In 2014, Paul Ryazanov sat down with Loren Baker at Search Engine Journal for a second interview — this time focused on tracking user behaviour and using that data to drive better conversions. The interview was recorded at PubCon, and it covered one of my favourite areas: understanding how real people actually interact with your website, and using that insight to improve performance.
At the time, I was working with Promodo and helping ecommerce businesses use tools like heat mapping and eye tracking to uncover what was really happening on their sites. The gap between what business owners assume their visitors do — and what they actually do — is one of the biggest missed opportunities in ecommerce.
Heat Mapping and Eye Tracking
One of the main topics we discussed was heat mapping — specifically, how it lets you see where visitors are clicking, scrolling, and spending time on a page. Tools like Crazy Egg and Yandex Metrica were my go-to recommendations at the time for making this accessible to businesses that did not have large analytics teams.
Eye tracking took this a step further. Rather than just clicks, eye tracking reveals where people actually look on a page. This is powerful because it exposes the disconnect between where you want attention and where attention actually goes. If your call to action is buried below content that no one reads, no amount of traffic will fix your conversion rate.
Trends in User Behaviour
The interview also explored emerging trends in how user behaviour was evolving. Even back in 2014, it was clear that mobile behaviour was shifting how people engaged with ecommerce sites. Shorter sessions, different scroll patterns, and higher expectations for speed were already reshaping what it meant to run a high-converting online store.
These trends have only accelerated since then. Today, understanding user behaviour is not a nice-to-have — it is the foundation of any serious conversion optimisation strategy.
Demographic Tracking and Persona Targeting
We also discussed how demographic tracking could be used to improve marketing performance. By understanding who your visitors actually are — not just what they do — you can segment more effectively and create experiences that feel personal.
This is an area I have continued to develop in my work with MageCloud. Every store audit we conduct starts with understanding the real audience, not assumptions about the audience.
Why This Still Matters
What made this interview valuable — and why I am sharing it here — is that the principles have not changed. The tools have evolved, but the fundamentals remain the same: watch what people do on your site, learn from the patterns, and make data-driven improvements one step at a time.
If you want to see the full conversation, you can watch the full video interview on YouTube, published on the Search Engine Journal channel. You can also read the original Search Engine Journal article for the full write-up.
Related Reading
If tracking user behaviour and improving conversions is something you care about, these posts go deeper into related topics:
How A/B Testing Can Help You Spend Less and Convert More — My Interview with Search Engine Journal — my first SEJ interview at PubCon, covering A/B testing fundamentals, which tools to use, and how to make smarter decisions with limited budgets.
From 0.2% to 1.2% Conversion Rate: The 10 Changes That Made It Happen — the detailed CRO case study showing the specific changes that transformed conversion performance for The Cabin Luggage Company.
Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform — My Interview with WebsitePlanet — a deep dive into how we approach store audits and platform selection at MageCloud, including our personalised video walkthrough process.
SEO for Ecommerce: Platform Selection, Site Structure, and Strategy — Majestic SEO Podcast — my panel appearance discussing how technical foundations like site structure directly impact your ability to rank and convert.