Evaluate branched target processes
The funnel or target process analysis is about mapping specific steps that lead to a defined goal. In this way, it is possible to find out how many users successfully go through the individual steps and at which point or at which step the most abandonments occur and thus consequently the greatest leverage for optimisation exists.
A simple target process could be:
Entry page → Form → Thank you page
So far so simple in terms of set-up and analysis. However, it becomes more complicated in the following two scenarios:
1. Steps can be skipped between the beginning and the end of the process.
In the e-commerce ordering process, for example, the steps fan out depending on whether the order is placed as a new customer, an existing customer or as a guest, or depending on the payment method (e.g. express checkout via Paypal & Co.). In this case, the analysis must distinguish between users who jump from one step to the next or skip a step and immediately switch to the next. Jumps must not be counted as cancellations!
2. Different process entries lead to the same process end.
For example, several entry pages could lead to the same form:
Entry page 1 → Form → Thank you page
Entry page 2 → Form → Thank you page
The challenge here is to be able to distinguish between the entry pages in the subsequent steps, i.e.:
What is the conversion rate from entry page 1 to the form and submission versus entry page 2 to the form and submission.
The solution for both scenarios: the skip option
In order to be able to correctly record and evaluate both cases, there are the skip settings when configuring website target processes:
Skipping should be allowed for the eCommerce order process, but not for the fanned-out analysis according to entry pages. If skipping is prevented, target pages and events can also be assigned to several processes as steps.
Funnel or target process analyses are very useful for identifying potential for conversion optimisation. etracker Analytics offers a very powerful tool for this, both for simple and complicated paths to conversion.