Solutions / Analytics & Conversion Tools
Analytics & Conversion Tools
Analytics & Conversion Tool Solutions
Analytics and conversion tools help you measure what visitors do and get more of them to take the actions that matter. Start with what you are working on, see the main paths side by side and, where we list a suitable option, go to the provider when you are ready.
- Start from your situationSix business contexts
- Same criteria throughoutEight dimensions for every option
- Trade-offs up frontWhat to watch for, stated plainly
Which area are you working on?
Choose the closest match. Each context sets out the questions to ask, the main solution paths and, where we list one, a suitable option.
Understanding website and business performance
A clear picture of how the site and the business are doing, without drowning in dashboards.
Measuring marketing performance
Seeing which campaigns and sources bring people who matter.
Improving conversion from existing traffic
Turning more of the visitors you already have into enquiries or sales.
Understanding and prioritising visitors, leads or customers
Knowing who is interested, and where to focus your effort.
Researching markets and trade opportunities
Finding buyers, suppliers and demand beyond your own data.
Gathering customer feedback
Hearing from customers why they act as they do.
Find the solution that fits
Work through the context that matches yours. For the full decision, read the Analytics & Conversion Tools guide.
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Understanding website and business performance
Most businesses end up with their numbers in several places: web analytics for the website, a CRM for deals, an advertising platform for campaigns, accounting for revenue. Each reports well on its own corner. The question is whether anyone can see how the website and the business are doing as a whole, without someone assembling a report by hand each month. It starts with a short measurement plan and moves on to combining numbers when that becomes the problem.
More about this context
Most businesses end up with their numbers in several places: web analytics for the website, a CRM for deals, an advertising platform for campaigns, accounting for revenue, and spreadsheets holding the rest. Each reports well on its own corner.
The question this section helps with is whether anyone can see how the website and the business are doing as a whole, and whether the people who need the figures get them without someone assembling a report by hand each month. It starts with a short measurement plan, and moves on to bringing numbers from several tools together when that becomes the problem.
How the paths differ
Three things come up in this decision. A measurement plan on web analytics is the starting point for most sites. Reporting and dashboard tools come in when numbers live in several tools or have to be shared on a schedule. And a privacy-aware set-up is a requirement that applies to both, rather than an alternative to either.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Which two or three outcomes matter: sales, enquiries, sign-ups, bookings?
- Do your numbers sit in one tool or in several?
- Who needs to see the results, and how often?
- What must you tell visitors, and what consent do you need?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
More dashboards rarely mean more insight. What helps is knowing which few outcomes matter, defining them once and looking at them regularly. Without agreed definitions, two people quote different numbers for the same thing. Without a regular routine, the figures are looked at only when something goes wrong.
Once figures live in several tools, collecting them becomes a recurring cost and the risk of mistakes grows. Privacy and consent rules also shape what you can collect and where it can be stored, so they belong in the decision from the start.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Name the two or three outcomes that matter and define them exactly before choosing a tool
- List where each number lives today, and check that any reporting tool connects to those sources
- Agree what each metric means, so charts do not use the same word for different things
- Decide who will build and maintain the dashboards
- Check data location, retention and consent handling for the data you connect
Want the full background? A measurement plan in six steps
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Web analytics around a short measurement plan
Web analytics set up around the two or three outcomes that matter, each defined exactly.
Best fit
- Small sites
- Low set-up cost
Main thing to check
Definitions can differ between tools
Dashboards and automated reporting
Software that connects to the tools where your numbers live and shows them in one place.
Best fit
- Numbers in several tools
- Regular reporting
Main thing to check
A dashboard only shows what is tracked
Privacy- and consent-aware set-up
Analytics set up around consent, with a plan for what is collected and kept.
