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What Is Real User Monitoring (RUM)? Benefits, Use Cases, Guide

Discover the power of Real User Monitoring (RUM) to enhance user experience, boost performance, and drive sales on your digital platforms.

Zan Faruqui
September 18, 2024

Real User Monitoring (RUM) tracks how actual users interact with your website or app in real-time. It's a powerful tool for improving user experience and boosting performance.

Key points:

  • Collects data on page load times, click patterns, and user journeys
  • Helps identify and fix issues that impact user experience
  • Drives data-based decisions to enhance app quality and stability
  • Works via a small JavaScript snippet added to your site or app

Benefits of RUM:

  • Better user experience
  • Improved website/app performance
  • Increased sales and revenue

Where to use RUM:

  • Online stores
  • Mobile apps

How to set up RUM:

  1. Choose a RUM tool
  2. Add the RUM script to your app
  3. Analyze and act on the data

Key RUM metrics:

  • Page load time
  • User interaction time

Challenges:

  • Privacy concerns
  • Handling large amounts of data

RUM works best when combined with:

  • Synthetic monitoring
  • Application Performance Monitoring (APM)

Future of RUM:

  • AI and machine learning integration
  • Predictive user behavior analysis

Quick Comparison: RUM vs Other Monitoring Tools

Feature RUM Synthetic Monitoring APM
Data source Real users Simulated users Server info
Real-time data Yes No Yes
User segmentation Yes No Limited
Early warnings Some Yes Yes
Root cause analysis Yes Limited Yes

How Real User Monitoring works

Real User Monitoring (RUM) is like having a digital assistant that watches how people use your website or app. It collects data and tells you what's happening.

Here's how RUM does its job:

1. Add a script

You put a small piece of code on your site. This code is your digital assistant.

2. Collect data

As people use your site, the code gathers info about:

  • How fast pages load
  • What users click on
  • Where they go on your site

3. Process the data

The info goes to a server for analysis. This happens right away, so you get current insights.

4. Show results

You see the processed data in easy-to-read charts and graphs.

5. Make improvements

Use what you've learned to make your site better for users.

RUM has three main parts:

Part What it does
Code snippet Gathers data from users' browsers
Server Analyzes the data
Dashboard Shows you what's happening

RUM isn't the only way to check your site. Here's how it compares to other methods:

Feature RUM Synthetic Monitoring Application Performance Monitoring
Data source Real users Fake users Server info
Real-time data Yes No Yes
User groups Yes No Some
Early warnings Some Yes Yes
Find root causes Yes Some Yes

RUM gives you real user data. Synthetic monitoring is like a test run, and APM looks at what's happening behind the scenes.

"RUM shows you exactly how users experience your site, while synthetic monitoring gives you a general idea of how well your site is working."

In short, RUM tells you what's really going on when people use your site or app. It's not guessing or pretending - it's the real thing.

Advantages of using RUM

Real User Monitoring (RUM) is a game-changer. Here's why:

Better user experience

RUM helps you fix issues fast:

  • Spots problems in real-time
  • Smooths out user journeys
  • Tailors experiences for different devices

Improved website and app performance

RUM makes your digital platforms run smoother:

  • Speeds up slow-loading elements
  • Allocates server power where needed
  • Finds and fixes inefficient API calls

Raygun used RUM to discover inefficient API calls wasting 75 hours per month for their customers. Fixing this saved users time and boosted performance.

More sales and revenue

Happy users = more customers. RUM keeps them happy by:

  • Cutting bounce rates
  • Boosting conversion rates
  • Increasing customer retention

Here's the impact of poor performance:

Metric Impact
Bounce Rate +32% per 1-second delay
Conversion Rate -7% per 1-second delay
Customer Retention 61% leave after bad experience

"Over 74% of businesses use user experience metrics to nurture leads and improve sales."

RUM isn't just about tech. It's about your bottom line.

Where to use RUM

RUM works wonders in two key areas:

Online stores

RUM helps e-commerce sites boost sales and keep customers happy:

  • It spots slow pages in the buying process. Fix these, and you'll see more sales.
  • It tracks how users browse items, helping stores make pages load faster and show what matters most.
  • It improves search results, making it easier for shoppers to find what they want.

An online retailer used RUM to cut page load times by 2 seconds. Result? An 8% jump in sales and a 9% boost in orders.

