A click path or clickstream is the sequence of hyperlinks one or more website visitors follows on a given site, presented in the order viewed.
Most web servers store information about the sequence of links that a user "clicks through" while visiting the websites that they host in log files for the site operator's benefit.
The information is most useful when the client/user is identified, which can be done through website registration or record matching through the client's Internet service provider (ISP).
There have many cases of email addresses, phone numbers, and other personal information that have been stolen illegally from shoppers, clients, and many more to be used by third parties.
Click path data can contain information about the user's goals, interests, and knowledge and therefore can be used to predict their future actions and decisions.
By using statistical models, websites can potentially increase their operating profits by streamlining results based on what the user is most likely to purchase.
[9] Analyzing the data of clients that visit a company website can be important in order to remain competitive.
This use of the analysis creates a user profile that aids in understanding the types of people that visit a company's website.
As discussed in Van den Poel & Buckinx (2005), clickstream analysis can be used to predict whether a customer is likely to purchase from an e-commerce website.
[11] In addition, the data results can not only be used by a designer to review, improve or redesign their website, but can also be used to model a user's browsing behaviour.