User goals are the end states that users want to reach by using your website. They are not confined to within the scope of the website, but rather reflect the real-world needs and desires of your users. For example, a user goal could be to book a flight, learn a new skill, or buy a product. User goals are important to understand because they guide your design decisions and help you create a website that is useful, relevant, and satisfying for your users.
To find out what user goals are on your website, you need to do some research and analysis. There are different methods you can use to elicit user goals, such as:
Asking users directly, through interviews, surveys, or focus groups. This can give you insights into what users say they want and why they use your website. However, this method may not always be accurate or reliable, as users may not fully understand their own goals, or may give biased or influenced answers.
Observing users indirectly, through analytics, usability testing, or eye tracking. This can show you what users actually do and how they behave on your website. However, this method may not always explain why users do what they do, or what their underlying motivations are.
Analyzing user data, through personas, scenarios, or journey maps. This can help you synthesize and organize the information you gathered from other methods, and create realistic representations of your user groups and their goals. However, this method may not always capture the diversity and complexity of your users, or account for changing or conflicting goals You can use a combination of these methods to get a more comprehensive and accurate picture of your user goals. You can also use tools like Userforge or Xtensio to create user personas and scenarios based on your research data. You should also review and update your user goals regularly, as they may change over time due to new trends, technologies, or circumstances.