue. For example, by using distinct UTM tags for different banner ads or email campaigns, you can directly attribute their impact on sales.

**Identifying top sources**: UTM codes help you identify which traffic sources are most effective. Whether it's social media, email marketing, or paid search, you can see which sources deliver the most valuable traffic and allocate resources accordingly.

**Optimizing ad spend**: Thanks to knowing which promotions and traffic sources are performing well, you can optimize your ad spend. This insight allows you to allocate your budget where it matters most, ensuring a better return on investment during the Black Friday season.

**Tailoring content**: UTM tags can even be used to measure the performance of different content elements within your Black Friday campaigns. For example, you can track the effectiveness of different banners, call-to-action buttons, or email content, which will help you to fine-tune your messaging.

**Staying agile**: Real-time monitoring of UTM-tagged data during Black Friday will enable you to make immediate adjustments. If one promotion is underperforming, you can shift resources or refine your strategy to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

The most important thing is **not to let Black Friday marketing be a gamble**. Embrace UTM parameters to make data-driven decisions, maximize your ROI, and rock this Black Friday season and beyond.
## Data Analysis and Reporting: the Power of UTM Insights
After deploying UTM parameters in your marketing campaigns, the real magic happens when you harness the data they've collected. It's all about turning numbers into actionable insights. Here is how to make it happen:
1. **Data Collection and Centralization**:
- Gather all that UTM-tagged data from various sources and campaigns.
- Keep it organized in one place, like your trusty analytics tool.
2. **Tracking Key Metrics**:
- Define key metrics that align with your campaign goals, such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and, of course, revenue.
- Monitor these metrics and watch how they change over time with the analytical tool of your choice.
3. **Your Custom Reports and Dashboards**:
- Build custom reports and dashboards within your analytics tool to focus on the most relevant data.
- Turn your key metrics into visual wonders that are easy to understand and, more importantly, act upon.
4. **Comparative Analysis**:
- Compare data across different campaigns, sources, and mediums to identify what's working and what needs improvement.
- Analyze trends and patterns to make informed decisions for future campaigns.
5. **Data-Driven Optimization**:
- Use the insights from your UTM data analysis to optimize marketing strategies, allocate budgets effectively, and refine content.
- Experiment with A/B testing and other optimization techniques to continually improve performance.
6. **Periodic Review and Adjustment**:
- Regularly review and adjust your UTM-tagged campaigns based on data analysis.
- Be agile in responding to real-time insights, especially during critical marketing periods like Black Friday.

With these steps, you'll turn the raw data from your UTM parameters into actionable insights that drive success in your marketing campaigns. 

Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Fear not. When equipped with the right analytics tool, you can focus on the most important aspects: reasoning and decision making. Let CUX take care of the rest. As a digital experience analytics tool, it offers even more capabilities than you might expect. With CUX, you can [explore your customer's journeys](https://cux.io/blog/analyzing-user-behaviors-in-cux-step-by-step-guide/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blogpost&utm_campaign=UTM) and how they navigate your website, gaining a full picture view of their behavior through the campaign.
## Conclusion

In a nutshell, UTM tracking for promotions is a vital yet often overlooked aspect of digital marketing. UTM parameters, though simple in concept, hold the potential to transform the way enterprises track, understand and optimize their marketing strategies. When you don't use it, you risk wasting your budget and missing out on valuable insights.

By understanding UTM parameters, leveraging best practices discussed in our **[UTM Cheat Sheet](https://cux.io/download-free-utm-cheat-sheet/)**, and using them strategically during critical periods such as Black Friday, marketers can:

- **Differentiate multiple promotions and measure their individual performance**
- **Identify top-performing traffic sources to effectively allocate resources**
- **Optimize ad spend for a better ROI**
- **Tailor content elements to fine-tune messaging**
- **Stay agile and adjust strategies in real-time**

Furthermore, the power of UTM insights is unleashed through data analysis, reporting, and data-driven optimization. By centralizing data, tracking key metrics, creating custom reports, and performing comparative analysis, marketers can continually refine their campaigns, responding to real-time insights and optimizing their strategies for success.

And if this all sounds a bit overwhelming, don't worry. There are analytics tools like [CUX](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_source=website&utm_medium=blogpost&utm_campaign=UTM) that can help you make sense of the data and focus on what really matters: making your marketing strategies a big success. So, don't let UTM tracking be the unsung hero of your marketing efforts. Embrace it, and watch your campaigns thrive!

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In the digital marketing landscape, some concepts might seem like low-hanging fruit—obvious and simple to grasp. Yet, there's one topic that, though unquestionably useful and essential, often remains in the shadows.


In the digital marketing landscape, some concepts might seem like low-hanging fruit—obvious and simple to grasp. Yet, there's one topic that, though unquestionably useful and essential, often remains in the shadows, and doesn't get the attention it deserves. We're talking about UTM parameters.



From Black Friday to Beyond: Mastering UTM Tracking for Promotions [FREE UTM CHEAT SHEET]

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Why settle for a one-size-fits-all approach when you can harness the power of user data for customized solutions? 

Why settle for a one-size-fits-all approach when you can harness the power of user data for customized solutions? Think hyper-personalized email campaigns, product suggestions that resonate, and timely offers that convert. The good news, this article will walk you through the ins and outs of behavioral segmentation to make smart marketing decisions.


Using Behavioral Segmentation For Data-Driven Business Decisions

## Why do we need to understand products through data at all? {#Why-do-we-need-to-understand-products-through-data-at-all-?}
Numbers are an integral part of our daily lives, serving as a universal language for understanding, quantifying, and communicating with the world around us. In other words, they're like the building blocks that shape our understanding and help structure the reality we are calibrating throughout our lives. Is 100 grams of candies a lot or not? If my plane is one hour delayed, will I be able to catch another flight? How many guests are we expecting at the party? What is the average salary in the industry? 

All this extends seamlessly to the world of digital products. Web analysis started back in the early '90s and has become even more important and relevant with the rise of the Internet. So if you're reading this article - you're probably not a total stranger to web analysis as well. You may already understand that achieving success goals goes beyond merely tracking product sales or campaign conversion rates. To truly thrive, you must dive into data to see and understand your product from your customers' perspective.