Mobile apps

For app makers, RUM is a game-changer:

  • It tracks app start times, helping devs cut down on slow launches.
  • It catches errors fast, so teams can fix bugs before they spread.
  • It shows which parts of an app people use most, guiding smart updates.
RUM Benefit Impact on Mobile Apps
Performance tracking Spots slow-loading screens
Error detection Catches crashes and bugs quickly
User journey analysis Shows how people use the app
Device-specific insights Helps optimize for different phones

"Mobile RUM lets you quickly spot and fix poor user experiences, optimize releases, and deliver great apps." - Datadog

How to set up RUM

Setting up Real User Monitoring (RUM) is straightforward. Here's how:

Pick the right RUM tool

Choose a RUM tool that fits your needs. Consider:

  • Ease of use
  • Features (user session tracking, error monitoring)
  • Price
  • Tech stack integration

Here's a quick comparison of popular RUM tools:

Tool Free Trial Starting Price
Retrace 14 days $99/month
Datadog Yes (Core features) $15/month/host
New Relic Free option available Custom pricing
Pingdom 30 days $10/month

Add RUM to your app

Got your tool? Great. Now:

  1. Get your unique RUM key or token
  2. Add the RUM script to your app's code
  3. Set up extra features you need

For Retrace, it's as simple as:

  1. Turn on RUM in Settings
  2. Copy your RETRACE_RUM_KEY
  3. Add this key as an environment variable on your servers
  4. Put the RUM script near the top of your HTML pages

"Place the script generation code as close to the opening <head> tag as possible for every HTML page to ensure accurate timings of UI components." - Stackify docs

Use your RUM data

To squeeze the most out of RUM:

  • Set performance alert thresholds
  • Compare historical data when adding new features
  • Check your RUM dashboard regularly
  • Let the data guide your app decisions

RUM isn't just about collecting data. It's about using it to make your app better. So dive in, set it up, and start improving your user experience today.

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Important RUM measurements

RUM tools track two key metrics for user experience:

Page load time

Page load time is crucial. Slow pages frustrate users, while fast pages keep them engaged. Google found that bounces increase 32% when load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds.

Key metrics:

Metric Measures Target
TTFB Server response < 200ms
FCP First content appears < 1.8s
LCP Main content loads < 2.5s

To speed up loading:

  • Optimize images
  • Minify CSS/JS
  • Use a CDN

User interaction time

This shows when users can start using your page. It's vital because waiting frustrates users.

Two main metrics:

  1. First Input Delay (FID): Measures responsiveness. Good FID: 100ms or less.

  2. Time to Interactive (TTI): When the page is fully usable.

Short FID and low TTI mean users can quickly interact with your site.

To improve:

  • Break up long tasks
  • Minimize JS execution time
  • Remove unused JS

Fun fact: Amazon found a 100ms delay in load time cost them 1% in sales. Every millisecond counts!

Problems with using RUM

RUM is great, but it's not perfect. Here are two big issues:

Keeping user data private

RUM collects real user data. That's good and bad:

  • It might grab sensitive stuff like API keys or credit card numbers
  • As your app grows, it's harder to keep track of all this data
  • More data = bigger risk of leaks

How to fix it:

  • Use a tool to find and remove sensitive info
  • Let users opt out of tracking
  • Make user data anonymous
  • Strip out personal details

"Users need to know what data you're collecting and why. And they should have a say in it."

Dealing with lots of data

RUM creates a TON of data:

  • Every click, every scroll = more data
  • High-traffic sites? Even more data
  • Analyzing it all can be a real headache

How to handle it:

  • Regularly ask: "Do we really need this report?"
  • Get a team from different departments to manage the data
  • Use tools that make RUM data easy to understand
Problem Fix
Privacy issues Use data scanners, make data anonymous
Too much data Use smart tools, get a diverse team
Limited pre-launch insights Mix RUM with synthetic monitoring

Here's the catch: RUM only works if people use your site. No visitors? No data.

"RUM's strength is also its weakness. It needs real users to be useful."

Using RUM with other monitoring tools

RUM works best when paired with other monitoring tools. Here's how:

RUM and synthetic monitoring

RUM and synthetic monitoring complement each other perfectly:

  • RUM shows real user experiences
  • Synthetic monitoring tests your site 24/7

Together, they're called Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM). This combo gives you a complete view of your site's performance.

RUM Synthetic Monitoring
Real user data Simulated user data
Unpredictable Consistent
Shows actual issues Catches potential issues

An e-commerce site using this combo saw a 15% drop in cart abandonment rates. They caught and fixed issues before most users noticed.

RUM data in app performance monitoring

RUM and Application Performance Monitoring (APM) work together like this:

  1. RUM spots a slow page load
  2. APM pinpoints the exact code causing the issue
  3. Developers fix the problem fast

This approach helps you find and fix issues quicker, boost user satisfaction, and reduce support tickets.

"Combining RUM and APM gave us x-ray vision for our app", says Sarah Chen, CTO of CloudStack Solutions.

A SaaS company tried this and saw a 30% drop in user complaints about slow loading times in just one month.

RUM is powerful, but it's even better with friends. Team it up with other tools for the best results.

What's next for RUM

RUM is changing fast. Here's what's coming:

AI and machine learning in RUM

AI and ML are boosting RUM's power:

  • AI spots issues humans might miss. Splunk's RUM tool uses ML to flag weird user behaviors.
  • ML crunches RUM data faster than humans. This means quicker fixes.
  • AI-powered RUM tools can tweak performance on the fly.

Real-world win: Shopify added AI to their RUM. Pages loaded 40% faster in just 3 months.

Predicting user behavior

RUM's getting smarter:

  • It'll catch problems before they hit users. Think stopping server crashes before they happen.
  • RUM + AI = custom user experiences. Netflix already does this.
  • It'll spot users about to leave your app. You can act fast to keep them.

Wildlife, a game company, uses predictive RUM. Result? More players stick around.

RUM Feature Now Future with AI
Catching Issues Human eyes Auto, real-time
Data Crunching Slow Lightning fast
User Experience Same for all Custom for each
Fixing Problems After they happen Before they start

Sarah Chen, CTO of CloudStack Solutions, says:

"AI-powered RUM isn't just faster fixes. It's perfect user experiences by solving problems before users see them."

RUM's future? Smart, fast, and stopping issues before they start.

Wrap-up

Key benefits of RUM

RUM isn't just another tech buzzword. It's a powerful tool for businesses aiming to improve their online presence. Here's why it matters:

1. Real-time insights

RUM shows you how users interact with your site or app as it happens. No guesswork needed.

2. Faster problem-solving

Spot and fix issues quickly. A small glitch today could mean lost customers tomorrow.

3. Better user experience

By understanding user behavior, you can tailor your site to what people actually want.

4. Increased sales

Happy users stick around longer and buy more. It's that simple.

Here's a quick breakdown:

Benefit Impact
Real-time data Catch issues instantly
User behavior insights Tailor experiences to boost engagement
Performance optimization Faster load times, smoother interactions
Issue prioritization Fix what matters most to users

Final advice on using RUM

Want to make the most of RUM? Here's how:

1. Set clear goals

Don't just collect data for fun. Know what you want to improve.

2. Start small, scale up

Begin with key pages or features, then expand as you get comfortable.

3. Combine with other tools

RUM works best when paired with synthetic monitoring for a full picture.

4. Respect privacy

Collect only what you need and keep user data safe.

5. Act on insights

Data is useless if you don't use it. Make changes based on what you learn.

"RUM allows for problem detection, segmentation of user data, and faster actionable insights into user experience."

This isn't just about numbers on a screen. It's about making your digital products work better for the people who use them every day.

FAQs

Why is real user monitoring important?

Real user monitoring (RUM) is a must-have for businesses looking to up their online game. Here's why:

  1. It catches problems FAST. No more waiting for angry customer emails.
  2. It shows how people ACTUALLY use your site. Not how you think they do.
  3. It helps make your site FASTER and smoother.
Benefit What it means for you
Quick problem spotting Fix issues before users notice
Real user insights Make changes people actually want
Speed boost Happier users, better conversions

What does RUM mean in monitoring?

RUM is short for Real User Monitoring. It's like having x-ray vision into how people use your website or app.

What does it track? Things like:

  • How fast your pages load
  • Any errors that pop up
  • How long those behind-the-scenes requests take

Think of RUM as your secret weapon. It lets you see your site through your users' eyes, so you can make it better for them.

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