If you’re running B2B marketing campaigns with chatbots, you’ve probably wondered: are people actually engaging, or are they just clicking around and ghosting? This guide is for marketers, growth folks, and anyone tasked with showing real results from a chatbot built on Chatfuel. I’ll walk you through how to track, analyze, and actually use your engagement data—without getting lost in vanity metrics or endless dashboards.
Step 1: Get Clear on What "Engagement" Really Means
Before you start poking around in Chatfuel's analytics, decide what matters for your B2B goals. Engagement can mean all sorts of things, but for most B2B bots, you probably care about things like:
- How many people start a conversation?
- How many stick around and go through your key flows?
- Who actually clicks your CTAs—like booking a demo or downloading a whitepaper?
- Are users coming back, or is it a one-and-done deal?
Pro tip: Don’t track everything just because you can. Focus on the actions tied to your real business outcomes (meetings booked, qualified leads, email signups, etc.).
Step 2: Set Up Chatfuel's Built-In Analytics
Chatfuel has some analytics baked in. They’re not perfect, but they’ll give you a decent starting point.
What You Get Out of the Box
- User stats: Total users, new users, active users. Good for seeing your top-of-funnel activity.
- Messages sent/received: Basic volume metrics. Fine for spotting spikes or drop-offs.
- Block statistics: See how many people hit each block (think: each "screen" in your bot).
You’ll find these in the “Analytics” section of your Chatfuel dashboard.
Limitations
- You won’t get super granular data—like user-level paths, time-on-step, or detailed drop-off points.
- Exporting data is limited. If you need raw data for serious analysis, you’ll need to get creative.
Honest take: Chatfuel’s native analytics are fine for spotting obvious problems or big wins, but they’re not enough for deep optimization.
Step 3: Add Custom Tracking Inside Chatfuel
To really understand what users are doing, you’ll want to set up custom tracking. Here’s how.
a) Use “Attributes” to Track User Actions
- You can create attributes (think: variables) that get set when a user clicks a button or hits a certain block.
- For example: When someone clicks “Book a Demo,” set an attribute like
booked_demo = true. - You can then filter users based on these attributes, or trigger follow-up messages.
How-to:
- In a block, add an “Action” to “Set User Attribute.”
- Name it clearly (e.g., clicked_whitepaper).
- Use these attributes for segmentation later.
b) Connect to Google Analytics (or Other Tools)
If you want real analytics, connect Chatfuel to Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or another analytics platform.
How:
- Use Chatfuel’s “JSON API” or “Zapier” integrations.
- For every key action (button click, form submission, etc.), fire an event to your analytics tool.
- In Google Analytics, set up custom events like chatbot_demo_booked.
Heads up:
This takes a bit of setup, but it’s way better for tracking funnels, conversions, and user journeys.
c) Tag Your Links
Whenever you send users to your website, calendar tool, or content, use UTM parameters on your links. This lets you see exactly which bot flows are driving traffic and conversions in your web analytics.
Example:
https://yourwebsite.com/whitepaper?utm_source=chatfuel&utm_campaign=spring_launch
Step 4: Analyze the Data (Without Going Down a Rabbit Hole)
You’ve set up tracking. Now what? Here’s how to actually use the data.
a) Find Your Drop-Off Points
- Look for blocks or steps where most users bail out.
- Is it a long form? Too many hoops? Boring content? Fix the obvious pain points first.
b) Track Conversion Rates
- For each key action (demo booked, form submitted), calculate the % of users who complete it vs. those who start.
- Don’t obsess over raw user counts—percentages tell you if your flow is actually working.
c) Segment by User Type
- Are certain industries or job roles engaging more? Use attributes or custom questions to segment users.
- Double down on what works for your best segments, and rethink your messaging for the rest.
d) Watch for Repeat Engagement
- Are users coming back, or just bouncing after one try?
- If you see repeat visits, that’s a sign your bot is actually useful—not just a flashy pop-up.
Pro tip:
Don’t get lost chasing “engagement” for its own sake. If you’re not seeing movement on real business goals, it’s time to tweak your flows or rethink your offer.
Step 5: Optimize Your Bot Based on Real Insights
A lot of folks build a chatbot, watch it for a week, and then forget about it. Don’t do that. Use your data to make actual improvements.
- Shorten long or confusing flows. If people drop at the same spot, make it simpler.
- Test different copy or CTAs. Small changes can bump up conversions.
- Add reminders or follow-ups. If users start but don’t finish, send them a nudge.
- Personalize based on attributes. If someone’s in a certain industry, show tailored content or offers.
Run simple A/B tests (even if it’s just manual for now). Keep iterating—don’t assume you nailed it the first time.
What to Ignore (and What to Watch Closely)
Ignore: - Fluffy metrics like “total messages sent” or “users reached.” They sound good, but don’t tie back to real outcomes. - Overly complex dashboards. If you’re spending more time analyzing than acting, you’re doing it wrong.
Watch Closely: - Drop-off points in your funnel. - Conversion rates for your key CTAs. - Segments that are actually turning into leads or meetings.
If you start with these, you’ll steer clear of most common mistakes.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need a PhD in data science to get actionable insights from Chatfuel. Track the basics, focus on your real business goals, and keep tweaking your bot based on what users actually do—not what you hope they’ll do.
Build, measure, tweak, repeat. That’s how you turn a chatbot from a shiny object into a real asset for your B2B marketing.
Good luck, and don’t overthink it.