Data serves as a reflection and measurement of people's real interactions with your product in the real world. Understanding digital products through data is crucial for creating user-friendly products that drive business success. Data insights reveal how users interact with websites and web apps, helping us decide what features to focus on, how to improve the user experience, and what content to show each person. It also guides us to decide on resource allocation, performance monitoring, and security measures. In other words, data empowers us to make good choices and stay competitive in the ever-changing digital world.

## What are the types of data and what do we need them for?
Let’s start by exploring the types of data. While data could be categorized in various ways, when it comes to digital behavior analytics, I find the following classification particularly helpful:
<br>

![data types avocado](/uploads/data_types_2_bdb74ad754.svg)


### Registered data
Registered data refers to quantitative information that users either provide explicitly or that is generated as a result of their actions on a digital platform. This data is typically structured and stored in databases, making it easy to analyze using mathematical and statistical techniques. Examples of registered data include:

- **User profiles**: information like age, gender, location, and preferences that users provide during registration or account setup.
- **Transaction history**: details of purchases, including item names, quantities, prices, and payment methods used.
- **Engagement time**: the amount of time that users spend actively interacting with a webpage or website during a single session.
- **Conversion rates**: the percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
- **Traffic sources**: the specific origin or channel through which users come to a website.

Registered data provides a solid foundation for evaluating the overall performance of your product and is essential for detecting anomalies and identifying seasonality and trends.

### Observed Data
Observed data is the qualitative information gathered by monitoring how user interact with a digital platform. This type of data provides insights into user behavior, preferences, distractions, and pain points, allowing for a deeper understanding of user experience. For example:
- **Session recordings**: video recordings of user sessions that capture mouse movements, clicks, and other interactions with elements on a website or app.
- **Heatmaps**: visual representations of user activity that highlight areas of high and low interaction on a webpage.
- **User testing notes**: observations and comments made by UX researchers while conducting [user testing sessions](https://cux.io/blog/what-s-the-difference-between-user-testing-vs-usability-testing/).

Observed data plays a crucial role in uncovering reasons behind anomalies, identifying navigation paths, and pinpointing areas with potential for improvement. It can also shed light on user intentions and frustrations.

### Voice of the Customer (VoC)

**Voice of the Customer** (VoC) refers to feedback and comments users provide about their experiences, preferences, and opinions regarding a product. It is also a type of qualitative data that is often unstructured and can be collected through various channels, such as:

- **User surveys**: Feedback gathered through surveys or feedback forms, providing subjective insights into user opinions and experiences.
- **Customer reviews and ratings**: Feedback left by customers on dedicated platforms, along with star ratings.
- **Social media mentions**: Comments, posts, and messages on social media platforms discussing a product or service.
- **Customer support interactions**: Conversations between customers and support agents, including chat logs, emails, or phone call transcripts.
- **User-generated content**: Content created by users, such as forum posts, blog comments, or user-submitted photos and videos.

Voice of the customer captures direct feedback from users, helping us to understand what they really want, what they like or dislike, and what problems they face.

## Working with different data types for a holistic view of your product
Every type of data complements each other and, when combined, offer a complete view on a product. Relying on each data type separately will give you only one side of the picture. For instance, you might observe rising cart abandonment rate, but you don’t know what causes it, or you may notice rageclicks on a heatmap, but have no idea what's their impact a purchasing process. Similarly, a bug report form one person provides limited insight into whether it's an isolated issue or affects more users.

To truly understand your product, it's crucial to leverage all three types of data - but there are a few ways it can be done. In my work, I usually use these three approaches:

1. Getting an overview of a product
2. Distinguishing anomalies from the norm
3. Building user flows and user personas

Now, let's explore how to achieve this analyzing data in CUX, either independently or alongside other data sources.

### How to get a clear picture of your product's performance

A product overview provides a comprehensive understanding of a product or its key parts, including its features, functionality, and how users interact with it. Think of it as a snapshot of the product's performance and user engagement. To build a solid foundation for further analysis, it's important to identify the main characteristics of your website or app traffic. This will help you understand the scale of certain user actions or easily spot anomalies.

The key player in this process is (of course :)) qualitative registered data, which provides essential metrics and statistics. Engagement metrics, traffic sources, demographic data, device usage, and many more - all contribute to measuring and describing our product or its segments (for example - a segment of converting users or traffic from a specific campaign). 

In CUX the best way to gather all basic stats about a product or its segment is by setting a Goal:

- A wide range of events will help to set a lot of segments based on user actions (clicks, page loads, form usage) or traffic sources.
- If you want to get an overview of all collected visits simply create a goal with an event "Pageload", comparison type “Contains“ and "/" in a Relative URL field. Since every visit in CUX includes at least one page load, and every URL has "/" in it - this setting will capture 100% of the visits collected in CUX.

![event configurator](/uploads/event_configurator_dc0699bb16.png)

However, metrics aren't the only way to understand a product. Heatmaps offer an excellent way to dive into how large groups of users interact with a product. They provide a visual representation of user behavior data, highlighting areas of engagement and potential sources of frustration. 

CUX offers several valuable features for gaining an overview of your products through heatmaps:

- **A wide range of events**: In CUX you’ll find numerous heatmaps types that allow you to explore and analyze user behavior based on their interactions. These include regular clicks, link clicks, deadclicks, [rage clicks](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/), mouse moves, and zooming.
- **Grouped heatmaps**: This feature allows you to visualize aggregated data from multiple pages on a single heatmap. It can be extremely useful for grouping pages based on the same template (like a product page or article) or for grouping the same page with different parameters (e.g. a landing page that can be accessed via Facebook, Google Ads, or paid campaigns; or a thank-you page after a purchase, where each customer receives a unique purchase ID added to a link as a parameter). 

## How to tell real anomalies from the norm?
An anomaly in data refers to an observation or data point that significantly deviates from the expected or typical pattern of the dataset. In simple terms, it's something that stands out as unusual, like finding a red apple among a bunch of green ones. To distinguish a real anomaly from the norm, you compare it to what you normally expect to see based on past data or established standards. If it appears very different from the expected pattern, it's likely an anomaly.