Best fit
- Strict privacy needs
- Visitors in several countries
Main thing to check
The rules differ and keep changing
Web analytics around a short measurement plan
Why choose it
- You see where visitors come from and what they do
- Clear definitions stop reports disagreeing
- A short plan keeps tracking light
Best when
- A small site that needs a clear picture of results
- You can name the two or three outcomes that matter, such as sales, enquiries, sign-ups or bookings
Watch for
- Definitions can differ between tools, and data retention has limits
- Install as little tracking as you need, and review it every quarter
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- You see where visitors come from and what they do
- Clear definitions stop reports disagreeing
- A short plan keeps tracking light
Fits when
- A small site that needs a clear picture of results
- You can name the two or three outcomes that matter, such as sales, enquiries, sign-ups or bookings
- Low set-up cost matters
Watch for
- Definitions can differ between tools, and data retention has limits
- Install as little tracking as you need, and review it every quarter
- Check the numbers against reality, for example form counts against the enquiries you received
Web analytics set up around the two or three outcomes that matter, each defined exactly.
A measurement plan starts by naming the two or three outcomes that matter, such as sales, enquiries, sign-ups or bookings, and defining each exactly. Web analytics then shows where visitors come from and what they do. For a small site this is often all you need, and it is quick to set up. It tells you about the website; it does not by itself combine figures from your CRM, advertising or accounting.
When you may need more. When you report on numbers that live in several tools, or several people need regular reports, a reporting or dashboard tool can bring them together.
Dashboards and automated reporting
Why choose it
- The figures that matter come together in one view
- Shared dashboards and scheduled reports reduce copying numbers into slides and spreadsheets by hand
- Everyone can look at the same definitions
Best when
- Your numbers live in several tools, such as web analytics, a CRM, ad platforms, accounting or spreadsheets
- You report regularly to a team, clients or owners
Watch for
- A dashboard only shows what is already tracked; if the source data is wrong, the dashboard is wrong too
- Agree what each metric means first, or the same word will mean different things in different charts
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- The figures that matter come together in one view
- Shared dashboards and scheduled reports reduce copying numbers into slides and spreadsheets by hand
- Everyone can look at the same definitions
Fits when
- Your numbers live in several tools, such as web analytics, a CRM, ad platforms, accounting or spreadsheets
- You report regularly to a team, clients or owners
- You want live dashboards rather than one-off exports
Watch for
- A dashboard only shows what is already tracked; if the source data is wrong, the dashboard is wrong too
- Agree what each metric means first, or the same word will mean different things in different charts
- Connectors differ in depth, so check that the tools you use are supported and what you can pull from each
- More dashboards rarely mean more insight; track a small number of outcomes
Reporting software that connects to the tools where your numbers already live and shows the figures that matter in one place, with shared dashboards and reports that can be sent on a schedule.
Dashboard and reporting software connects to the tools where your numbers already live and shows the figures that matter in one place. It suits businesses and agencies that report regularly to a team, clients or owners and are tired of copying figures between tools. It reports on data you already collect; it does not fix tracking that is wrong at the source.
When you may need more. If all your numbers sit in one tool that already reports them well, a separate reporting tool may be more than you need.
Privacy- and consent-aware set-up
Why choose it
- Visitors are told what is collected
- Sensitive fields are not recorded
- You know where data lives and for how long
Best when
- You have strict privacy or consent requirements
- You serve visitors in several countries
Watch for
- Do not record what people type into forms or payment fields
- Check data location, retention and who else can access the data
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Visitors are told what is collected
- Sensitive fields are not recorded
- You know where data lives and for how long
Fits when
- You have strict privacy or consent requirements
- You serve visitors in several countries
- You use heatmap or session-recording tools
Watch for
- Do not record what people type into forms or payment fields
- Check data location, retention and who else can access the data
- Take qualified advice on the rules for your visitors’ countries
- The rules differ and keep changing
Analytics set up around consent and a plan for what is collected: tools that support consent, mask sensitive fields and state where data is stored and how long it is kept.
