Hotjar - one of the best analysers of actual usage
September 29, 2017
Hotjar - one of the best analysers of actual usage
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Hotjar
We use Hotjar in the Marketing dept as part of our website analytics. Core problem it resolves is analysis of page layouts to test for usability and to identify 1) any blank spots where users are not reviewing or interacting with content, and 2) if core call-to-action elements are falling into blank spots. We use this insight to guide page redesign and template construction to optimize pages for maximum content consumption and clickthroughs.
- easy to install / implement
- bug-free heatmaps (we struggled a lot with Google Analytics' built-in functionality that tried to do a similar function but would always be misaligned and crash)
- choice of different heatmaps - for clicks, hovers, and scrolls - adds a dimension of understanding that goes beyond simply knowing what's being clicked - we can also see and identify potential issues around misunderstood or confusing CTAs and content not being seen at all.
- I found the time taken to collect data before maps are available difficult - understand it gives more accurate results, but not sure if earlier data cannot be used even indicatively, or later data is not updated.
- Some kind of alerts would be useful - eg. if a single element is receiving a very high percentage of interactions, which could be an indicator of improper page design, or if the bottom section is getting less than 5% scrolldowns (page is too long)
- form abandonment is a major issue - can we track things like fields filled and deleted repeatedly or filled without clickthroughs?
- it clearly indicated issues in current page designs that were leading to wasted views and improperly placed content.
- helps in making design decisions objective and data-driven, saving time wasted in debating personal opinions of non-designers who hold a stake in redesign projects.
- individual setup means it can't be used as an automatic analyser of every new page, so you have to remember to create profiles manually.
GA has a heatmaps feature, but it's buggy - hotspots are often misidentified and out of place, and the interface is clumsy and hard to interpret. It also crashed frequently while I was using - not a great experience. The hotspot identification is also hard to understand as it appears to be based off click %, but the numbers don't add up right - there's no neat '100%' that you know every item adds up to.