![red apple anomaly](/uploads/red_apple_93c6faeb1b.png)

Anomalies provide clues for deeper [user behavior analysis](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/), as they often signal usability issues, technical problems, or sources of frustration. However, depending on the context of the product, what may seem unusual or abnormal in one situation could actually be completely normal in another. 

For example: imagine you're analyzing website traffic for an online store. On a typical day, the website receives 1,000 visits. Yet, during a special promotion, the traffic spikes to 5,000 visits in a day. In the context of the special promotion, the higher traffic of 5,000 visitors becomes the new norm. While it might appear as an anomaly when compared to regular days, in this specific context, it's perfectly normal.

## Using CUX to Detect and Analyze Anomalies

So, how can you use CUX to identify and analyze anomalies effectively? Here's my go-to method:
1. **Get a good overview of the entire product or its specific section**, depending on your analysis strategy and goals, as discussed above.
2. **Detect anomalies**. The most common examples are:
- Drop-offs on Waterfall steps that are significantly higher than other steps;
- Dense heatmap areas for Experience Metrics, such as rage clicks, dead clicks, or zooming;
- Significant differences in metrics between traffic segments. For instance, in a comparison between converting and non-converting segments, you might notice that the majority of visits come from mobile devices, while most conversions occur on desktops.
- Growth or drop in metric values when comparing two periods. It could be any metric in Goals or Experience Metrics values.
3. **Check for possible external factors that might be causing these anomalies**. These could include seasonal changes, increased traffic from promotions (as mentioned earlier, website design/functionality changes, or adjustments to your tool's configurations). This is the first step in distinguishing anomalies from the norm.
4. **Investigate what user actions are behind these anomalies** that weren't explained by external factors. CUX makes this step easy by linking almost every anomaly in data to relevant user recordings. Whether it is a drop-off on a step in user journey, a metric in a goal, or a page URL in the Experience Metrics tab, you're just a few clicks away from uncovering what specific user behavior caused an anomaly. Keep in mind that some anomalies may turn out to be a type of norm, like users rapidly clicking navigation arrows in a product image gallery to view their desired product faster. Initially, without any context, this action might be mistaken for rage clicking.
5. Remember that there are cases where understanding the user's intent behind a specific action is crucial. It is a perfect moment to **reach for Voice of Customer**(VoC) data to enrich your analysis with direct insights from your users. For example, if you've observed that many users are leaving their shopping carts without completing a purchase, simply watching recordings may not reveal why exactly they're not buying. This is especially true when there are no critical issues on the page. Therefore, it could be a good moment to run an additional survey on that page to find out why users abandon their carts. You might discover that users need more time to make a decision, are unsatisfied with the delivery costs, or are waiting for some promotions or coupons. This information could reveal that the anomaly you initially identified is actually a norm for your specific product.

## How to build user flows and personas based on your data?
Every UX/Product designer knows that user flows and personas are often created in the early stages of [product development](https://inwedo.com/services/product-development/){.do-follow}. However, once the product is up and running, it is essential to revisit and refine it based on the data you've collected. It's important because it ensures that your product is designed and fine-tuned with a deep understanding of how real users actually interact with it. 

Data-driven personas allow you to construct profiles that reflect the actual preferences and needs of your audience, guiding the development of features and content. User flows based on data streamline the user experience, leading to improved conversion rates and user satisfaction. This approach minimizes guesswork, optimizes resource allocation, and ultimately leads to a more user-centered and successful product.

### How to build user flows using CUX:

1. **Collect observed data**: Begin by analyzing visits recordings, click and move Heatmaps to understand how users currently navigate through the product. If you have a clear endpoint for a flow, such as a purchase or submitted form, consider setting a Goal. This will help you filter all relevant visits more efficiently, allowing you to spend less time searching and more time analyzing user behavior and watching recordings.
2. **Identify common paths**: Use the insights from your observed data to identify the most common user paths and interactions. Pay attention to the starting point of each journey and its length - not every user journey starts from the main page; some users may return directly to their shopping carts or even to the checkout page.
3. **Map out user flows**: Create visual representations of user flows incorporating the common paths and interactions you've identified. In CUX, you can do this by building a Waterfall. This feature not only displays the mapped-out flows but also helps you [track user](https://cux.io/website-tracking/how-to-track-user-activity-on-website/) drop-offs, discover reasons behind them, and monitor their progress over time.

To create effective user personas, leverage various types of data. Registered data like age, location, and preferences help categorize users. Voice of the Customer feedback provides insights into pain points and motivations, enriching persona profiles. Observed data obtained from session replays and heatmaps uncovers common behaviors, refining personas to reflect user behavior and preferences more accurately.

CUX is particularly well-suited for creating behavioral-based personas. It offers various ways to create Goals based on single or multiple events, delivering an ideal representation of behavior-based segments (e.g., filling a specific form, using promo codes, visiting specific pages, or using a website search). When combined with the basic statistics automatically provided for each goal, like device usage, traffic source, or entry page visits, it enables a deeper understanding of your product from your users' perspective.

**Ready to harness the power of data for your product? Begin a free CUX trial and take your user insights to new heights!**

<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TkOPT698Vzw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>

<button>[START FREE TRIAL](https://app.cux.io/register?utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=CUXInsights)</button>



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In the world of digital products, it's crucial to understand and improve how users experience them. This article explores how data is the key to achieving this goal. 

In the world of digital products, it's crucial to understand and improve how users experience them. This article explores how analyzing data is the key to achieving this goal. We will focus on: <br>

</br> <ul>•     Three crucial data types: Registered data (user numbers), Observed data (user actions), and Voice of the Customer (user feedback)</ul>
<ul>•     How, using these data types, you can enhance your product, detect issues, and refine user paths and profiles.</ul>
<ul>•     The importance of recognizing anomalies, understanding user intent, and utilizing tools like CUX to make the process efficient and effective. </ul>


CUX Insights: Understanding your product through data

Tools for qualitative behavior analysis are a must-have for e-commerce businesses aiming to thrive in a highly competitive market. Luckily, there are several universal ways to optimize user paths.

