Where do my visitors come from? What devices are they using? Do they convert? Three questions everyone asks—though rarely all at once.
Yet it’s by considering them together that the real decisions emerge.
Three data points, viewed separately
First data point: traffic sources. On this site, 71% of visitors arrive via direct links, and 22% via search engines. Taken on its own, this information simply indicates where to focus acquisition efforts.
Second data point: device used. About two-thirds of sessions are on desktop, one-third on mobile. Taken on its own, this information simply indicates that the audience is predominantly desktop.
Third data point: the conversion rate by device. 25.1% on desktop, 6.5% on mobile. Taken on its own, this information indicates that desktop converts better.
Three valid observations. Three potential decisions. But no real strategic question.
What emerges when we cross-reference them
The real question is this: Do my best traffic sources drive visitors to the device that converts best, or to the one that converts least well?
Because if my most qualified source—in this case, direct links—primarily drives traffic to mobile devices, then even my best acquisition channel underperforms due to the device on which the traffic lands. And if I don’t know that, I can’t fix anything.
This is the kind of problem that goes unnoticed for months. You invest in a traffic source that seems to be working, without realizing that friction elsewhere is negating some of its results.
Conversely, if the best sources are already driving traffic to desktop—where conversion rates are highest—we know we can confidently invest more in them.
The question to ask before every campaign
Before your next campaign or post, don’t just ask yourself, “Where does my traffic come from?” Ask yourself: Is this traffic coming to the device where I convert best?
The raw data answers the first question. Cross-referencing answers the second. And it’s the second one that drives decisions.
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