Analytics collects information about visitors, and the rules on consent and data storage differ by region. A privacy-aware set-up decides what to collect, tells visitors, honours consent, states where data is stored and for how long, and avoids recording sensitive fields. It is a requirement that runs through the analytics approaches rather than a separate product.
When you may need more. If you serve visitors in several countries or handle sensitive data, take qualified advice on the rules that apply to you.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Web analytics + plan | Dashboards and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Shows where visitors come from and what they do | Brings figures from several tools into one view |
| Best suited to | A small site that needs a clear picture of results | Numbers in several tools, reported to a team, clients or owners |
| What it does not do | Combine figures from your CRM, advertising or accounting | Fix tracking that is wrong at the source |
| Main thing to check | Definitions differ between tools; check against reality | Agree what each metric means; check connectors cover your tools |
Measuring marketing performance
You pay for or send campaigns and need to know which sources bring people who matter, not just visits. That depends on consistent tagging and on agreeing which tool is the source of truth. Without that, tracking set up in several places rarely agrees. The decision is whether web analytics with campaign tagging is enough, or whether you need reporting that pulls several channels into one view, or tracking for the calls and forms that analytics misses.
More about this context
You pay for or send campaigns and need to know which sources bring people who matter.
Running paid or email campaigns makes it worth knowing which sources bring people who matter, not just visits. That depends on consistent tagging and on agreeing which tool is the source of truth.
How the paths differ
Web analytics with consistent campaign tagging shows visits and outcomes by source, medium and campaign. Reporting that combines channels pulls results from several channels into one view; definitions and attribution rules differ between tools, so agree what each metric means first. Lead, call and form tracking covers enquiries that are not web visits: it ties calls, forms and chats to the campaigns that produced them.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Which campaigns and channels are you running?
- Who tags links, and is the naming consistent?
- Which one tool is your source of truth?
- Which connections to CRM and email do you need?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Tracking set up in several places rarely agrees. One agreed naming scheme and one source of truth let you compare campaigns and explain attribution to others.
Spending on campaigns without knowing which ones bring people who matter means budgets follow habit rather than results. Calls and form submissions are part of that picture even when they never appear as a visit.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Agree campaign naming once and keep to it
- Definitions can differ between tools
- Tracking set up in several places rarely agrees, so pick one source of truth
- Check connections to your CRM and email tools
Want the full background? The measurement funnel: from question to tool
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Consistent campaign tagging and naming
Web analytics showing visits and outcomes by source, medium and campaign.
Best fit
- Paid or email campaigns
- Several people tagging links
Main thing to check
Agree one naming scheme and keep to it
Reporting that combines marketing channels
Reports that pull results from several marketing channels into one view.
Best fit
- Several channels running
- Comparing channels
Main thing to check
Definitions and attribution rules differ
Lead, call and form tracking
Ties calls, forms and chats back to the campaign or source that produced them.
Best fit
- Calls and forms bring enquiries
- Reporting leads to clients
Main thing to check
Call recording and form data need consent
Consistent campaign tagging and naming
Why choose it
- Visits and outcomes broken down by source and campaign
- One agreed naming scheme makes results comparable
Best when
- Paid or email campaigns are running
- Several people tag links
Watch for
- Agree campaign naming once and keep to it
- Definitions can differ between tools
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Visits and outcomes broken down by source and campaign
- One agreed naming scheme makes results comparable
Fits when
- Paid or email campaigns are running
- Several people tag links
- You want attribution you can explain
Watch for
- Agree campaign naming once and keep to it
- Definitions can differ between tools
- Tracking set up in several places rarely agrees, so pick one source of truth
- Check connections to your CRM and email tools
Web analytics with consistent campaign tagging: visits and outcomes by source, medium and campaign.
Reporting that combines marketing channels
Why choose it
- One view across the channels you run
Best when
- You run several channels and want to compare them
Watch for
- Definitions and attribution rules differ between tools
- Agree what each metric means first
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- One view across the channels you run
Fits when
- You run several channels and want to compare them
Watch for
- Definitions and attribution rules differ between tools
- Agree what each metric means first
Reports that pull results from several marketing channels into one view.
