Published on 2025-06-27T22:54:20Z

What is Journey Mapping in Analytics? Examples for Plainsignal and GA4

Journey mapping is the process of visualizing and analyzing the sequence of steps a user takes to achieve a goal within your website or app. It uncovers motivations, pain points, and touchpoints across channels and devices. By combining quantitative data from analytics tools like Plainsignal (a cookie-free, simple analytics solution) or Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with qualitative research, teams can identify areas for optimization and improve overall user experience. Journey maps highlight how different segments interact at each stage—from awareness to conversion and retention—helping businesses align product development, marketing strategies, and customer support around real user behaviors and expectations.

Illustration of Journey mapping
Illustration of Journey mapping

Journey mapping

A visual technique to track and analyze user interactions across touchpoints, revealing behaviors and pain points using Plainsignal and GA4.

Why Journey Mapping Matters

Mapping the user journey transforms raw metrics into a coherent story, bridging gaps between touchpoints. It helps teams empathize with customers, identify friction early, and align goals across departments. By visualizing each interaction, organizations can prioritize optimizations that boost conversions, retention, and overall satisfaction.

  • Understand user behavior

    Chart each step users take to see how they interact with your product, which features they use most, and where they spend the most time.

  • Identify friction points

    Reveal stages where users face confusion or drop off, making it easier to address usability issues and streamline the experience.

How Journey Mapping Works

Journey mapping combines data from analytics platforms with user research to create a step-by-step visualization of the customer experience. The process involves collecting event-level data, aggregating it into meaningful stages, and interpreting this information in the context of user goals.

  • Data collection

    Gather quantitative data on user actions using analytics tools.

    • Plainsignal example:

      Use PlainSignal’s simple, cookie-free snippet to track page views and custom events without compromising privacy.

    • Ga4 example:

      Implement GA4 via gtag to capture granular event data and leverage Google’s machine learning insights.

  • Visualization and analysis

    Organize collected data into a visual map that outlines each stage, touchpoint, and user expectation.

    • Journey stages:

      Define key phases such as Awareness, Consideration, Purchase, and Retention.

    • Touchpoints:

      Identify channels (web, mobile, email) and user actions at each stage.

Implementing Journey Mapping in Practice

Bringing journey mapping to life requires setting up tracking, defining events, segmenting users, and iterating on insights. Here’s how to get started with PlainSignal and GA4.

  • Setup analytics tools

    Add tracking code to your site and configure basic event tracking.

    • Plainsignal setup:

      Install PlainSignal with this snippet:

      <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/PlainSignal-min.js"></script>

      This will automatically track page views and sessions cookie-free.

    • Ga4 setup:

      Add GA4 using gtag:

      <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} 
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

  • Define events and touchpoints

    Determine the specific user actions that map to journey stages (e.g., sign-up, add-to-cart, checkout). Use consistent naming conventions for clarity.

Best Practices and Common Pitfalls

Following best practices ensures your journey maps are actionable and accurate, while avoiding common mistakes that can skew insights.

  • Best practices

    Adopt a holistic approach, combine data sources, and iterate on your journey maps regularly.

    • Consistent event naming:

      Use clear, consistent names for events to avoid confusion when analyzing data.

    • Cross-functional collaboration:

      Involve stakeholders from product, marketing, and support to capture diverse perspectives.

  • Common pitfalls

    Be aware of issues that can undermine your journey mapping efforts.

    • Overcomplicating maps:

      Including too many touchpoints can make maps hard to interpret.

    • Ignoring qualitative insights:

      Relying solely on quantitative data can miss the ‘why’ behind user actions.

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