How to use web analytics to improve your website: from data to decisions

Do you want your website to sell, attract, and retain customers? Start with web analytics—set key metrics and track user behavior. Read on to find out what tools you need, how to use them to identify weaknesses, and how to strengthen your website's strengths.

What is web analytics and why is it necessary

What is web analytics? It is the process of collecting, processing, and analyzing data about customer behavior on your website. It allows you to track various metrics, including:

• number of page views;
• number of unique users;
• scroll depth, clicks on elements;
• conversion rate (e.g., placing an order or subscribing to a newsletter).

Why is web analytics necessary? First and foremost, it allows you to make decisions based on accurate data rather than guesswork. This allows you to understand which pages are working effectively and which ones need improvement.

At the same time, web analytics for business is not just statistics, but a strategic tool that helps make a website effective by:

• understanding your audience — where customers come from, what devices they use, how long they spend exploring the resource;
• analyzing marketing campaigns — showing which sources drive traffic and conversions, and which do not justify the investment;
• identifying weaknesses — which pages users close immediately;
• continuous optimization — testing hypotheses, running A/B tests, improving usability and conversions.

Why do you need website analytics? Because without it, any changes to the design, structure, or content are a shot in the dark. Only accurate data allows you to see the real picture, avoid unnecessary costs, and direct your efforts where they will yield results.

Key website performance metrics

To determine how to increase conversion, pay attention to the following metrics:

• average time on site: if a customer stays on your resource for a long time, it means that your content is interesting to them; if they leave quickly, the site is inconvenient to use or the content does not meet the visitor's expectations;
• page view depth: reflects how many pages a user views per visit. Low numbers are a sign that the structure or navigation needs improvement;
• bounce rate: the number of customers who left the site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate is a warning sign. Most likely, the site does not meet expectations or loads slowly;
• conversion rate: one of the main business indicators, showing what percentage of visitors perform the desired action — fill out a form, leave a request, or purchase a product.

Analyzing metrics allows you to determine what needs to be removed from the site, improved, or left as is.

Tools — Google Analytics, Hotjar

There are many solutions on the market for measuring various metrics. The best web analytics tools not only collect statistics, but also allow you to see how people interact with your resource in real time. Pay special attention to the following programs:

• Google Analytics for websites — a powerful tool that helps track traffic, where customers come from, and user behavior;
• Hotjar — a click map that shows where people click most often and what they ignore.

If you set up these analytical tools in conjunction with each other when developing website, you will have a clear understanding of how users behave. This will allow you to develop effective solutions based on specific data.

How to analyze user behavior

You can analyze user behavior on the website using the following examples:

• website click maps will help you understand what exactly attracts customers: buttons, links, or other interface elements. Analyzing user clicks helps identify “blind spots” and improve them. Also, compare where new and regular customers click to understand how their behavior on the website differs;
• tracking the funnel in GA (Google Analytics) involves setting up a sequence of pages or events that a customer goes through. Analyzing the sales funnel helps identify and eliminate weak points.

By highlighting the main stages of the user's journey (awareness, interest, decision, purchase), you can figure out how to build a sales funnel.

How to turn analytics into action

After collecting and analyzing data, it is important not to limit yourself to numbers, but to develop and implement solutions that will increase the effectiveness of your website. For example:

• improve the user experience — move important elements closer to the “hot spots” of the screen and reduce unnecessary steps in the ordering or registration process;
• optimize UX based on analytics — regularly track key metrics and link them to specific interface elements. Use analytical reports to determine how to improve the UX of your website. Identify weak points — overly long forms, unclear buttons, confusing navigation. Change them by testing and adding more convenient options;
• website content analytics — collect data on which topics, headlines, and formats generate the most audience response. Updating and improving content (articles, product cards) improves SEO optimization and helps attract more customers.

Implementing these steps will help you turn dry analytics into real improvements that will significantly increase user interest in your site.

Mistakes when working with analytics

It is very important to use the services of a specialist who really understands how to work with data and knows about all the common GA mistakes. If you analyze data incorrectly, the cost of mistakes in web analytics can be high. You will get a distorted picture, which will lead to incorrect conclusions and ineffective decisions.

The specialists at the IT company Megasite, who work in Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, know how not to spoil analytics. We not only create websites, but also competently configure all metrics. By contacting us, you will receive accurate data, correct interpretation, and effective solutions for the development of your website and business. Avoid mistakes — entrust your analytics to experts!