When several channels run at once, each one reports well on its own corner: email results in the email tool, campaign spend in the advertising platform, visits in web analytics. A reporting layer pulls those figures into one view, so the channels can be compared and shared without someone assembling a report by hand. It reports on data that other tools collect; it does not replace them, and it is only as consistent as the definitions behind the numbers.
When you may need more. If your numbers mostly sit in one tool that already reports them well, that tool is enough; add a combined view only when comparing channels becomes the task.
Lead, call and form tracking
Why choose it
- Calls, forms and chats are counted alongside web visits
- Each lead is tied to the source that produced it
- Leads can be passed on to a CRM or reporting tool
Best when
- Calls and forms are a main way customers get in touch
- You or your clients spend on marketing and need to see which sources bring enquiries
Watch for
- It tracks leads and where they came from, not everything visitors do on the site, so it sits beside web analytics
- Recording calls and capturing form data involve personal data: check consent and retention rules where your customers are
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Calls, forms and chats are counted alongside web visits
- Each lead is tied to the source that produced it
- Leads can be passed on to a CRM or reporting tool
Fits when
- Calls and forms are a main way customers get in touch
- You or your clients spend on marketing and need to see which sources bring enquiries
Watch for
- It tracks leads and where they came from, not everything visitors do on the site, so it sits beside web analytics
- Recording calls and capturing form data involve personal data: check consent and retention rules where your customers are
- Check how it connects to the advertising platforms and CRM you already use
Software that captures calls, form submissions and chats, ties each enquiry back to the campaign or source that produced it, and reports on leads rather than visits.
Many enquiries do not arrive as a web visit: customers phone, fill in a form or open a chat. Web analytics sees the visit, but not always the call or the conversation that follows. Lead tracking software captures those calls, forms and chats, ties each one to the campaign or source that produced it, and reports on leads rather than visits. It suits businesses and agencies that spend on marketing and need to know which sources bring enquiries.
It measures leads and where they came from, not everything visitors do on your site, so it sits alongside web analytics rather than replacing it. Recording calls and capturing form data involve personal data, so check consent and retention rules in the places your customers are.
When you may need more. If you only want to know which pages and campaigns bring visits, web analytics with consistent tagging is enough.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Analytics with campaign tagging | Channel reporting | Lead and call tracking |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it shows | Visits and outcomes by source, medium and campaign | Results from several channels in one view | Calls, forms and chats, each tied to its source |
| Best suited to | Paid or email campaigns, and attribution you can explain | Several channels you want to compare | Businesses and agencies judged on enquiries, not visits |
| Main thing to check | Agree campaign naming once; tracking in several places rarely agrees | Definitions and attribution rules differ; agree what each metric means | Consent and retention rules for recorded calls and form data |
Improving conversion from existing traffic
Visitors arrive but too few enquire or buy. Improving conversion starts with seeing where people leave between arriving and acting; without that, changes are guesses. Goals and funnels show the steps. Forms and landing pages capture enquiries, on your own site, in a builder or on a funnel platform. A/B testing compares two versions, and it needs enough traffic and care before declaring a winner.
More about this context
Visitors arrive but too few enquire or buy. You need to see where they drop out between arriving and completing the action.
Improving conversion starts with seeing where people leave between arriving and acting. Without that, changes are guesses.
How the paths differ
Goals and funnels show the steps between a visit and a completed action. Forms and landing pages capture enquiries, on your own site, in a builder or on a funnel platform, depending on who maintains them. A/B testing compares two versions, and it needs enough traffic and care before declaring a winner.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Where do visitors drop out between arriving and acting?
- Can you measure form submissions or checkouts?
- Who maintains your forms and landing pages?
