What is Journey analytics?
Journey analytics is the quantitative analysis of user paths through a product or across touchpoints, identifying common routes, drop-off points, loops, and deviations from intended flows.
How it works
Journey analytics uses event data (clickstreams, page views, feature usage) to reconstruct actual user paths rather than assumed ones. Techniques include funnel analysis (measuring conversion through a defined sequence), path analysis (mapping the most common sequences of events), cohort analysis (comparing paths of different user groups), and drop-off analysis (identifying where users abandon a flow). Unlike user journey maps (which are qualitative and persona-based), journey analytics is data-driven and reveals what actually happens at scale. Tools include Amplitude, Mixpanel, and Google Analytics.
Applied example
Journey analytics reveals that 30% of users who start a checkout flow loop back to the product page 2-3 times before purchasing. Investigation shows they are looking for size information that was not visible in the cart. Adding a size preview to the cart page eliminates the loop and reduces checkout time by 40%.
Why it matters
Journey analytics replaces assumptions about user behavior with data, revealing the actual paths, detours, and abandonment points that determine conversion and engagement.
