Sequential segments

Sequential segments let you group users who visited specific pages or took specific actions in a set order during one session. Use them to understand the paths users take through your site, and spot where things go wrong.

For example, you can find users who went from a product page to checkout without visiting any other pages, or users who completed a sign-up flow in a specific order.

What you can achieve with sequential segments

Standard segments show you who your users are. Sequential segments show you how they move through your site.

Use sequential segments to:

Identify successful conversion paths: Find users who completed a key journey like viewing a product, adding to cart, and checking out, and understand what made their experience work.

Spot where users go off track: Find users who started a journey but took an unexpected path, so you can identify friction or confusion.

Validate specific user flows: Check whether users are completing important flows — like onboarding steps or a checkout sequence — in the order you intended.

Then vs directly then: which to use

Both THEN and DIRECTLY THEN let you track users who visited pages in a specific order. The difference is whether other pages are allowed in between.

Example using THEN:

A user visits a product page, browses two other pages, then reaches checkout. This session would be included in a "Product page" THEN "Checkout" segment.

Example using DIRECTLY THEN:

The same user would not be included in a "Product page" DIRECTLY THEN "Checkout" segment, because they visited other pages in between.

Good to know: THEN and DIRECTLY THEN are compatible with the following criteria types: Viewed page, Zone clicked, Page event (must be on different pages), Same pageview, Exit page, and Text seen (requires Experience Monitoring).

How to create a sequential segment

Use THEN when you want to find users who visited pages in a specific order, but don't mind if they visited other pages in between.

1. Go to Analysis setup > Segments and click New segment.

   

2. Name your segment.
3. Set your first criteria as 'Viewed page' or 'Landing page' and select your page.

4. Click THEN and select your second page.

   

5. Repeat to add more pages to the sequence.

6. Click 'Create'.

   

Tip: You can add up to 9 Viewed page criteria using THEN in a single segment. The Viewed page criteria also lets you define the position of a page in the sequence or how many times it was viewed during the session.

Using DIRECTLY THEN

Use DIRECTLY THEN when you want to find users who moved from one page to the next with no other pages in between.

1. Go to Analysis setup > Segments and click New segment.
2. Name your segment.
3. Set your first criteria as Viewed page and select your page.

4. Click DIRECTLY THEN and select your next page.

   

5. Repeat to add more pages to the sequence.

6. Click 'Create'.

   

Tracking actions within a single page (in-page sequence)

You can also track the order of actions that happened within a single page, using the Same pageview criteria.

1. Go to Analysis setup > Segments and click New segment.
2. Name your segment.

3. Set your first criteria as 'Same pageview' and select the page you want to focus on.

   

4. Choose the actions that happened on that page, for example, specific zones clicked or elements interacted with.

   

5. Click 'Create'.

   

Create a sequential segment directly from Journey Analysis

1. If you're already analyzing a user journey and want to turn it into a segment, you can do this without leaving your analysis.
2. Open Journey Analysis and find the journey you want to segment.
3. Right-click on the final step of the journey. 

4. Select 'Create a segment' and then, 'on journey to this page group' from the menu.

   

5. Add or adjust any criteria to refine the segment further.
6. Click 'Create'.

What to read next

• Introduction to Segments: Learn what segments are and how they work.
• How to create a segment: Step-by-step instructions for building segments.