Using Google Analytics Funnel to Ensure Your Check-Out Process is Effective

The best SEO in the world will not help you if you do not practice effective conversion rate optmisation. SEO gets the visitor there; CRO helps ensure that they stay and take the desired call to action. One area that ecommerce merchants really want to focus on, then, is their check-out processes. If you are losing people here, then there is a big gap to close up – as well as a big opportunity waiting to be seized. Today, we’ll look at one tool that can help you do this.

Google Analytics Funnel

Google offers a tool that allows webmasters to set up a funnel in order to aid CRO efforts. Essentially, it allows you to see where your biggest holes are, or where you are losing people. To analyse your check-out process, set the “Destination URL” as your order confirmation page. Then, configure the funnel so that each step in the check-out process (such as filling in billing information, payment information, selecting shipping, and finally, to the first step, which may be the shopping cart page) is represented in the funnel.

You now have a powerful tool at your disposal. Go to Conversions>Goals to view your Funnel Visualisation report; you will be able to see how many started the check-out process, how many were disengaged completely (stopping to look at other products, for instance, would not show up as someone leaving the sales funnel) as the process continued, and finally, how many people purchased the item.

From here, you can start to look at why people are leaving. Are they realising that shipping is more expensive than they thought? Are coupons or discount codes malfunctioning? Are they put off by an overly complex or long check-out process? Do your payment options offer convenience and freedom? Do you ask for extraneous information? All of this can affect the check-out process.

It is estimated that more than half of online shoppers leave their carts abandoned. If you can convert even a fraction into paying customers, you will be realising a huge potential.