## 1. Shorter path {#1.-shorter-path}
The customer journey, especially the one leading from social media to the store, should be as straightforward and intuitive as possible. Pay attention to the areas where customers need to fill in or check certain information. If an advertisement promises a discount code, provide the autofill option in the shopping cart. Remember that the consumer has already taken a certain path to reach your product. So, if you are promoting a specific item, set up the campaign to lead directly to the purchase with a single click. If you are promoting a group of products, filter them for the customer. The conversion will surely thank you!
![After transitioning to a footwear store's website on a mobile phone, it takes several minutes(!) before the customer sees the product](/uploads/After_transitioning_to_a_footwear_store_s_website_on_a_mobile_phone_it_takes_several_minutes_before_the_customer_sees_the_product_56142f0368.png) _<center>After transitioning to a footwear store's website on a mobile phone, it takes several minutes(!) before the customer sees the product</center>_

## 2. Source and goal traffic analysis
The source of traffic you want to analyze is incredibly important. A store that receives 90% of its traffic from marketplaces will build the customer journey differently compared to a store that relies solely on brand image campaigns. Make sure to use the grouping feature for visit recordings specific to a particular source. It's a goldmine of knowledge!

## 3.	Default browsers
In most cases, a significant portion of e-commerce traffic comes from mobile phones. Therefore, the content, especially advertisements, is displayed on default phone browsers like Mobile Safari (iOS) or Samsung Browser (Android). These browsers rarely convert. Why? Often, during the user journey design process, they are overlooked or not given enough attention. To determine whether default browsers can affect the quality of user experiences in your case, compare conversions on several different browsers.

![High traffic with a low (or zero) conversion rate should be a red flag in your analysis](/uploads/High_traffic_with_a_low_or_zero_conversion_rate_should_be_a_red_flag_in_your_analysis_06443d6697.png) _<center>High traffic with a low (or zero) conversion rate should be a red flag in your analysis</center>_

Don't forget about frequent updates! Native browser creators often update or completely change their usage policies. This can have a direct impact on the quality of your website displays. These are also tools that often do not save cookies by default!

## 4.	Eliminating frustrations

Minor frustrations usually do not impact the final purchasing decision of customers. However, the situation changes dramatically when these frustrations concern critical points of your sales funnel, such as registration or checkout.

![The CUX algorithm detects and defines [user behaviors](https://cux.io/blog/analyzing-user-behaviors-in-cux-step-by-step-guide/) that can influence a decrease in conversions (Experience Metrics)](/uploads/The_CUX_algorithm_detects_and_defines_user_behaviors_that_can_influence_a_decrease_in_conversions_Experience_Metrics_8867a49c60.png) _<center> The CUX algorithm detects and defines user behaviors that can influence a decrease in conversions (Experience Metrics) </center>_

One frustration that e-commerce stores often overlook is issues with checkboxes. It frequently happens that checkboxes required for form completion are too small, too close to the screen edges, not sensitive enough, or not marked with an appropriate color indicating their necessity. This leads to a multitude of negative emotions in users.

## 5.	Eliminating failures
Often, during customer journey analysis, it becomes evident that the path that does not lead to conversion is more significant than the path leading to a purchase.

![Visits that do not result in a sale are three times longer and have twice the engagement time](/uploads/Visits_that_do_not_result_in_a_sale_are_three_times_longer_and_have_twice_the_engagement_time_b5cb8991f3.png) _<center> Visits that do not result in a sale are three times longer and have twice the engagement time </center>_

To understand and diagnose the problems users face, you need a comparative analysis. By comparing behaviors of customers who achieved their goals versus those who did not, you can quickly identify "forks" or points where non-converting users deviate from the purchase path. Selecting recordings specific to the funnel and goal can help you with that.


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For e-commerce businesses, ensuring the comfort of customer experiences throughout the customer journey is a make-or-break situation. 

For e-commerce businesses, ensuring the comfort of customer experiences throughout the customer journey is a make-or-break situation. With a vast competition, relying on behavioral analysis seems like the perfect solution. After all, what better way to design the customer journey than by analyzing it from the perspective of users' actual emotions and frustrations?

5 ways to optimize the customer journey

## What do you need quantitative data for {#What-do-you-need-quantitative-data-for}

Its main purpose is to measure website performance and user behavior in a quantitative, numerical manner, providing an overview of how many, how much, and how often users interact with your website. It is also crucial for identifying seasonality, trends, patterns, and anomalies in user data, especially in long-term analysis.

### Here are a few examples of questions quantitative data can answer:
- How many users visit the website each day, week, or month? Are there any specific days or hours when traffic is the highest?
- What are the most popular pages on the website and what are the average time user spends on them?
- What is the conversion rate for specific actions (e.g., sign-ups, purchases)? How many of these actions were performed last week, day, or quarter?
- Which traffic sources drive the most visitors to the website (e.g., organic search, social media, paid ads)? Which of those sources better convert to specific actions?
- What devices and browsers do users use to access the website?

## What do you need qualitative data for
Qualitative data in web analysis plays a crucial role in gaining a deeper understanding of user behavior and preferences. It serves to unveil the context behind the quantitative data. Depending on your chosen analytics tool, it can help you understand users' motivations, pain points, distractions, opinions and perceptions about your website. Additionally, qualitative data enables you to map out the most popular user flows and create data segments or user personas, all based not on demographic data but on specific actions and behavior patterns.

### What questions it can answer:
- Why do users visit the website? What are they searching for, and where are their main areas of focus?
- What problems or frustrations do users face when navigating the site or using specific functions?
- What features or content do users find most valuable and engaging? Are there any signs of hard-to-find/scan/read content?
- What are users' expectations and preferences when interacting with the site or navigating through it?
- What do users think about the website's design, usability, and content? What improvements or changes do they suggest for the website?

