How to Use the Web Engagement Overview Report

This report offers a detailed analysis of user engagement, categorized by the locations of interactions on your website. It provides insights into how users interact with different elements, helping to evaluate the impact of specific content and design decisions. 

Navigating the Report

Scorecards

Key engagement metrics are displayed in green scorecards across the top of the dashboard. These include:

  • Number of Engaged Sessions: The count of sessions where a user actively engaged with content for at least 10 seconds, triggered a conversion event, or viewed multiple pages.
  • Engagement Rate: The percentage of engaged sessions out of the total sessions, indicating how often users interact meaningfully with the site.
  • Total Navigation Clicks: The total number of clicks on navigation elements such as menu items, left-hand navigation, top-green-bar, or footer clicks.
  • Total Button & Link Clicks: The total count of user clicks on buttons or links throughout the site.
  • Total Contact Clicks: The total number of clicks on contact-related elements such as email links, phone numbers, or contact forms.
  • Total Exit Link Clicks: The count of clicks on links that direct users to external websites, leaving the current site to another domain outside of ohio.edu.

Each metric is essential for gauging the effectiveness of content and outreach strategies. The percent change from the previous reporting period is also indicated below each metric to track progress over time. For definitions of each term, refer to the vocabulary section. 

Graphs and Charts

  • Line Graph: Positioned on the bottom left, this graph illustrates trends in engagement types—such as Navigation, Exit, Contact, Button, and Link Clicks—and the frequency of interactions with web elements over time.
  • Pie Chart: Located on the bottom right, this chart shows the distribution of all clicks across various web elements, detailed in the Drupal Web Catalog. 

Using Filters

Filters at the top of the dashboard mirror those found on the Session Data page, enhancing user experience by maintaining consistency across reports. They include options for adjusting the date range, page path, page path groupings, and type of engagement click. 

  • Page Path: This refers to the specific URL of a page viewed during a session. It tracks the exact address that a user visits, which helps in understanding the individual performance of pages and the journey users take through a site. This data can reveal popular pages, pages that are potential drop-off points, and how different content performs.
  • Page Path Group: This is a method of categorizing pages based on common characteristics or hierarchical structure. 
  • Type of Engagement Click: categorized the web elements into:
    • Link Click
    • Button Click
    • Navigation Click
    • Contact Click
    • Exit Click

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Examples of How Data Can Be Actionable

Strategic Adjustments

The insights gathered from this dashboard can drive strategic changes in website design and content. For instance:

  • Increasing Engagement: Pages with lower engagement rates might benefit from restructured content or more prominently placed call-to-action buttons.
  • Optimizing Navigation: High interaction rates with navigation elements might indicate that users are struggling to find content, suggesting a need for clearer navigation paths. 

Content Development

Understanding which elements attract the most clicks can guide content creation, ensuring that the most engaging topics or formats are prioritized. Additionally, elements with high exit rates might be adjusted or examined for potential improvements. 

User Experience Optimization

  • Insight: Analyzing user click patterns and their locations can uncover significant user experience (UX) issues and opportunities for improvement. For instance, if users often navigate between multiple hub pages without delving into deeper content, it may signal a lack of intuitive pathways or inadequate highlighting of key resources.
  • Action: To optimize user journeys based on these insights, consider implementing the following actions:
    • Reorganize Hub Page Layouts: Streamline the structure of hub pages to create clearer pathways that guide users toward essential content.
    • Enhance Visibility of Important Links: Use visual cues such as buttons, bold text, or contrasting colors to draw attention to critical links and resources.
    • Simplify Navigation: Review and reduce the number of clicks required to reach desired content, ensuring users can easily access educational categories and resources.
    • Identify Drop-Off Points: Analyze where users abandon their journey and make targeted enhancements to those areas, such as adding engaging elements or clarifying calls to action, to maintain user engagement and ensure a smoother overall experience.

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