- Is there enough traffic for a test to mean anything?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Improving conversion starts with seeing where people leave. Testing needs traffic, time and care, and forms and pages need to be accessible and fast, or the changes do not help.
Small changes to a form or a page can move results more than extra traffic does, but only when the step that loses people is known. Choosing between a form on your own site, a builder and a funnel platform is also a decision about who maintains the pages and how hard they are to leave.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Declaring a test winner too early
- Testing needs traffic, time and statistical skill
- Forms need to be accessible and spam-handled
- Decide what you will change before you look at the report
Want the full background? Forms, landing pages and funnels: three ways to capture a lead
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Analytics goals and funnels
Goal and funnel views that show the steps between a visit and a completed action.
Best fit
- Enquiries, checkouts or sign-ups
- Measurable steps
Main thing to check
Decide what you will change first
Forms and landing pages
A form on your own site, a landing-page builder or a funnel platform.
Best fit
- Campaign pages
- A single offer with a defined journey
Main thing to check
Builders can be hard to leave
A/B testing
Compare two versions of a page or message to see which performs better.
Best fit
- Enough traffic for a clear result
- Checking a change helped
Main thing to check
Declaring a winner too early
Analytics goals and funnels
Why choose it
- Shows where visitors drop out
Best when
- The site exists to generate enquiries, checkouts or sign-ups
- You can measure form submissions or checkouts
Watch for
- Decide what you will change before you look at the report
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Shows where visitors drop out
Fits when
- The site exists to generate enquiries, checkouts or sign-ups
- You can measure form submissions or checkouts
Watch for
- Decide what you will change before you look at the report
Goals and funnel views that show the steps between a visit and a completed action.
Forms and landing pages
Why choose it
- Focused pages for each campaign
- Builders include forms and testing
- A form on your own site keeps everything in one place
Best when
- A form on your own site: most businesses with a working website
- A landing-page builder: frequent campaigns where speed matters
Watch for
- A builder is another platform to pay for and leave: pages and forms may not export cleanly
- Funnel platforms have the widest lock-in
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Focused pages for each campaign
- Builders include forms and testing
- A form on your own site keeps everything in one place
Fits when
- A form on your own site: most businesses with a working website
- A landing-page builder: frequent campaigns where speed matters
- A funnel platform: a single offer with a defined journey
Watch for
- A builder is another platform to pay for and leave: pages and forms may not export cleanly
- Funnel platforms have the widest lock-in
- Check page speed and performance
- Forms need to be accessible
A form on your own site, a landing-page builder or a funnel platform, depending on who maintains it.
Visitors convert when the step in front of them is simple and focused. There are three common routes: a form on your own website, which keeps everything in one place and suits most businesses with a working site; a landing-page builder, which gives focused pages for each campaign and is quicker when campaigns change often; and a funnel platform, which suits a single offer with a defined journey but has the widest lock-in. Whichever route you take, the page has to load quickly and the form has to be accessible and protected from spam.
When you may need more. If your website already lets you add a form and a page without help, start there; move to a builder when the speed of launching campaign pages becomes the constraint.
A/B testing
Why choose it
- Shows whether a change helped
Best when
- Traffic is high enough for a test to reach a clear result
Watch for
- Declaring a winner too early
- Testing needs traffic, time and statistical care
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Shows whether a change helped
Fits when
- Traffic is high enough for a test to reach a clear result
Watch for
- Declaring a winner too early
- Testing needs traffic, time and statistical care
Comparing two versions of a page or message to see which performs better.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Goals and funnels | Forms and landing pages | A/B testing |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Shows where visitors drop out | Captures enquiries with focused pages and forms | Shows whether a change helped |
| Best suited to | Sites that exist to generate enquiries, checkouts or sign-ups | A form on your own site for most; a builder for frequent campaigns | Traffic high enough to reach a clear result |
| Main thing to check | Decide what you will change before you look at the report | A builder is another platform to leave: pages may not export cleanly | It needs traffic, time and statistical care |
Understanding and prioritising visitors, leads or customers
A website and a customer list both contain more information than anyone has time to read. Some visits come from companies that could become customers, and some customers are far more likely to buy, renew or leave than others. The question is how a business decides where to put its limited attention. Two approaches answer different questions from different data: matching website visits to companies, and predicting from historical customer data.
