What is funnel analytics?
Funnel analytics turns the audiences you already define in Segments into an ordered visitor journey you can measure. It shows entries, progression, drop-offs and completion, so you can choose where to investigate next.
- Each step is a Segment stage or Everyone, with entries, drop-offs and completion per stage.
- Exact order requires every stage in sequence; forward order allows skipped stages while still requiring progress toward the final step.
- Select a stage to open the visitors matching its Segment and inspect the paths behind the count.
The short answer
Funnel analytics measures a visitor journey as an ordered set of steps you define. Each step is a Segment stage or Everyone. The funnel counts how many visits entered each stage, who moved on and who dropped off, and where the journey reached completion.
On Hitsteps a funnel starts from the audiences you already have:
- Entries, progression, drop-offs and completion for each stage you define.
- Exact or forward order, whichever matches how that journey really works.
- A stage opens the visitors matching its Segment, so you can inspect the paths behind a count.
Turn Segment filters into conversion stages
Flexible Segment filters
Use supported Segment conditions such as page activity, source, campaign, device, location or custom data. A funnel can combine these signals, not only page URLs.
Exact or forward order
Exact order requires every stage in sequence. Forward order allows skipped stages while still requiring progress toward the final step. The next section shows how the two compare.
Visitors behind each stage
Select a stage to open the visitors matching its Segment. The Everyone entry opens the unfiltered visitor report, so you can inspect the available paths and context behind the count.
Completion notifications
Enable push or email notifications for the final step, so a recorded completion can prompt a follow-up.
Exact or forward order
Exact order requires every stage in sequence. Forward order allows skipped stages while still requiring progress toward the final step.
Take the journey Everyone, Add to cart, Payment Page, Thank you. With exact order a visitor has to pass every stage to complete the journey. With forward order a visitor who skips a step is still counted as long as progress keeps moving toward the final step.
The preview uses up to two days of genuine live Segment history. Saving a funnel prepares eligible recent history in the background and shows progress, and live Segment matches begin after creation.
What funnel analytics cannot prove
Funnel analytics shows where a recorded path thinned out. It cannot prove why a visitor left. Missing activity does not establish why someone left, so treat the counts as pointers for investigation, not as an explanation of the departure.
Coverage depends on the data actually recorded and retained. The preview uses up to two days of genuine live Segment history, and reconstructed analytical Segment matches never advance or backfill funnels. Do not assume visits on different devices belong to one person: choose conditions your tracking setup can identify.
Where to investigate
Compare the stage counts for the journey. A large loss before an important stage suggests where to look: open the stage visitors, examine the recorded paths, and test a clearer version of that step.
The investigation lives on the funnel analytics page: create the Segments, arrange them in order, and validate the recent preview before saving. Completion notifications help too, so a recorded completion can prompt a follow-up instead of being missed.
Frequently asked questions
What is funnel analytics?
Funnel analytics turns the audiences you already define in Segments into an ordered visitor journey you can measure. A Hitsteps funnel is an ordered set of Segment stages or Everyone, and it shows entries, drop-offs and completion so you can choose where to investigate next.
How do exact and forward order differ?
Exact order requires every stage in sequence. Forward order allows skipped stages while still requiring progress toward the final step.
Are funnels limited to page URLs?
No. A funnel can combine supported Segment conditions such as page activity, source, campaign, device, location or custom data, not only page URLs.
Can I open the visitors behind a stage?
Yes. Select a stage to open the visitors matching its Segment. The Everyone entry opens the unfiltered visitor report, so you can inspect the available paths and context behind the count.
Which history can contribute to a funnel?
The preview uses up to two days of genuine live Segment history, and saving prepares eligible recent history in the background. Live Segment matches begin after creation. Reconstructed analytical Segment matches never advance or backfill funnels, and coverage depends on the data actually recorded and retained.
Which plans include conversion funnel tracking?
Funnels are available on Pro plans and above. Free, Starter and Growth do not include Funnels in the public plan table, and exact limits depend on your plan.
How do funnels relate to heatmaps and live visitors?
Funnels measure one ordered journey across visits. Heatmaps show where activity piles up on a page, and the live dashboard shows who is on the site right now. They connect to the same visitor data after tracking is installed.
Build a funnel around your next business outcome.
Create a free account, install the tracking code, and build your first funnel around the journey that matters most.