Conversion Current 1.3

Hey there, and welcome to part 3/3 of our User Behavior series!

By now we’ve gone through the basics of choosing an analytics tool and getting started. But when it comes to analyzing user behavior to try and optimize a landing page or online store, the quality of your analysis is what makes it worth it. 

If you’re hopping onto Mouseflow to scroll through session recordings without a plan, then you’re making a critical mistake.Think of audience insights as directly related to better conversions (spoiler: they usually are!). And in that case, haphazardly skimming through session recordings is sort of like being handed a wad of cash and allowing it to fall directly through your fingers. Dramatic? Yes. True? Also yes. 

Look: we’re serious about good analysis. And we want you to be, too! So next time you find yourself logging into Mouseflow, Hotjar, etc., pull this page up. You won’t regret it.

How to analyze video recordings for maximum impact:

1. Filter by page

Always, always make sure you’re focusing on one page at a time. For instance, allow yourself one session only looking at the homepage and a second session only looking at a PDP. Patterns emerge more quickly and clearly when you’re watching recordings from the same page, so don’t waste time toggling between multiple and trying to keep track. 

2. Block out an hour per page

When you’re dealing with behavioral data, volume is going to be important and 10 minutes of watching user sessions just won’t cut it. Again, the more time you spend, the more solid your insights and hypotheses are going to be.

3. Note & tally patterns

Start writing down patterns of behavior that you see. For example, where are most people moving their mouse? Clicking? What are they scrolling past, and what are they stopping to read? Pro tip: it helps to add tallies next to the patterns when you see multiple people doing it, so you can quantify importance.

4. Look for signs of confusion

Since you’re limited to silent recording of their scrolling and mouse movements, this one requires a little brain power – but we promise it pays dividends. Try to imagine their thought process as you watch. If they’re continuously scrolling back to the same section, are they seeking specific information that’s missing? Are they rage clicking on something that appears to be interactive but isn’t? This is basically free direction on where to focus your next test – note accordingly!

5. Define common paths

As you watch, try to see if you can define common user paths (for example, “most users do X, then Y, then Z”). Maybe they’re all spending 5+ seconds on a particular part of the page and then skipping over another section. Great news: you can probably lose that section and dedicate more space to the one with high engagement. Defining multiple common paths can lead to some unexpected – and super impactful – hypotheses, so don’t feel the need to stop at one!

6. Record Unexpected Behaviors

Make a note of any unexpected behaviors or weirdness that stand out. For example, if users repeatedly try to click on a homepage image that isn’t clickable or spend unusual amounts of time on an unrelated section of the page, these behaviors could reveal hidden issues that need to be addressed.

Following these analysis basics will not only stop that proverbial free cash from slipping through your fingers, but it will set you up to uncover new test ideas and audience opportunities you couldn’t have otherwise anticipated (something a whole lot of brands are missing out on!). 

Happy analyzing!