How to measure user behaviour on your website

Stop guessing how users behave

Many website decisions are still made based on internal assumptions, personal preferences or general industry advice. This can be a problem because what you think works is not necessarily what users respond best to in practice.

If you want to optimise your website, it's crucial to start with real behaviour. This means that you need to look at both the overall numbers and what is actually happening on the site.

Why do potential customers leave without taking action?

There can be many reasons why a user doesn't convert. Some are just orientating themselves, while others may not be ready to buy yet. But often dropouts are also due to the site creating uncertainty or unnecessary resistance.

For example, it could be:

• An unclear message
• An unclear call to action
• Too much text without clear structure
• Slow loading
• A form that seems cumbersome
• A layout that works poorly on mobile

If the user can't quickly understand what the company offers or what the next step is, the risk of the visit ending in failure increases.

Quantitative data shows what's happening - not always why

Analytics tools like Google Analytics are great for showing patterns in traffic. Among other things, you can see:

• Where users come from
• Which sites they visit
• How long they stay
• Which steps in a funnel lose the most users

It provides an important overview. But the numbers don't always explain why the user hesitates, gets confused or leaves the site. That's why it's often beneficial to combine classic analytics data with more visual and behavioural methods.

Tools that provide insight into the actual user journey

Today, there are a number of tools that make it possible to analyse user behaviour more concretely than before. They can't stand alone, but they can be very useful when you want to identify friction and opportunities for improvement.

Heatmaps show where users interact the most

Heatmaps can provide a quick visual overview of which areas of a page are getting the most attention. They are typically used to see:

• Where users click
• How far they scroll
• Which sections get the most interaction

For example, it can reveal that an important button is being overlooked or that a key message is so far down the page that many users never reach it.

However, heatmaps should be interpreted with caution. They show patterns of behaviour, but not necessarily the intention behind the behaviour. Many clicks on an element can be a sign of both interest and confusion.

Session recordings can reveal friction and technical issues

Anonymised session recordings make it possible to see how users move through the site in practice. This can often reveal things that are not evident in the overall numbers:

• Hesitation before a click
• Repeated attempts to use an element
• Confusion in navigation
• problems on certain screen sizes or devices

This can be particularly useful when you want to understand why a page with many visitors still converts poorly.

Form analysis shows where in the process users drop out

If your website has a contact form, booking form or checkout, it's relevant to analyse how many people start the process and how many complete it. Forms and checkouts are often crucial conversion points, and even small issues can have a big impact.

Form analysis can show, among other things:

• Which fields take a long time to fill in
• where users disconnect
• Which steps create resistance
• Which fields lead to errors or uncertainty

If many drop out at certain fields, it may indicate that the form is too extensive, unclearly worded or requires too early in the process. Microsoft Clarity also suggests that Forms and checkouts often fail due to specific friction points, that are easy to overlook. For example, unnecessary fields, late error messages or requirements that interrupt an otherwise simple flow.

Form analysis can also reveal when users are clearly struggling with the process. They may be correcting information multiple times, stopping at a field or moving back and forth between steps. In checkouts, the analysis can also point to more structural barriers, such as unexpected costs, unclear delivery options or account creation requirements.

The point is that form analytics should not only show where users are dropping out, but also help explain why. When you combine dropout data with concrete behaviour, it becomes easier to find the changes that actually make the process easier to complete.

Unclear navigation and weak call to actions

The user must be able to understand quickly:

• Where they are
• What the page is about
• What the next step is

If the navigation is unclear or if the most important actions are not visually clear, the user experience becomes more demanding than necessary. This is especially true on pages where the purpose is to get the user to contact the company, book a meeting or make a purchase.

Elements that disturb more than they help

Popups, banners, animations and other attention-grabbing elements can be effective in some cases. But they can also be distracting, especially if they appear too early or take focus away from the main message of the page.

When a page feels cluttered or crowded, it becomes harder for the user to decode what's important. Therefore, in many cases, optimisation can also be about removing elements, not just adding new ones.

Mobile experience and speed matter a lot

On many websites, a large proportion of traffic comes from mobile. That's why it's crucial that the site works well on smaller screens.

Typical issues on mobile are:

• Buttons that are hard to press
• Text that is difficult to read
• Elements that break the layout
• Slow pages with heavy images or scripts

Even minor improvements to the mobile experience can have a big impact if a large proportion of your visitors come from smartphones.

From insights to concrete optimisation

Analysis only creates value when it is translated into action. Once you have identified the key barriers, the next step should be to prioritise and test the improvements systematically.

Prioritise changes by impact and effort

Not all issues are equally important. Therefore, you should prioritise the changes that are most likely to have the greatest impact in relation to the effort required.

A simple prioritisation can be based on:

• How many users the issue affects
• How close to the conversion the problem occurs
• How easy it is to fix
• What potential business impact the change could have

This makes it easier to spend time and budget on the improvements that are likely to create the most value.

Work with hypotheses and tests

Once you've identified a possible problem, it's a good idea to formulate a concrete hypothesis before making any changes.

An example could be:
“If we make the form shorter, more people will complete the contact request.”

The change can then be tested if the traffic volume is high enough. This can be done through A/B testing or by measuring the difference before and after a change. The point is that improvements should be assessed based on data rather than assumptions.

Small changes can have a big impact - but should be validated

Text, order, colours, spacing and placement can all influence user behaviour. A clearer headline, a simpler button text or a more visible placement of an important action can in some cases significantly improve conversion rates.

But the impact varies from company to company. Therefore, changes should be validated as much as possible through measurement and testing, rather than being treated as universal best practices.

Limitations to be aware of

Behavioural data is valuable, but it can't stand alone. To make good decisions, it's important to understand both the possibilities and limitations of the data you work with.

Low traffic leads to uncertain conclusions

If a site only has a small number of visitors, it can be difficult to determine if a change is actually working or if the fluctuations are due to chance.

This doesn't mean that smaller businesses can't work with optimisation. But it does mean that you should be careful about drawing firm conclusions based on flimsy data. In such cases, it's often beneficial to combine data with qualitative assessments and close business understanding.

Data requires interpretation

A heatmap, a funnel or a session recording does not in itself provide the answer to what needs to change. Data shows patterns, but they need to be interpreted in context.

For example, a high number of clicks on a certain element can indicate interest, but it can also be a sign that the user expects something different than what the site offers. That's why it's important to see behavioural data as a basis for decision-making - not as automatic answers.

Create a website that supports your business

When you work systematically with user behaviour, your website becomes more than just a digital business card. It becomes an active tool that helps users move forward and supports your organisation's goals.

Understand your users' needs better

Behavioural analysis makes it easier to see the website from the user's perspective. It provides a better basis for customising content, structure and features to match what users actually need.

The better the connection between the user's needs and the structure of the page, the more likely it is that the visit will lead to a desired action.

Better usability can improve your marketing ROI

When more visitors turn into leads or customers, you get more value out of the traffic you're already paying for or working to attract. That's why usability and business results are closely linked.

A website with fewer barriers can help:

• Higher conversion rate
• Lower waste in traffic procurement
• Better utilisation of the marketing budget
• A more connected customer experience

Do you need a professional look at your website?

If your organisation is already investing in traffic but isn't getting enough out of the visits, it might be worth taking a closer look at how users encounter and use your website in practice.

At Siite, we help companies analyse user behaviour, identify friction and prioritise the changes that make the most sense for the business. The goal is not just more changes, but the right changes - based on data, experience and a realistic understanding of your goals.

Want an honest look at where your website can be improved? Then contact us for a no-obligation review of your options.