More about this context
A website and a customer list both contain more information than anyone has time to read. On the website, some visits come from companies that could become customers, and most leave without filling in a form. In the customer and lead data, some people are far more likely to buy, renew or leave than others.
The question here is how a business decides where to put its limited attention: which companies are showing interest, which leads are worth a call, which customers are at risk. This section covers two quite different approaches and when each is realistic.
How the paths differ
The two approaches answer different questions from different data. Visitor identification works from website visits: it matches visits to the companies behind them, so sales and marketing can see who looked at what. Predictive analytics works from historical customer and transaction data: it estimates things such as which customers may leave, which leads may convert or how much demand to expect. The first needs website traffic; the second needs enough relevant history.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 5 questions to settle first
- Do you sell to other businesses, and does your site get steady traffic?
- Do you hold historical customer or transaction data?
- Do you have a specific question: lead priority, churn or demand?
- Do you have people to build models, or do you need it done for you?
- What do your privacy obligations allow?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Without evidence, follow-up tends to follow whoever shouted loudest or whoever was most recent. With evidence, a small team can focus on the accounts that are showing interest, or the customers most likely to need attention.
Both approaches work from data about people and companies, so they carry privacy obligations, and both are only as useful as the team’s ability to act on what they show.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Check that your use of visitor and customer data fits your privacy obligations
- Be clear whether you need to see companies, individuals or predictions
- Make sure someone is responsible for acting on what the tool shows
- Check how each tool connects to your CRM, and where its data comes from
- Check what history or traffic volume the approach needs to be useful
Want the full background? The measurement funnel: from question to tool
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
B2B website visitor identification
Matches website visits to the companies behind them, and shows which pages each viewed.
Best fit
- B2B sites with steady traffic
- Sales follow-up lists
Main thing to check
It identifies companies, not individuals
Predictive analytics
Builds forecasting models from your historical data and delivers predictions your team can act on.
Best fit
- Historical customer data
- A specific question
Main thing to check
It needs enough relevant history
B2B website visitor identification
Why choose it
- You see which companies show interest even when nobody fills in a form
- You see which pages each company looked at before anyone reaches out
- Sales gets a concrete list of accounts to follow up
Best when
- You sell to other businesses and your website receives steady traffic
- Your sales team could use a list of companies showing interest
Watch for
- It identifies companies, not individual people
- Check that your use of visitor data fits your privacy obligations
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- You see which companies show interest even when nobody fills in a form
- You see which pages each company looked at before anyone reaches out
- Sales gets a concrete list of accounts to follow up
Fits when
- You sell to other businesses and your website receives steady traffic
- Your sales team could use a list of companies showing interest
- You want to see which pages interest a company before reaching out
Watch for
- It identifies companies, not individual people
- Check that your use of visitor data fits your privacy obligations
Software that matches website visits to the companies behind them, and shows which pages each company viewed. It identifies companies, not individual people.
Visitor identification software matches website visits to companies, usually by recognising the network a visit comes from, and shows which pages each company viewed. It suits business-to-business websites with steady traffic, where a sales team can use a list of accounts showing interest. It identifies companies, not individual people, unless a visitor identifies themselves, for example through a form.
When you may need more. If your visitors are mostly consumers, or traffic is low, there may be too little to act on.
