The Benefits of Pairing Funnel Analysis with Screen Recordings (With Examples)

Funnel analysis is a popular method used by marketers and product managers to visualize and analyze the flow of visitors along a specific customer journey. By calculating conversion rates at each step of the funnel, they can identify areas where visitors are dropping off and make optimizations to improve overall performance.

However, traditional funnel analysis tools only provide conversion rate numbers without any additional context. This is where pairing funnel analysis with screen recordings can be incredibly valuable. By watching the recordings of visitors who dropped off at each stage, you can gain insight into their behavior and identify specific issues that may be causing drop-offs.

The Value of Pairing Funnel Analysis with Screen Recordings

Pairing funnel analysis with screen recordings provides several benefits that can help improve conversion rates and optimize user experience. Here are a few key advantages:

1. Identifying Obstacles: By watching screen recordings of visitors who dropped off at specific stages of the funnel, you can see if they encountered any error messages or other obstacles that prevented them from progressing. This information can then be used to make quick resolutions and improve conversion rates.

2. Improving Onboarding Process: Screen recordings can be used to analyze how users interact with the onboarding process. By watching their actions and reactions, you can identify areas where users may be confused or facing difficulties. This allows you to make adjustments and provide a smoother onboarding experience.

3. Testing New Features and Design Changes: Screen recordings can provide valuable insights into how users react to new features or design changes. By watching how they navigate through the interface and interact with the new elements, you can gauge their usability and make improvements if necessary.

4. Discovering “Aha Moments”: Screen recordings can help you identify moments where users have a positive experience or make a breakthrough. These “aha moments” can be used to further optimize the user experience and increase retention rates.

Example: Ecommerce Checkout Funnel

To better understand the benefits of pairing funnel analysis with screen recordings, let’s consider an example in the context of an ecommerce site. Suppose you notice a high drop-off rate between users who clicked the “Pay Now” button and those who reached the confirmation page.

With traditional funnel analysis alone, you would only have the conversion rate number and no further information. However, by watching the screen recordings of those visitors, you can see if they encountered any error messages or other obstacles that prevented them from completing their purchase.

For instance, you may discover that some users are unable to proceed because of a technical error or confusion about the payment process. Armed with this information, you can quickly resolve the issue and improve the conversion rate.

How to Do Funnel Analysis with Smartlook

Smartlook is a powerful tool that allows you to combine funnel analysis with screen recordings for in-depth insights into user behavior. With Smartlook, you can define funnels, calculate conversion rates, and watch screen recordings of visitors who dropped off at each stage.

Setting up funnel analysis with Smartlook is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Install the Smartlook snippet on your website to start tracking user behavior.

2. Define events in one of four ways:

3. Use automatic tracked events: Smartlook automatically tracks common events like clicks on buttons or links, form submissions, and page views. You can use these events to define your funnel steps without any additional setup.

4. Use the no-code event picker: With the event picker feature, you can define events by clicking on elements in the user interface of your website or web app. This requires no programming skills and allows you to quickly set up events for your funnel.

5. Define events from recordings: While watching a screen recording, you can pause the recording and turn any user action into an event. This is a convenient way to create events without leaving the recording.

6. Create custom events: If you need to define more advanced events or events specific to your website or app, you can create custom events. This requires some programming skills but allows for greater flexibility in event creation.

7. Once you have defined your funnel and events, you can view additional data in addition to the conversion rates. Smartlook allows you to segment traffic by location, device, or operating system, allowing you to analyze specific segments of your audience. You can also watch screen recordings of the relevant segment to gain further insights.

8. With Smartlook’s API, you can even identify specific users and look up their screen recordings by name or email. This can be useful for providing personalized support to customers who encountered technical issues while using your product.

9. Additionally, you can set up alerts in Smartlook to notify you when the conversion rate for a particular step in a funnel changes. These alerts can help you quickly respond to urgent problems or opportunities on your website, ensuring that you stay on top of any issues that arise.

Overall, Smartlook offers a comprehensive solution for funnel analysis with screen recordings. It combines quantitative analysis from funnel analysis with qualitative insights from screen recordings to provide actionable data for improving conversion rates and optimizing the user experience.

Comparison with Other Funnel Analysis Tools

When choosing a funnel analytics tool, it’s important to consider your specific needs and requirements. Let’s compare Smartlook to four other top funnel analytics tools: UXCam, FullStory, Google Analytics, and Hotjar.

1. UXCam: UXCam is a user experience analytics platform for mobile apps. It offers session replays, heatmaps, and event analytics. While UXCam is focused on mobile apps, Smartlook is suitable for both websites and mobile apps. Smartlook also offers filterable screen recordings, which UXCam does not provide.

2. FullStory: FullStory is an enterprise-grade digital experience platform that focuses on user segmentation. It offers a comprehensive suite of website analytics tools, including filterable screen recordings. However, FullStory may be better suited for larger enterprises, while Smartlook is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

3. Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a free funnel analysis tool that is ideal for analyzing marketing campaigns. While Google Analytics provides valuable insights into website performance, it does not offer heatmaps or screen recordings. Smartlook, on the other hand, combines funnel analysis with screen recordings for more comprehensive analysis.

4. Hotjar: Hotjar is a heatmapping tool that also offers limited funnel analysis features. While Hotjar can provide insights into user behavior, it does not offer the same level of integration between funnel analysis and screen recordings as Smartlook does.

In summary, Smartlook stands out for its combination of funnel analysis with filterable screen recordings. This powerful combination allows for a deeper understanding of user behavior and more actionable insights for conversion rate optimization and user experience improvements.

Conclusion

Pairing funnel analysis with screen recordings is a valuable approach that provides context and insights into user behavior. By combining quantitative analysis with qualitative insights, you can gain a deeper understanding of user behavior and make data-driven optimizations.

With tools like Smartlook, you can define funnels, calculate conversion rates, and watch screen recordings of visitors who dropped off at each stage. This powerful combination allows for more targeted optimizations and improved results.

So, whether you’re looking to improve your checkout funnel, enhance your onboarding process, or discover “aha moments” that lead to higher retention rates, consider pairing funnel analysis with screen recordings using Smartlook. Unlock the power of this combination and start optimizing your conversion rates and user experience today.