Ever wondered how your website visitors navigate their way to that all-important conversion? You can find out through the Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics. Like a detective, this report allows you to trace your users' steps backwards, revealing the twists and turns (i.e. pages or events) they took before reaching their final destination (i.e. specific page or conversion action) on your site. This quick and easy guide will show you how to create a Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics!
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How to Create a Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics:
Login to your Google Analytics account
Navigate to "Explore" (left-hand-side menu)
Select "Path exploration"
Click the "Start again" button
Select "ENDING POINT"
Option 1: Start from the end event (select the relevant Event name)
Option 2: Start from the end page (input the relevant Page path and screen class, e.g. Thank you page)
Insert the pathway backwards by Event name or Page path
To see the pathway from specific segment of traffic (e.g. ad networks, etc):
Navigate to "Segments" and click on the "+" symbol
Click on "Create a new segment"
Create your custom segment based on User, Session, or Event Example: we want to create a segment based on Session and narrow down traffic coming from particular channels. So, we will create a segment as follows: Include sessions when Session default channel grouping contains/matches [traffic source e.g. Organic Search, Direct, Referral, etc].
Frequently Asked Questions on Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics
What is a Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics?
Reverse Path Exploration Report in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a feature that allows you to trace user activity backward, starting from a specific endpoint (like a conversion event) and analyzing the actions or pages users visited before reaching that point.
How does Reverse Path Exploration differ from Forward Path Exploration?
Reverse Path Exploration: Focuses on what users did before an ending point (i.e. pages viewed or events triggered before a particular page or event happened).
Forward Path Exploration: Tracks what users did after starting from a specific event or page.
What kind of insights can I gain from a Reverse Path Exploration Report?
You can gain insights such as:
Common paths users take before making a conversion
Behavioral patterns, intents, and trends leading to conversions
Drop-off points and potential issues in user journeys
Roadblocks or inefficiencies in the user experience
Cross-device or cross-platform user journeys
Differences in paths between user segments
Entry points for high-value users
Impact of new features or content
How many steps or nodes can I see in a Reverse Path Exploration?
You can see up to 10 columns (steps) in a Path Exploration report, including the endpoint.
How does GA4 handle multiple occurrences of the same event in a path?
By default, GA4 shows unique nodes. This means that repeated events or page views are typically consolidated into a single node to provide a clearer overview of the user journey. However, you can toggle off "view unique nodes only" to see repeated occurrences of the same event or page in the path.
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