Predictive analytics
Why choose it
- Effort can go to the customers or leads most likely to act
- Churn, conversion and demand signals come from data you already hold
- It can work without a dedicated data-science team
Best when
- You have historical customer or transaction data
- You have a specific question, such as churn, lead priority or demand
Watch for
- Predictions depend on having enough relevant historical data
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Effort can go to the customers or leads most likely to act
- Churn, conversion and demand signals come from data you already hold
- It can work without a dedicated data-science team
Fits when
- You have historical customer or transaction data
- You have a specific question, such as churn, lead priority or demand
- You do not have data scientists to build models
Watch for
- Predictions depend on having enough relevant historical data
Software that builds forecasting models from your historical data and delivers predictions your team can act on.
Predictive analytics software builds forecasting models from your own historical data and delivers predictions your team can act on, such as which customers may leave, which leads are likely to convert, or what demand may look like. It suits teams that hold event-level history and have a specific question but no data scientists. Predictions depend on having enough relevant data and a clear question.
When you may need more. If you do not yet have the history, start by collecting and organising it; if you want to understand why customers behave as they do, feedback surveys may help more.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Visitor identification | Predictive analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Works from | Website visits | Historical customer and transaction data |
| Answers | Which companies are showing interest | Which customers may leave, which leads may convert, expected demand |
| Best suited to | A B2B website with steady traffic and a sales team | Event-level history, a specific question and no data scientists |
| Main thing to check | It identifies companies, not people; check your privacy obligations | Predictions depend on enough relevant data |
Researching markets and trade opportunities
Your own website and customer data only show the people who have already found you. A business that imports, exports or supplies goods across borders may need to see which markets, buyers and suppliers exist before it has any contact with them. This is research about the outside market, not measurement of your own site or customers. Outside trade data is built from shipment records and suits businesses that trade goods across borders.
More about this context
Your own website and customer data only show the people who have already found you. If you import, export or supply goods across borders, you may need to see which markets, buyers and suppliers exist before you have any contact with them.
This is research about the outside market, not measurement of your own site or customers, which is why it sits apart from visitor and customer analytics. It is relevant to businesses that trade goods; for a purely local or digital business it is unlikely to be what you need.
How the paths differ
Trade-intelligence data services are built on export-import shipment records: what is shipped, by whom and to where. They are used to research a market before entering it, to find prospective buyers and suppliers, and to check competitors. Coverage differs by country and product, and data about companies and people carries its own privacy and outreach rules, so check both before relying on it.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Do you trade goods across borders, or plan to?
- Which countries and products do you need to see?
- Are you looking for buyers, suppliers, competitors or market size?
- What do privacy and outreach rules allow in the markets you contact?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Entering or growing a trade market on guesswork is costly. Shipment-based market data shows who ships what and where, so prospecting and market choice can start from evidence. It only helps businesses that trade goods across borders, and coverage differs by country and product.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Check coverage for the countries and products you care about
- Data about companies and people carries its own privacy and outreach rules
- Be clear whether you need market size, buyers, suppliers or competitors
- Agree who will act on what the data shows
Want the full background? The measurement funnel: from question to tool
The path that fits
Why it fits and what to watch for.
Trade and market intelligence data
Outside data on who ships what to whom, to find buyers and suppliers and size a market.
Best fit
- Importers, exporters and suppliers
- Entering a new market
Main thing to check
Only relevant if you trade goods across borders
Trade and market intelligence data
Why choose it
- Shows who trades what, beyond your own customers and traffic
- Supports prospecting and market research with data you do not hold yourself
Best when
- You import, export or supply goods across borders
- You want to find new buyers or suppliers, or size a market before entering it
Watch for
- It is for businesses that trade goods across borders; it does not measure your own website or customers
- Coverage differs by country and product: check the markets you care about
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Shows who trades what, beyond your own customers and traffic
- Supports prospecting and market research with data you do not hold yourself
Fits when
- You import, export or supply goods across borders
- You want to find new buyers or suppliers, or size a market before entering it
Watch for
- It is for businesses that trade goods across borders; it does not measure your own website or customers
- Coverage differs by country and product: check the markets you care about
- Data about companies and people carries its own privacy and outreach rules
A data service built on export-import shipment records: what is shipped, by whom and to where, used to research markets and to find prospective buyers and suppliers.
