Using Heat Maps To Grow

What Heat maps Can Do For You

First off, heat maps will show you the “hot spots” on your site, page by page.

Where are you getting the most action?

Now some of these hot spots will be your navigation area and possibly the first blog post title on your home page – this is to be expected.

But it will show you the other posts that are getting a lot of play and, once a post title shows up as a hot spot, how many readers actually navigate to that post and do they stay long enough to read it?

Secondly, they will show you how long each visitor stays on each page or post.

And as you analyze the most frequented posts, you can determine what type of content is going over well, so that you can plan content, media, etc. based on your users’ preferences.

Third, you will get all kinds of information that earlier analytics did not provide.

Not only will you get the devices being used and the browsers and operating systems used, but you will also know the country of origin of each visit.

All of this is neatly packaged for comparisons.

Lastly, the latest heat mapping tools will also provide video recordings that track exactly where a visitor’s mouse goes while they are on your site, and exactly how much time they spend in each spot.

Summary reports are provided by each individual visitor, and you can choose which ones you want to view in the recordings.

For example, suppose you want to know why many of your users are leaving quickly?

Pull up the recordings of those visitors, see exactly where they have been and at which point they leave.

So, How Does All of this Help You?

Heat maps help your website by showing exactly where visitors are going, the order of their navigation, and where they exit.

If many users leave at a specific point, it may indicate something confusing or distracting that you can address.

Heat maps also identify navigation difficulties, allowing you to fix usability issues.

By analyzing the data, you can refine your site’s design, layout, and flow to keep visitors engaged longer and accessing more pages.

Additionally, heat maps reveal which images are most intriguing and which text holds readers’ attention, guiding you to create more effective, engaging content.

Doing It Right

When implementing a heat mapping tool for the first time, it’s best to start slowly since there’s a bit of a learning curve.

Begin by testing the tool on one or two pages, such as your homepage.

Think about your goals for the homepage: Are you encouraging visitors to register or sign in to access your posts?

Are your most recent post titles prominently displayed in the middle of the page, while older posts are linked on the side? Which sections are getting the most clicks?

Use the heat mapping tool to identify the most popular posts on your homepage.

Examine the media and content included in these posts—are they driving engagement?

If older posts aren’t getting enough attention, consider replacing them with others and testing their popularity.

Heat mapping provides actionable insights, allowing you to make changes, test their impact, and refine your strategy based on the results.

If you notice visitors aren’t subscribing to your email updates as much as you’d like, you might need to adjust your signup form.

Is the submit button noticeable and appealing? Are the fields easy to fill out? Is the form located in the best spot, or should it be moved?

As you analyze the data, you can identify distractions or confusing elements on your site and address them.

With continued use, heat mapping can help you optimize your site’s design and layout, particularly if navigation is slowing visitors down.

It also allows you to see how your site appears on tablets and mobile devices, enabling you to make changes that enhance the user experience across all platforms.

Choosing the Right Hot Spot Tool

Fortunately, you will not lack for options, and there are some really great ones available in all price ranges. Many base their pricing on which specific tools you select.

So, in choosing, do the following:

1. Determine in advance just what specific data you want and need. You can always add-on later.
2. Ask for a free trial if one is not offered – most reputable companies will offer one anyway.
3. Use the free trial period to really test the tool on your site. You may discover that there are features you now don’t want and others that you need to add.

You can’t build your blog unless you know what most visitors to your site are really doing, so get a hot map tool and find out!