Use of behavioral portraits in web site analysis
A method is provided for determining a website user behavioral portrait based on navigation on the website and dynamically reconfiguring web pages based on those portraits. In accordance with the method, data relating to the progress of a user through a website is recorded, and an ongoing behavioral portrait of the user is built based on the data. The portrait is then used to dynamically reconfigure web content.
1 . A method for analyzing a website, comprising:
recording data relating to the online behavior of a plurality of users through the website;
building a behavioral portrait for each of the plurality of users based on the data;
categorizing the behavioral portraits of the plurality of users into a plurality of portrait types; and
analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recorded data relates to behavior selected from the group consisting of (a) items clicked on by a user; (b) the number of times a user abandons the web site; (c) the number of return visits a user makes to the website; (d) the number of online purchases made by a user on the website; (e) the average time a user spends on the web site; and (f) the number of pages visited on the web site by a user.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the recorded data is measured over a fixed period of time.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the relative frequency with which items are clicked on by a user as a function of portrait type.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the relative frequency with which users abandon the website a function of portrait type.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the relative frequency with which users make return visits to the website a function of portrait type.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the relative frequency of online purchases on the website a function of portrait type.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the average time users spend on the website a function of portrait type.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the behavior of the plurality of users on the website as a function of portrait type involves determining the average number of pages users visit on the website a function of portrait type.
10 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
outputting graphical information representing the recorded data as a function of portrait type.
11 . A method for analyzing a web page, comprising:
categorizing the features appearing on the web page in terms of at least one behavioral trait which selection of the feature would indicate; and
creating a graphical overlay which reflects the categorization of the features.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the graphical overlay comprises a color-coded map.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
superimposing the color-coded map over the web page.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
using the categorization of features to create behavioral portraits of users accessing the web page.