Your own website and customer data only show the people who have already found you. A business that imports, exports or supplies goods across borders may need to find buyers or suppliers it does not yet know, or to see how a market is moving before entering it. Trade-intelligence data services are built on export-import shipment records: what is shipped, by whom and to where. They are used for market research, for finding prospective buyers and suppliers, and for checking competitors.
This is outside data about other companies, not a way of measuring your own site or customers. It is relevant to businesses that trade goods across borders; for a purely local or digital business it is unlikely to be what you need. Coverage differs by country and product, and data about companies and people carries its own privacy and outreach rules.
When you may need more. If your question is about your own visitors or customers, visitor identification, predictive analytics or feedback are the better starting points.
Gathering customer feedback
Sales and usage figures show what customers did, not why. A customer who cancels, abandons a basket or never replies leaves a number behind, and the reason stays a guess. Feedback is how a business hears the reasons: after a purchase, inside a product, on a page, after a support request. The decision is how to ask, where to ask and how to turn the answers into something the team will act on.
More about this context
Sales and usage figures show what customers did, not why. A customer who cancels, abandons a basket or never replies leaves a number behind, and the reason stays a guess.
Feedback is how a business hears the reasons: after a purchase, inside a product, on a page, after a support request. This section is for businesses deciding how to ask, where to ask and how to turn the answers into something the team will act on.
How the paths differ
Feedback comes through a few channels: a survey on the website, a question inside the product, an email survey after a purchase or support request, or a link shared in other messages. Dedicated survey tools run those channels and collect the answers in one place, and some analyse the themes in open-text responses. The choice depends on where your customers are when you want to ask.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- What do you want to learn: satisfaction, product feedback, reasons for leaving?
- Where will you ask: on the site, in the product, by email?
- Who will read the results and act on them?
- Do you want to track satisfaction over time?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Asking customers sounds simple, but the way you ask changes what you learn. Short, well-timed questions get answers; long surveys get abandoned.
The harder part is what happens afterwards. If nobody reads the responses or acts on them, asking becomes noise, and customers notice.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Decide what you want to learn and who will act on the answers before you write a question
- Keep surveys short, and ask only what you will use
- Check where the survey will appear and how it affects the visitor’s experience
- Check consent and where responses are stored
Want the full background? The measurement funnel: from question to tool
The path that fits
Why it fits and what to watch for.
Customer feedback surveys
Structured surveys such as NPS, CSAT or product feedback, with responses collected in one place.
Best fit
- Measuring satisfaction over time
- Feedback from several channels
Main thing to check
They show what customers say, not what visitors did
Customer feedback surveys
Why choose it
- You learn why customers act as they do, not only what they did
- You can track satisfaction over time
- Feedback from several channels can be analysed in one place
Best when
- You want structured feedback from customers or users
- You want to measure satisfaction over time
Watch for
- They do not replace traffic analytics or session recordings, which show what visitors did rather than what they say
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- You learn why customers act as they do, not only what they did
- You can track satisfaction over time
- Feedback from several channels can be analysed in one place
Fits when
- You want structured feedback from customers or users
- You want to measure satisfaction over time
- You want feedback from several channels analysed together
Tools for running structured surveys such as NPS, CSAT or product feedback, collecting the responses in one place and helping you analyse them.
Customer feedback survey tools run structured surveys, such as NPS, CSAT or product feedback, across web, in-product, email and link channels, and collect the responses in one place. Many add analysis of open-text answers. They suit businesses that want to measure satisfaction over time and hear the reasons behind behaviour. They do not replace traffic analytics or session recordings, which show what visitors did rather than what they say.
When you may need more. If you want to know what visitors did on the site rather than what they say, web analytics is the starting point.
Want to know what sits behind each option? See how we evaluate analytics tools