How do you approach understanding user behavior to identify conversion issues?

How to Understand User Behavior and Uncover Conversion Issues Like a Pro (Without Guessing or Burning Cash)

Look, if people aren’t converting on your website, ad, or funnel, it’s not because they “don’t get it” or “aren’t ready to buy.”

It’s because you’ve missed the mark.

And the brutal truth?

Your offer isn’t connecting with what your prospects actually need, want, or care about.

You’ve got to understand their behavior like you’re reading their diary—spot their frustrations, anticipate their objections, and know exactly what they’re thinking at every step of the buyer’s journey.

So, here’s how you get crystal clear on what’s going wrong (and how to fix it so the sales start rolling in):

1. Stop Talking About You. Start Talking About Them.

Here’s the golden rule: Nobody cares about you or your brand.

They care about solving their problems and getting their desires fulfilled.

When you try to “sell” before truly understanding your customers’ pain points, you’re like that annoying door-to-door salesperson who doesn’t even know if you need what they’re offering.

You need to get inside their heads, figure out exactly what they’re struggling with, and then position yourself as the ONLY solution they need.

Ask yourself:

• What are their external problems? (e.g., “My checkout is confusing” or “I don’t trust this site.”)
• What are their internal problems? (e.g., “I’m frustrated, overwhelmed, or worried I’ll waste my time and money.”)
• What’s the big WHY they want solved? (e.g., “I want this process to feel EASY and help me achieve XYZ goal fast.”)

Your job?

Speak directly to these problems.

Show you understand.

Then offer a no-brainer solution.

2. Does Your Funnel Pass the “Caveman Grunt Test”?

Here’s a fun fact: You have 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention before they bounce.

And no, your prospects aren’t reading your website like a novel.

They’re scanning.

Glancing.

Barely paying attention.

So, ask yourself this: Could a caveman grunt out what your offer is within a few seconds of landing on your page?

They need to instantly understand:

1. What you’re offering.
2. How it’s going to make their life better.
3. What they need to do next.

If they can’t grunt it out—“Me see [amazing offer]. Me get [awesome benefit]. Me click here.”—then you’ve already lost them.

For example:

Don’t say: “Welcome to XYZ Solutions, where innovation meets passion!”

Instead: “We Help [Specific Audience] Achieve [Specific Result] Without [Big Frustration or Obstacle].”

3. Watch Them Like a Hawk

Data doesn’t lie. If you want to find the cracks in your funnel, watch your users’ every move. Here’s how:

Heatmaps & Click Tracking:

Use tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg to see where people are clicking, scrolling, or dropping off.

Are they getting stuck on a form?

Are they not even making it halfway down the page?

This tells you what’s confusing, boring, or flat-out stopping them in their tracks.

Session Recordings:

Watch how real users interact with your page.

It’s like spying (but in an ethical, non-creepy way).

You’ll see where they hesitate, rage-click, or abandon ship. GOLD for fixing your UX.

Analytics Check:

Dig into your numbers:

• High bounce rate? Your headline or intro stinks.
• Low click-through on CTAs? Your offer isn’t clear or juicy enough.
• Cart abandonment? Your checkout process is clunky, or you haven’t built enough trust.

Pro tip: Don’t just look at the data—combine it with real conversations (more on that below) to figure out WHY people are acting the way they are.

4. Ask, Don’t Assume

Want the fastest shortcut to understanding why your customers aren’t converting? ASK THEM. It’s that simple.

Survey your leads and customers:

• What stopped you from buying today?
• What almost made you say “YES” but didn’t quite push you over the edge?
• What would make this offer an absolute no-brainer for you?

Use live chat or emails to dig deeper:

• “Hey [First Name], we noticed you checked out our product but didn’t hit buy. Was there anything missing, or do you have questions we can help with?”

This kind of feedback is absolute gold. Forget guessing what’s wrong—your customers will tell you exactly why they’re hesitating.

5. Simplify the Next Step (And Then Simplify It Again)

People don’t buy when they’re confused or overwhelmed. And most funnels are loaded with friction points that make prospects run for the hills.

• Are your forms too long? Cut them down to the bare essentials.
• Are there too many steps? Combine or eliminate them.
• Are you leaving doubts unanswered? Add FAQs, guarantees, or proof points to smash their objections.