## How to combine quantitative and qualitative data
By combining both types of data, you can gain a more holistic understanding of your website's performance and user experience. Quantitative data answers the "_WHAT_", “_WHEN_“, and "_HOW MUCH_" questions while qualitative data provides you with the "**WHY**" and "**HOW**". 
### Here's how they work together:
- **Understanding high bounce rates**: If your quantitative data shows a high bounce rate on a particular page, qualitative data can reveal that users find the content confusing or irrelevant. Additionally, quantitative data may help you to segment the visitors of that page, identifying which segment performs the worst - for example it could be a specific traffic source, device, or browser. Qualitative data will then uncover the specific problem behind it, whether it’s the wrong landing page for a campaign, misleading search results, or problems with layout.
- **Boosting conversion rates**: Quantitative data might reveal that your e-commerce site has a low conversion rate. Qualitative data can then uncover that users are hesitant to trust the payment process due to security concerns, lack of their preferred delivery method, or a technical issue that doesn’t allow them to proceed further. This approach is not just theoretical, it has delivered significant results for companies like T-Mobile. You can read more about how T-Mobile overcame a conversion drop and experienced an impressive overnight increase of 68% in conversions by combining quantitative and qualitative insights [here](https://cux.io/case-studies/business-optimization-study/from-insight-to-impact-t-mobile-s-68-overnight-conversion-surge-1/?utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=from_metrics_to_motivations).

## How can CUX help you in combining both types of data:
CUX is a unique tool that combines both quantitative and qualitative data, making your web analysis even more straightforward. Here’s what sets CUX apart:

1. **Amount of collected data**: Analyzing only 3-5% of your traffic increases the likelihood of accidental findings and conclusions. It’s challenging to ensure sufficient statistical significance and data variability in such a small sample. CUX, on the other hand, captures all possible visits. You simply select the appropriate monthly traffic level when purchasing a subscription. This ensures the most comprehensive overview and enables you to identify and deepen the qualitative analysis without risking distorted results.
32. **Auto-collected events**: CUX automatically gathers all basic events like clicks, scrolls, page loads, and form submissions. It also employs algorithms to capture Experience Metrics such as Rage and Dead clicks, Rage key presses, Chaotic Movement and Scrolling, Zooming, and Bounce Backs. This minimizes the time needed for tool configuration and provides a better understanding of the overall user experience and potential frustrations.
33. **[Goals](https://help.cux.io/support/solutions/articles/103000125053-goals?utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=from_metrics_to_motivations) and [Waterfalls](https://help.cux.io/support/solutions/articles/103000126757-waterfalls?utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=from_metrics_to_motivations)**: These are features designed to track specific user actions or sequences. Goals not only provide visit counts with defined actions but also furnish additional metrics related to those visits, such as devices, traffic sources, top entry pages, and user activity on a weekly basis. Waterfalls are indispensable for examining user flow through a series of steps, including success rates and drop-offs at each step.
34. **Segmentation options**: In addition to Goals and Waterfalls, CUX offers various segmentation options. Recordings can be precisely analyzed by applying different filters, such as device characteristics, browser language, visit length, engagement time, new or returning visitors, [Experience Metrics](https://help.cux.io/support/solutions/articles/103000094403-experience-metrics?utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=from_metrics_to_motivations), and many others. Additionally, you have the option to save a filtered recordings segment for easy access whenever needed.
35. **Linking quantitative and qualitative data**: Heatmaps and recordings offer qualitative data for observing user behavior. To fully unlock their potential, it’s best to approach them with quantitative data. CUX integrates its quantitative features like Goals, Waterfalls, and Experience Metrics with Heatmaps and Recordings, enabling you to swiftly uncover the reasons behind anomalies or points of frustration.

And that’s not all CUX offers in terms of combining both types of data. Here are some proven tips to elevate your analysis: 

1. **Extend data retention**: When selecting a subscription plan, CUX allows you to determine how long it will retain your collected data. We recommend extending this period to at least three months. Doing so not only enables you to collect and analyze more data but also helps you track trends and seasonality more effectively. This is particularly crucial for businesses with longer conversion cycles or a higher proportion of regularly returning customers.
40. **Leverage other quantitative analytical tools**: Consider incorporating other quantitative analysis tools to complement your CUX data. While these tools may require more complex setup and configuration, they can assist in tracking advanced events, providing a quicker overview of website traffic, or delving deeper into collected data. Don’t hesitate to utilize available resources to enhance the efficiency of your analysis and the accuracy of your decisions.
41. **Integrate CUX with Google Analytics (GA)**: If you have GA installed on your website, we recommend integrating your CUX project with a Google Analytics property. This integration enables CUX to capture User IDs or GA4 Session IDs and push CUX recording URLs to GA. By doing so, you open up more opportunities for segmentation and in-depth analysis of the data you collect.

To summarise all the above, CUX is a versatile tool that seamlessly combines both quantitative and qualitative data for efficient web analysis. It stands out with features like comprehensive data collection, auto-captured events, user action tracking, and efficient ways of linking quantitative and qualitative data together, offering valuable insights to enhance user experiences and decision-making based on data. Take the first step toward improved web analysis by [exploring CUX](https://app.cux.io/register?pk_vid=c363adaf610009df169512402426aa71&utm_source=blogpost&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=from_metrics_to_motivations) for yourself today!


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The trend of user-centricity has reached unprecedented heights in the product analytics market. It’s no longer enough to know which product sells better or which article gets lots of views. Success comes from seeing things through your customers' eyes. 

The trend of user-centricity has reached unprecedented heights in the product analytics market. It’s no longer enough to know which product sells better or which article gets lots of views. Success comes from seeing things through your customers' eyes. And the best way to do that? Mix the hard numbers with the human touch - combine quantitative and qualitative data. While each type of data serves distinct purposes and unveils various facets of user behavior, they complement one another seamlessly. Together, they can help you understand your audience better and make informed decisions across various aspects, including website optimization, content development, user experience, marketing strategy and more.

From metrics to motivations: How to combine quantitative and qualitative data

## Double the momentum, double the impact

[Earning the title of a "Momentum Leader"](https://cux.io/blog/g2-winter-report-2023/) back in Winter 2023 within the **Digital Analytics** category was a remarkable achievement. But we've upped the ante this time! We've spread our wings and soared high in two fresh categories: **Session Replay** and **Heatmap Tools**. 

It's not just about maintaining momentum; it's about setting the pace. And the G2 Fall 2023 Report proves that. Below, you'll find more key takeaways, and we hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do!

