So web data tells you all the stuff everyone is familiar with visits, bounces, exits time on page etc… Which is an average view of the page from all the users on your site or in your segment. User behaviour tells you how they have reacted with each of the elements of the page, the page itself and the site as a whole.
User behaviour is harder to analyse it requires experience as well as robust framework to put everything in context. I analyse a number of different behavioural and emotional processes that users go through without even realising. For example scarcity is a powerful motivator that’s why most e-commerce stores will now tell you how many are left in stock or booking website tell you how many rooms are left. By itself that won’t make me convert you need to have built my trust, engaged me with your offering and motivated me enough so that I believe you have the best deal because if not your competitor is a tab away.
I always say the data gives you the clues as to where you need to test what page, what part of the process or funnel. It takes the knowledge of user behaviour to turn that clue into a tangible idea to test. For example the cosmetic surgery company I mentioned earlier. I had seen that their pages about their local hospitals had their highest time on site and lowest exit rates hinting that was engaging them but the page itself was bland. By thinking about the user behaviour I was able to theorise that since cosmetic surgery is quite a daunting thing to undertake and the fact that you can have it done at a private hospital that’s just a short distance away is very reassuring and that insight lead to the big gain.