Heatmaps
Heatmaps provide visual insights into how users interact with your website. They show where visitors click, scroll, and move their mouse, helping you understand user behavior and optimize your pages for better engagement.
Accessing Heatmaps
- Log into your AnalyticsCloudMonitor account
- Select a website from the dropdown in the top navigation
- Click "Heatmaps" in the left sidebar
- Note: Heatmaps are only available for websites with Normal tracking
Understanding Heatmap Types
Click Heatmaps
Show where visitors click on your pages:
- Click Density: Areas with more clicks appear hotter (red/orange)
- Click Patterns: Identify which elements attract the most attention
- Button Performance: See which buttons get clicked most
- Navigation Insights: Understand how users navigate your site
Scroll Heatmaps
Reveal how far down pages visitors scroll:
- Scroll Depth: Percentage of page visitors scroll to
- Content Engagement: Which sections get the most attention
- Drop-off Points: Where visitors stop scrolling
- Page Length Optimization: Determine optimal content length
Move Heatmaps
Track mouse movement patterns:
- Mouse Tracking: Follow cursor movement across the page
- Reading Patterns: Understand how users scan content
- Attention Areas: Identify what captures user attention
- User Intent: Predict what users are looking for
Creating Your First Heatmap
Step 1: Create Heatmap
- Click "Create Heatmap" button
- Enter a descriptive name for your heatmap
- Select the page URL you want to track
- Choose heatmap type (Click, Scroll, or Move)
- Click "Create Heatmap"
Step 2: Configure Settings
After creating, you can configure:
- Page URL: Specific page to track
- Heatmap Type: Click, scroll, or move tracking
- Date Range: Period for data collection
- Device Types: Desktop, mobile, or tablet
- Traffic Sources: Filter by specific sources
Step 3: Wait for Data Collection
Heatmaps need time to collect data:
- Wait 24-48 hours for initial data
- More visitors = more accurate heatmaps
- Check back regularly for updates
- Data updates automatically
Interpreting Heatmap Data
Color Coding
Heatmaps use color to show activity levels:
- Red/Orange: High activity areas (many clicks/scrolls)
- Yellow: Medium activity areas
- Green/Blue: Low activity areas
- Gray: No activity recorded
Key Insights to Look For
- Hot Spots: Areas with high click activity
- Cold Spots: Areas that receive little attention
- Scroll Depth: How far users scroll before leaving
- Button Performance: Which CTAs get clicked most
- Content Engagement: Which sections hold attention
Using Heatmaps for Optimization
Content Optimization
Use heatmap insights to improve your content:
- Move Important Content: Place key information in high-activity areas
- Optimize CTAs: Position buttons where users naturally click
- Improve Navigation: Make navigation elements more prominent
- Content Length: Adjust based on scroll depth patterns
Design Improvements
Apply heatmap findings to design changes:
- Layout Optimization: Rearrange elements based on click patterns
- Color and Contrast: Make important elements more visible
- Spacing and Positioning: Improve element placement
- Mobile Optimization: Adapt for different device behaviors
Heatmap Management
Managing Multiple Heatmaps
The heatmaps dashboard shows all your heatmaps:
- Heatmap Name: Descriptive name for easy identification
- Page URL: Which page is being tracked
- Type: Click, scroll, or move heatmap
- Status: Active or paused
- Last Updated: When data was last collected
- Actions: Edit, pause, or delete options
Heatmap Actions
For each heatmap, you can:
- View: Open the heatmap visualization
- Edit: Modify settings and configuration
- Pause/Resume: Temporarily stop or restart data collection
- Delete: Remove the heatmap and its data
- Export: Download heatmap data
Advanced Heatmap Features
Filtering Options
Filter heatmap data for more specific insights:
- Date Range: Focus on specific time periods
- Device Types: Separate desktop, mobile, and tablet data
- Traffic Sources: Filter by organic, paid, social, etc.
- Geographic Location: Focus on specific countries or cities
- New vs Returning: Compare first-time vs repeat visitors
Comparative Analysis
Compare different heatmap scenarios:
- A/B Testing: Compare heatmaps from different page versions
- Before/After: See the impact of design changes
- Seasonal Comparison: Compare different time periods
- Device Comparison: Compare desktop vs mobile behavior
Heatmap Best Practices
Data Collection
- Sufficient Sample Size: Wait for enough visitors before making decisions
- Regular Monitoring: Check heatmaps weekly for updates
- Multiple Pages: Create heatmaps for key pages
- Different Types: Use click, scroll, and move heatmaps together
Analysis and Action
- Look for Patterns: Identify consistent user behavior
- Test Hypotheses: Make changes based on heatmap insights
- Measure Impact: Track how changes affect user behavior
- Iterate: Continuously improve based on new data
Exporting Heatmap Data
Export Options
- Open the heatmap you want to export
- Click the "Export" button
- Choose export format (CSV or JSON)
- Select the date range for export
- Download the file
What You Can Export
- Click Data: Coordinates and frequency of clicks
- Scroll Data: Scroll depth percentages
- Move Data: Mouse movement patterns
- Visitor Information: Device, location, traffic source
- Timestamps: When interactions occurred
Troubleshooting Heatmaps
No Data Showing
- Verify your website uses Normal tracking (not Lightweight)
- Check that the page URL is correct
- Ensure the heatmap is active and not paused
- Wait 24-48 hours for initial data collection
- Test by visiting the page yourself
Inaccurate Heatmap Data
- Check for multiple tracking codes on your site
- Verify the page URL matches exactly
- Clear browser cache and test again
- Check for ad blockers or privacy tools
- Ensure sufficient visitor traffic to the page
Heatmap Limitations
Keep in mind these limitations:
- Sample Size: Need sufficient visitors for accurate data
- Dynamic Content: May not work well with frequently changing content
- Privacy Tools: Ad blockers may affect data collection
- Mobile Limitations: Touch interactions differ from mouse clicks
- Page Changes: Major layout changes may require new heatmaps
💡 Pro Tip
Use heatmaps in combination with session replays to get a complete picture of user behavior. Heatmaps show patterns, while replays show individual user journeys.
Next Steps
Now that you understand heatmaps, explore these related features: