A site heatmap is a tool that uses a color palette to identify and display click-through statistics on a web resource that evaluates the performance of a site or any part of it.
In simple words, a heat map consists of spots on the screen that shows which elements attract users the most. In another way, it is also called a click map.
The color patches range from warm to cool hues, where warm hues are the most attractive elements, and cool hues are the least attractive. Based on this, we can say that the heat map also helps in the analysis of behavioral factors (link when the article appears) that affect the promotion of the resource.
Heatmap Benefits:
Full tracking user activity on website is carried out: pages and their parts that are in demand among the audience are visible.
Unattractive content for users is visible, which means it can be deleted as unnecessary.
When new applications or parts of a web resource page are introduced, they are monitored: you can immediately understand whether they should be left or not.
The information obtained is accessible and easy to understand.
Heatmap Features
It turns out that the heat map gives an effective result in the field of analysis of the interests of users. In turn, the information obtained, with reasonable use, helps to make website promotion in several regions effective.
Types of heatmaps
The next thing we’ll talk about is the heatmap views. There are three of them. This is a heat map of links, confetti, and a scroll map. Further, we will discuss each one in more detail.
And so, the heat map of links reflects in a bright shade those links on which users clicked the most. Less popular links are indicated with a gradient. This will help to put important elements in the most clickable places.
The next view is confetti, or in other words, a heat map of clicks. It is somewhat similar to the previous view; it only shows all the areas users have clicked on. This view helps in assessing behavioral factors.
And the last one is the scroll map. Using this view, you can evaluate the scrolling of the page of a web resource. A bright shade will show the places where users linger for a long time. Pale will mark those places that were viewed in passing. It also helps to study behavioral factors.
When to use a heat map?
It will be a good assistant for those who are engaged in Internet marketing and content marketing and also, for those who are interested in data about the activity of the audience on the web resource.
A site heatmap tracker can be used in several ways. First, when you redesign a web resource. So, you’ve redesigned your site, but it still doesn’t work as well as the old one. This is where the heat map helps. By analyzing the activity of the audience at each stage of the transformation, you can understand what to leave and what needs to be changed.
Secondly, when conducting A / B testing, when you need to understand which of the similar groups of elements will bring the highest conversion of the site. For example, you need to know which landing to choose, where to place a CTA button (a button the user must click), or various elements on the page.
Thirdly, when analyzing the most appropriate content length and determining the place for CTA buttons. This case can be attributed to content marketing.
Summary
In conclusion, a website heatmap is a powerful lever in any way to promote a web resource: whether it is website promotion by keywords, traffic promotion, or SEO promotion.
Also, the heat map helps to improve the design of the site and its user experience. Besides, it is a good tool for collecting statistical data in order to learn about the interests of the audience. In turn, this helps in improving the behavioral ranking factors of a web resource.