Heatmap
Heatmap - visualization of user behavior on the page: where they click, where they look, where they scroll. Tool for CRO.
Heatmap is a visual report that aggregates the behavior of all users on a page into one “snapshot”. Three main types: click map (where they click), scroll map (to where they scroll), move map (where they move the cursor as a proxy for the view).
The most useful one for landing pages is scroll map. If 70% of the audience does not make it to the block with prices, this block needs to be raised higher or the introductory part shortened. A typical picture on Russian landing pages: 60–65% of users abandon the page on the first screen, 20–25% reach the middle, and only 10–15% see the CTA block at the bottom. This is not the norm - this is a diagnosis.
Click maps often reveal surprises: users click on decorative elements thinking they are buttons (so-called “dead clicks”), or ignore the actual CTA because it stylistically blends into the background. One such insight from Hotjar + editing the layout gave us +14% in conversion in a week without changing traffic.
The main disadvantage of heatmaps is that aggregation hides segments. Mobile and desktop users behave fundamentally differently. Always segment your reports by device: what works on desktop can be a complete disaster on mobile.
Frequently asked questions about Heatmap
What is a heatmap?+
Which type of heatmap is more useful for landing pages?+
What are dead clicks?+
What is the main mistake when working with heatmaps?+
Related terms
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