Heatmap

A heatmap is a graphical representation of data that applies a color-coding method to display different values. Heatmaps are a popular tool in analytics, but their most common usage is showing user behavior on specific webpages. For instance, heatmaps can represent where users click on a page or how far they scroll down a page and can display the results of eye-tracking tests.

Heatmaps bring value by providing a more comprehensive picture of how users behave. Because of the improved visuality compared to standard analytics reports, heatmaps are also easier and faster to analyze. This feature makes them especially convenient for people who are not skilled at analyzing large chunks of data.

At the same time heatmaps have some limitations. For example, when used incorrectly, heatmaps can lead to wrong assumptions. Hence, it’s crucial to remember that, similar to other forms of quantitative data, heatmaps can help analysts understand what has happened on a page, but they cannot tell the reason for it.