Hotjar is a tool that analyzes the behavior of a site's users and their approach to navigating the site. By combining Analytics and Feedback options, Hotjar gives you a big picture view of how to improve user experience on a given site, as well as increase performance and conversions.
Analytics tools allow you to measure and observe user behavior. They give you a real look at how real website users behave when they visit. Feedback allows you to get to know their opinions directly, and on this basis, you can then plan specific improvements to be implemented.
Why use Hotjar?
- Comparing the number of taps and clicks before and after making changes
- Removing or analyzing content ignored by users
- Adjusting the content on the page to the key phrases that users use in their reviews
- Verifying what type of images work best
- Verifying the type of CTA that attracts the most attention
- Gathering feedback from customers regarding doubts about making a conversion
- Turning popular user comments into FAQs
- Proving internally created misconceptions and "best practices" that don't really work
- Improving forms to generate more leads
- Rearranging page layout based on user objections
- Testing content types that perform best at the top of the page
- Determining why test pages are not effective compared to control versions
- Determining the type of content that should be included in a particular section of the page
- Verifying elements that distract users
- Filtering data from low-quality user testing
- Determining prioritization in the context of testing
- Identifying opportunities and potential for the site
- Inspiring new content to be added to the site
- Confirming or disproving previously formed hypotheses
- Generating new ideas for A/B tests
User behavior analysis - is it worth it?
Heatmaps
The foundation of such analysis is interpretation of collected heatmaps. They determine what users want, what they care about, and what they do on the website, made possible through visual representation of their clicks and scrolling behavior. They are the clearest indicators of user motivations and desires.
By default, heatmaps are based on capturing user actions in real-time. Apart from the so-called continuous heatmaps, the tool’s user still has access to manual heatmaps based on screenshots from any selected and analyzed period. Both versions of heatmaps can be useful sources of information, and their type is worth analyzing and adjusting to a given report, which you, as a UX Specialist, should execute and present to the client.
Session recording
To eliminate work based on guessing behavioral data and reasons for given behaviors, it's a good idea to take advantage of user session recording. By recording actual behavior on the site, you can see real clicks, taps, and mouse movements of users “live”. This allows you to more effectively troubleshoot usability issues on a given site.
Is it safe to disclose sensitive data? Hotjar has made sure that all fields that allow for such information (order panel or contact forms) are censored. This way you can ensure the safety of your users and only analyze necessary data. Of course, these issues can be addressed as you wish and need, which emphasizes Hotjar’s versatility.
Gathering feedback from users - real feedback is valuable
Surveys on the website
Improving website performance and user experience starts with understanding what users want and what hinders their achieving their goals. That's why it's a good idea to directly ask questions to specific users (e.g. those who visit your website most often) in any location. This can be done on the desktop site, mobile site, or through a special pop-up with a survey to fill out before the user leaves the site.
External modules with opinions
There is also an option called External Link Surveys, which is the creation of custom responsive surveys. These allow you to collect responses in real-time from any device. Once created, the surveys are ready to be distributed via external URLs or through the email address provided by the user. This effectively increases the possibilities of acquiring reliable feedback.
Feedback database
After receiving feedback from users, it is worth verifying it carefully and planning the implementation of improvements or conducting further tests on its basis. To manage this type of issue, Hotjar has prepared a whole panel with a database of mentioned data. It allows you to immediately see the visual feedback for the website. The panel also helps to identify specific problems and find new paths for the website.
Alternatives to Hotjar
Several competing solutions also do a good job of creating and collecting data from user visits. They also have modules with heatmaps or feedback.
The most important proposals are certainly Yandex.Metrica (Russian solution, which unfortunately is a far cry from Hotjar in terms of safe data acquisition and storage) and Microsoft Clarity (a new MS project that is as functional as Hotjar, but still in the beta testing phase). We recommend verifying both offers and testing them on your own.
Summary: Bet on proven solutions
However, independent User Experience activities and analyses based on this issue are not always the best way out of a situation. Sometimes you should entrust such activities to experienced specialists who will comprehensively deal with improving your digital product.
As Flow Digital, we have been successfully working on many national and international projects, also using tools such as Hotjar. Our activities include proper implementation of the tracking code, original analysis and action reports, as well as true partnership with our clients. Check our full offer and take the best care of your website’s usability!