![G2 BADGES](/uploads/G2_FALL_2023_b19532e566.jpg)

### A legacy of excellence in Europe

Consistency is the name of the game, and we've mastered it. We've proudly held the title of **High Performer** in Europe for **12 consecutive times**. This clearly shows our strong commitment to delivering top-notch solutions to our European clients.

### Best in support for the 8th time ❤️

We're not just here to offer cutting-edge tools, we're your dependable support system. And it's official — our support has been named the **BEST** for the 8th time! Your success is our driving force, and we're here to make sure you achieve it.

### Breaking ground in customer journey mapping recognition

For the very first time, we've earned our spot in the rankings for Customer Journey Mapping tools. Our recognition spans across renowned reports, including:

- Europe Regional Grid® Report for Customer Journey Mapping
- EMEA Regional Grid® Report for Customer Journey Mapping
- Momentum Grid® Report for Customer Journey Mapping

And this achievement underscores our commitment to helping businesses understand their customers' journeys better. We're not just about data. We're all about creating smoother and more meaningful customer experiences that drives sales. 

### The grand entrance in the EMEA scene

We're not just a European favorite anymore. In the G2 Fall 2023 Report, we've stormed into the EMEA market and made our presence felt. Notably, we're mentioned in 12 EMEA rankings. What's even more thrilling? We've secured a spot in the TOP 10 in two of them. We're going global, and it's just the beginning.

## Join our journey: share your thoughts!

Remember, you're not a mere spectator. You're an integral part of our journey. Your feedback fuels our relentless pursuit of excellence. So, why not join in and leave a review on G2? Together, we're shaping the future of digital experiences.

<button>[LEAVE US A REVIEW](https://www.g2.com/products/cux-io/reviews)</button>

Stay tuned for more thrilling updates as we keep racing toward excellence — one Momentum Leader badge at a time. :)


**About G2 Reports:**

G2's quarterly reports provide valuable insights based on real feedback from software users. These reports are created by collecting reviews from the G2 community, social media, and various online sources.

G2's quarterly reports provide valuable insights based on real feedback from software users. These reports are created by collecting reviews from the G2 community, social media, and various online sources.

G2 highlights companies that stand out for their excellent products and user experiences in these reports. They consider factors like how happy customers are, how well-known the company is, and how good the product is.

In recent years, G2 has established itself as a trusted authority in software reviews, helping many people and businesses make smart software choices.



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Get ready to celebrate because CUX is riding high with the Momentum Leader badge in not one, but two categories in the G2 Fall 2023 Report. It's like having a double espresso shot of success! 

CUX named Momentum Leader for the second time [G2 Fall 2023 Report]

It all starts with designing businesses and services based on the customer's perspective. To implement such an approach in your e-commerce, you must begin your journey with [user behavior analysis](https://cux.io/blog/the-basics-of-user-behavior-analysis-cux-complete-guide/). Why? Of course, to finally discover the true customer journey. And "true" in this case doesn't necessarily mean planned. It's one that includes not only the path but also all its stops, such as comparing products in different tabs, returning to the shopping cart, checking shipping costs, stepping away from the computer to answer the phone (session time), and a bunch of other small scenarios.

## What is conversion in e-commerce? {#What-is-conversion-in-e-commerce?}
You probably already know that conversion is that wonderful situation when a user performs an action that you desire. Although there are many examples of conversions, in the world of e-commerce, it's common to think of conversion as a single event, meaning a completed payment.

However, in reality, a conversion can consist of many different events, such as filling out a form correctly, going through several points on the website, signing up for a newsletter, etc. Therefore, even small improvements to the website or customer journey can translate into improved results.

## Can intentions be measured?
Measuring the conversion rate for sales is rather trivial, and most analytics tools can do it for you. The problem usually arises when you want to measure... purchase intent. Because can something as elusive as intent be a conversion?

Yes! If we treat the conversion as a [goal](https://cux.io/knowledge-base/what-is-a-goal/) fulfillment, determining the moment when a customer has a purchase intent can be crucial for further optimization.

![Measuring purchase intent as a goal in cux](/uploads/Measuring_purchase_intent_as_a_goal_in_cux_io_0acadc2bb0.png)
_<center> Measuring purchase intent as a goal in cux.io </center>_

Capturing visits where purchase intent appeared (but no actual sale occurred) gives you extremely valuable information – potential customer problems that prevent them from completing the purchase. With such an approach, your optimizations should lead to acquiring more valuable traffic and attracting more and more satisfied customers to your store.

## New approach to conversion - Conversion 2.0
To optimize the "real" customer journey (i.e., one that is broader than the one we planned), we cannot think of conversion as a narrow path. Hence, the concept of [Conversion 2.0](https://cux.io/blog/e-commerce-conversion-rate-2-0/), which includes not only **sales** (checkout) but also **marketing** and **product**.

![conversion optimization infographic](/uploads/When_you_think_about_conversion_optimization_don_t_just_focus_on_sales_but_on_all_points_where_the_customer_comes_into_contact_with_your_store_34ad7feb03.png)
_<center>When you think about conversion optimization, don't just focus on sales, but on all points where the customer comes into contact with your store.</center>_

**Marketing activities** are everything that should lead the customer to the ultimate conversion, which largely includes traffic from referrals (external links). In this case, we often focus on quantitative statistics such as CPC (Cost per click), CPA (Cost per action), ROI (Return on investment), bounce rate, clicks, etc., to test the quality of the campaign.

However, to properly optimize marketing activities, it is worth looking at them as part of a larger picture – conversion 2.0. Because these first points of contact can turn out to be the most important determinants of the final outcome of your sales.

[Product optimization](https://cux.io/solutions/product-optimization/) involves everything that is related to your store from a technical point of view. Changes in forms, better CTA (Call to Action), redesign of product pages, easier customer journey, streamlining the payment process, and more.

How do we optimize the [customer journey](https://cux.io/solutions/customer-journey-analytics/) in the context of the product? We shorten it! Why? Primarily because customers are not always strongly motivated to make a purchase. It's not uncommon for a momentary and fleeting whim to lead them to your e-commerce site. Therefore, the longer the path to conversion, the more time there is for them to change their minds!

