How do I measure website engagement, not just conversions?

Why is engagement a better indicator of buyer readiness than conversions alone?

Most B2B buyers will never convert on their first visit—and many won’t convert at all until late in their research journey. Gartner reports that 83% of the buying journey happens before sales engagement, with much of it taking place anonymously (Source: Gartner Future of Sales). That means conversions only capture a tiny fraction of true buyer intent.

Engagement metrics reveal what buyers are doing during the 97%+ of the journey when they are not converting. They show where buyers are slowing down, returning, exploring, or hesitating. These behaviours are far more actionable for marketers and product teams than a simple yes/no conversion event.

Strong engagement indicates clarity, relevance, and usefulness—three precursors to pipeline creation.

What engagement metrics matter most for modern B2B websites?

Website analytics platforms provide dozens of behavioural metrics, but only a few have strong predictive power for buyer readiness. Research from Forrester shows that depth of content engagement is 2–3x more correlated with pipeline than top-level vanity metrics (Source: Forrester B2B Engagement Study).

The most valuable engagement metrics include:

• Time on page: Indicates interest and content depth (high-value pages = 45–90 seconds).
• Scroll depth: Shows whether visitors reach important sections.
• Video play rate: Signals clarity and relevance.
• Path sequences: Which pages visitors navigate next.
• Repeat visits: A major indicator of intent, especially within 7 days.
• Pricing page behaviour: Tiers viewed, toggles clicked, revisit frequency.

When combined, these metrics reveal not just interest—but buying-stage progression.

How does interactive video help measure deeper intent?

Interactive video allows buyers to actively choose the information they want, creating structured engagement rather than passive metrics. This generates stronger signals than traditional analytics. According to Forrester, self-directed content choices are 3x more predictive of purchase intent than passive consumption (Source: Forrester Behavioural Intent Benchmark).

Interactive video engagement metrics include:

• Branch choices: Reveal role, use case, or problem priority.
• CTA engagement: Indicates conversion readiness without requiring a form.

Unlike scroll depth or generic clicks, these signals reflect explicit decisions—giving sales and marketing teams far clearer insight into what buyers care about.

How should GTM teams interpret engagement across the full buyer journey?

Engagement should be analysed through the lens of journey stages, not individual page views. Successful GTM teams map behaviours to readiness levels.

A simple framework looks like this:

• Early-stage intent: Homepage engagement, solution pages, introductory video plays.
• Mid-stage intent: Product exploration, interactive flows, comparison content.
• Late-stage intent: Pricing behaviour, ROI pages, implementation content.

McKinsey research shows that companies using behaviour-based scoring see 2–4x better qualification accuracy compared to form-based scoring (Source: McKinsey B2B Growth Study). Engagement isn’t just a metric—it’s a roadmap of buyer psychology.

When mapped correctly, engagement becomes the strongest predictor of pipeline progression.

How do we operationalise engagement insights inside GTM workflows?

Engagement data becomes powerful when it informs prioritisation, experimentation, and personalisation.

Recommended actions include:

• Prioritise high-intent accounts: Repeat pricing visits and deep video engagement trigger SDR outreach.
• Improve weak-performing pages: Low scroll depth or video drop-off indicates unclear messaging.
• Segment nurture journeys: Route buyers into personalised interactive flows based on behaviour.
• Enhance paid campaigns: Use high-engagement pages as destinations, not generic forms.

This transforms your GTM motion from static to adaptive—meeting buyers where they are in their journey.

FAQ

Is engagement a replacement for conversions?

No—engagement predicts conversions. It reveals intent before the buyer is ready to take action.

Which engagement metrics matter most?

Time on page, video engagement, pricing interactions, and repeat visits are the most predictive.

Can engagement scoring replace MQL scoring?

Yes—engagement-based scoring is more accurate and aligns better with modern buying behaviour.

How does interactive video improve engagement measurement?

It captures explicit choices, not just passive behaviour, revealing what buyers actually care about.