Always be asking: How can I make this ridiculously easy for them to say “YES”?

6. Don’t Just Ask for the Sale—Guide Them to It

Here’s where most businesses screw up: They either never ask for the sale (they’re too “polite” and passive), or they try to sell too soon (like asking someone to marry you on the first date).

Instead, guide them through a natural journey:

1. Curiosity Stage: Capture their attention with a killer headline and hook. (Speak directly to their pain points or desires.)
2. Enlightenment Stage: Show them how you solve their problem. Use videos, emails, and lead magnets to build trust.
3. Commitment Stage: NOW you ask for the sale—but do it with a clear, juicy offer that makes saying “YES” feel like a no-brainer.

7. Test. Tweak. DOMINATE.

If you’re not testing, you’re leaving money on the table. Period. Here’s what to test:

• Headlines: Try different versions to see which grabs attention.
• CTAs: Swap “Sign Up” for something irresistible like “Get Instant Access.”
• Page Layouts: Move things around to guide users to your goal (e.g., above-the-fold CTAs).

Run A/B tests like your business depends on it—because it does. Data is king, and small tweaks can mean big bucks.

The Bottom Line:

If you want to skyrocket conversions, you’ve got to flip the script.

Stop trying to sell and start getting obsessed with your customer.

Understand what they’re thinking, feeling, and struggling with at every stage.

Then guide them, step by step, to saying, “HELL YES.”

When you nail this?

You don’t just fix conversion issues. You create a sales machine so powerful it practically prints money.

Now go make it happen.

Understanding user behavior to identify conversion issues is a bit like piecing together a puzzle. I approach it with a mix of data analysis, user feedback, and a bit of good old-fashioned curiosity. As @David Mason Seo wisely put it:

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Start from the perspective of being a customer.

Viewing the site through the customer’s eyes helps to spot friction points and areas for improvement.

I start by diving into data using tools like Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity. Metrics like bounce rates, time on page, and heatmaps show where users are getting stuck or losing interest. For instance, if users are dropping off at checkout, it’s a signal that something needs fixing.

Next, I map out different user journeys. Imagine entering the site from various points: a recommendation might lead you to the homepage, a display ad could bring you to a specific product, and a search might direct you to a category page. Each journey has its own set of expectations and needs. Evaluating these journeys helps identify where users might face obstacles.

Gathering direct user feedback is also crucial. Tools like Fairing let you ask customers about their experience, revealing insights that data alone might not show. Additionally, comparing your site to top-ranking competitors can highlight best practices and areas for improvement.

Finally, testing and iterating based on these insights is key. Run A/B tests to experiment with different solutions and refine your approach based on real user behavior.

In essence, understanding user behavior involves analyzing data, mapping out diverse user journeys, gathering feedback, and benchmarking against top sites. By combining these methods, you can effectively identify and address conversion issues, ultimately creating a smoother and more effective user experience.

Good question and I start from the perspective of being a customer. What is the experience like for you as a shopper.

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Importantly who is the customer?

What are their needs?

Now take this into practical terms.

If it's an ecommerce site, imagine you found the website via different approaches.

1. Perhaps someone recommended the brand: Your entry point is the home page
2. Perhaps you saw a display ad: Your entry point might be a product
3. Finally, you used Search: Your entry point might be a collection/category

For each of these journeys, you will have an intention in mind. We know this to be an objective fact.

That intention will be to solve a shopping need.

1. Can you find good navigation and easy filtering if you enter via the home?
What causes you problems?

Make a note of them

2. You land on the product page - Are all of the likely issues addressed such that you would feel confident buying from this page today without hitting the back button and comparing to someone else?

What are the outstanding issues?

Make a note of them

 

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NB: Top ranking pages, tend to rank well as they have high brand search and good engagement, maybe even better pricing. Look at the top sites, what are the commonalities, from display style to product content information.

Does your site offer the same?

3. At this stage you are close to bottom of the funnel, but not product specific yet. You know you want something in this category but you will have underlying factors that affect your buying decision.

What might they be for this product? 

For this you need a handle on who your customer is.

Much of these would be filters - do you have filters?

Do you offer social proof?

Do you have clear images?

Etc.

For further insight, check out the Baymard institute, or just drop me a message