![conversion 2.0. cux view](/uploads/conversion_2_0_64e89b52ff.png)
_<center> The full view of the customer journey enables you to find more places to optimize and increase the satisfaction of your customers. </center>_

As Paulina Walkowiak, CEO of cux.io, says: 

>Your biggest competition is not other companies, but your customers' problems. 

Therefore, remember that conversion optimization is not just about the last steps of the sales funnel (cart, checkout). To make optimizations meaningful, step back a few steps and look at the entire customer journey – from marketing communication to product interaction. **This is the best way to optimize conversion 2.0**.




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Do you hear the word "conversion" and automatically think about sales? You're not wrong! But you're only adding one piece to your business puzzle. 

Do you hear the word "conversion" and automatically think about sales? You're not wrong! But you're only adding one piece to your business puzzle. A broader, more holistic approach to conversion will allow you to optimize profits on a larger scale. Let us introduce you to Conversion 2.0!



Conversion rate 2.0 – how analytics increases conversion?

By studying behaviors and making small improvements at each stage of an e-commerce store's life, CUX helps increase conversions and prevent their decline almost instantly. So, how do you start the analysis with CUX?

## Implementing the code and enabling integration {#implemeting-the-code-and-enabling-integration} 
To get started with the tool, you need to perform a few simple steps:

1. **Account Creation**: Start by setting up your account.
2. **Project Setup**: Create a project for the website you want to analyze. We've streamlined this process with our onboarding, which now takes just a few minutes.
3. **Integration**: Add a project tracking code to your website. The quickest and most convenient way to do this is through Google Tag Manager (GTM). Once you've created a CUX tag and published your GTM settings, the CUX database will start collecting data automatically.

CUX automatically captures all events on your web pages, so you don't need specialized knowledge to set up technical parameters upfront to be able to collect them.

![CUX integrations](/uploads/integrations_CUX_2326ae7cb3.png)
_<center> You can integrate your CUX project with Google Analytics (GA) - it will allow CUX to capture User ID or GA4 Session ID or push CUX recordings URLs to GA </center>_

## Setting the goals
One of the most helpful features in CUX is Goals. Its main aim is to assist you in filtering visits based on any desired event or series of events. This way, you can easily access relevant data and visit recordings linked to specific user actions.

![setting the goals CUX view](/uploads/setting_the_goals_CUX_cf48ff8c22.png)
_<center> CUX Goals editor offers a set of predefined events that will help you catch almost every type of user behavior </center>_

Goals in CUX are designed to spotlight visits that lead to conversions (completed orders, ebook downloads, form submissions etc.). Additionally, they can be configured to track specific user actions, such as interacting with a form field, clicking a link or button, or monitoring visits from various traffic sources. The best part? There's no limit to the number of goals you can set for each project, and every one of them will retrospectively filter your accumulated data, providing you with immediate insights. Plus, the setup process for Goals in CUX is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly, requiring no technical expertise.

## Designing the paths (Waterfalls)

Waterfalls represent a user journey that we define by setting specific user actions in a specific order. 

![setting up conversion waterfall](/uploads/conversion_waterfall_6acafd3087.png)
_<center> The Conversion Waterfall that is presenting the user's path can consist of multiple steps – remember that their order is important </center>_

Every step within a Waterfall reflects a user's move, and the succession of these steps crafts a storyline to follow. User behavior rarely sticks to a straight line; it frequently takes twists and turns that can seem random or unexpected. Waterfalls help you track it and uncover valuable insights. 

Thanks to Waterfall you will see the number of visits that initiated the path you set, how many progressed through each subsequent step, the count of drop-offs, and the percentage of those visits that successfully reached the final destination. You will also have access to visit recordings at each drop-off, allowing you to quickly identify errors and frustrating points for users. Additionally, you can use the Comparison feature to easily compare how your Waterfall performs in different periods of time.

For instance, picture a Conversion Waterfall: Homepage > Product Category > Product Page > Cart > Checkout > Order Confirmation.

![conversion drops ](/uploads/CUX_conversion_drops_493814933d_3b30d2ae5c.png)
_<center> Waterfall - Conversion Drop </center>_

By mapping out a sequence of actions you can see on which stage the users drop out and immediately identify their issues like broken links or graphics that remind them of call-to-action.

## Tracking frustrations (Experience Metrics)

CUX's algorithm detects and defines user behaviors that may impact conversion rates negatively. Experience Metrics include repeatable behaviors such as [rage clicks](https://cux.io/blog/what-is-a-rage-clicks/), rage key presses, content zooming, multiple page loads and refreshes, and erratic mouse movements. And there’s even more on the way – we have exciting plans to introduce new metrics like dead clicks, chaotic scrolling, and bounce back, further enhancing your understanding of user behavior (Stay tuned!).

![Experience metrics new view](/uploads/New_Experience_Graphic_no_bg_3080217155.png)
_<center>CUX will select visit recordings that exhibit behaviors indicating frustrations</center>_

**Experience Metrics enable almost instant identification of areas that may trigger user frustrations, ultimately decreasing overall usability of your website.**

## Analyzing behaviors (Recordings + Heatmaps)

Visit recordings and heatmaps serve as powerful tools for gaining insights into customer behavior. Together, they allow you to visualize how users interact with your website, pinpoint areas that may lead to frustrations, uncover optimization opportunities, and assess the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.

While we encourage thorough analysis, it's important not to randomly watch all recordings. Instead, we recommend a more focused approach: prefilter them using goals or waterfalls and concentrate on those that capture specific user behaviors.

Keep in mind that analyzing recordings helps you identify **recurring behavior patterns in how people use your website** and find out why some may get frustrated or leave. But it takes time, so it's a good idea to start with a general look before diving into the details.

![heatmap example](/uploads/heatmap_da9469a1ab.png)
_<center>Heatmaps visually represent user engagement in your store</center>_

Global analytical trends are shifting towards the integration of both quantitative and qualitative data, allowing for a more profound understanding of a product from the user's perspective. Behavioral analysis is no longer just a novelty but has become an essential stage in planning the development of any e-business. So, if you are serious about developing your digital product it's about time to enhance your analytical toolset with observed user behavior data.





