In plain English
It answers where visitors came from, what they did, and where they stopped. Those three questions cover most of what a business needs from it.
What it cannot tell you is why. Analytics shows that eighty percent leave the pricing page; it does not tell you the price was unclear rather than too high.
What to know
Acquisition
Where visitors came from.
Behaviour
What they did on the site.
Outcomes
Whether they did what you wanted.
No why
Only what. Reasons require asking people.
Why it matters
The gap between what and why is why analytics pairs with customer conversations. Numbers locate the problem; people explain it.
Common mistakes
×Expecting analytics to explain motivation.
×Reporting traffic with no reference to outcomes.
×Never verifying that the data is accurate.
×Comparing periods with different tracking setups.
FAQs
What should I look at first?
Where your conversions come from, and where the drop-off is worst.
Why does analytics not explain why people leave?
It records actions, not reasons. Ask customers for those.
WRITTEN BY TARIQ SALLAM
Marketing Consultant. Entrepreneur. Content Creator.
I'm a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and content creator. I help businesses grow through practical marketing, websites, SEO, content and AI.
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