Path Analysis

analytics method

01 Definition

Path Analysis meaning: Examining the actual routes users take through a site or app.

Path analysis maps the real sequences of pages or screens users visit, rather than a fixed funnel you defined. It can trace paths forward from a starting point or backward from an exit or conversion. This reveals unexpected routes and common loops, though the many possible paths can make results complex to read.

Also called

path explorationuser flow analysis

Why it matters

How Path Analysis fits the work

Path analysis surfaces the routes users actually take, including detours and loops that a predefined funnel would never reveal.

In context

Path analysis showed many users looped back to search after viewing a product, hinting that the page lacked the details they needed.

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Practical note

With so many possible paths, findings can be noisy. Focus on the highest-volume routes and pair path analysis with funnel analysis rather than replacing it.