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By studying behaviors and making small improvements at each stage of an e-commerce store's life, CUX helps increase conversions and prevent their decline almost instantly. So, how do you start the analysis with CUX?

cux.io is the first UX & Analytics Automation tool that helps digital products, especially in the e-commerce industry, eliminate issues with sales-blocking. By combining qualitative and quantitative data, as well as utilizing neuromarketing and behavioral analysis, it allows for the almost instant identification of user problems and frustrations and matching them with appropriate solutions in a matter of minutes.


Analyzing User Behaviors in CUX: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Improve User Experience on your E-Commerce Piotr Jacek

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Elevate your e-commerce platform's user experience (UX) by implementing the integrated SXO approach, harmonizing SEO, CRO, and UX principles. 

The concept of SXO, which combines SEO (search engine optimization), UX (user experience) and CRO (conversion rate optimization), has been extremely popular recently. The primary goal of SXO is to encourage potential customers to visit our website from organic search results, keep them on the website, and lead to conversion. It can be a purchase, filling out a specific form or downloading a document.

How to Improve User Experience on your E-commerce?

## What is the impact of pricing? {#What-is-the-impact-of-pricing?}

In general, every business has four potential levers of profitability increase:

1. You can decrease your overall variable costs, e.g., costs of unit materials or shipping costs
2. You can decrease your fixed costs, e.g., move to a cheaper office, reduce headcount
3. You can try to increase sales volume, e.g., open yourself to new markets
4. You can increase the price, e.g., reduce discounts or increase the unit price (e.g., according to a [markup calculator](https://timeular.com/calculators/markup-calculator-free/){do-follow})

Whatever you think of this approach, it's easier said than done. Just think about how hard it Is to sell one additional product. You must attract the customer, primarily via expensive Google or Facebook ads, ensure conversion, and service the deal.

Similarly, when it comes to costs, it takes time, may impact your effects of scale, and it's not easy to do quickly. Most likely, it will take you months rather than days or weeks. Just imagine renegotiating your rent prices with your current landlord. Or imagine the psychological toll of reducing your headcount. 

**Price, on the other hand, is the only marketing lever that impacts your revenue. Directly. It's visible from Day 1.**

Good pricing allows you to boost your e-commerce EBITDA by +1.5% at least. However, we have seen cases of 5-10% top-line improvement.

So why do so few people try to do anything with their prices? Fear, my friend. Managers feel they might over-tweak them, impacting conversion, or customers will leave for the competition. That's true, but only if done in the wrong way. Bad things won't happen if you analyze suitable datasets properly. In this article, we are not focusing on the pricing strategies but only on the things that are required to even think of it correctly. **Here are the datasets you need to have to play with more sophisticated pricing strategies:**

1. Transactional data
2. SKUs, categories, and margins on every level 
3. Traffic, conversion, and attribution data
4. Competition prices

## Why are transactional datasets critical?

Intuitive, but analysis of your transactions is effectively your first touchpoint. You need to pull out the list of your transactions for the period that defaults the seasonality. Once you have this, you can start looking at the basket size, items purchased, and, most importantly, the cross/up-sell opportunities, in other words, which items bundle together and which go separately. 

If you move fluently here, you can merge it with other datasets to get a bigger picture.

Transactional data are also crucial for two reasons: you can fully understand the impact of your promotional activities, the size of average discounting, and move towards any elasticities. 

**Getting into products: SKUs, categories, and margins**

It's only one part of the story when you look at transactions. Another layer is to get into the segmentation details of products and categories they are in. The important part is to understand the margin waterfall and how it compounds. One thing is to sell the product at a specific price with a 70% discount, but you need to get the whole story. More or less, you should have the following waterfall logic: list price from your catalog, discounted price, deduct costs of shipping, costs of purchases, and ideally, you can blend the ads in. 

![cascade pricing model chart](/uploads/cascade_82da3035ce.png)

![price waterfall chart](/uploads/price_waterfall_f5516da41d.png)

![value price waterfall chart](/uploads/value_price_waterfall_c9a06c9c3a.png)

## How to handle the traffic and conversion smoothly?

Traffic and conversion are the meat and bone of the e-commerce store. 

You will face two challenges – first, how to blend traffic and conversion data to reduce the number of dimensions to X, Y. We suggest using something we call an inverse conversion, which is effectively an index combining how many SKU visits you need to have to get a sale. Once you have this, compare it with margins, revenue, categories growth, and everything else. This is game-changing when it comes to insights. 

Secondly, you need to be able to separate the organic traffic vs. ads so you get a real view of offers' popularity. In general, the more organically popular your offer is, the more likely it is something we call a Key Value Item. KVIs are effectively responsible for your price positioning and perception. If you price highly on these items, it might affect your conversion. However, you also need to compare it with competitors.

## Competitive data and web scraping

Probably the hardest to obtain, but you can't create a sophisticated B2C e-commerce strategy without it. Why does it matter? Because without that, you won't be able to differentiate which items are the most comparable with your competition and which are not. The KVIs mentioned above are these types of products. They're the ones that build the traffic, generate demand, and most likely enjoy high comparability. If you don't monitor your closest peers, then it's pretty hard to label the right SKUs.

Another challenge is how to make it happen. There are plenty of price monitoring tools, but if you have a Python expert on board, it should be pretty easy to scrape their websites with detailed product names, attributes, etc.

The tricky thing is to map them. I recommend using EANs as a comparison baseline when it's possible. If not, you probably need to be smarter and look for segmentation data among actual attributes. If that won't work, try using the categories as a starting point.
Price comparisons and competitive mapping are the most challenging part of the pricing game, so be cautious. 

## What to do next once I have the data?

First of all, getting it right will take some time, so it's good to start the process now.
In the meantime, I recommend learning more about e-commerce and retail pricing strategies. Especially the approach towards KVIs, mid-range products, and long-tail items might be challenging initially. Next, I suggest getting into elasticities and cross/up-sell modeling. 

If you're equipped with the knowledge and have key enablers, you can probably think of a strong profitability project directly focused on prices and promotional activities.

Whatever you decide to do, whether trying on your own or hiring external support, consider pricing and commercial aspects as often as possible. There is no faster and cheaper ROI than the investment in prices. 





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Discover how leveraging the right datasets can supercharge your e-commerce profitability. 