Settings
As long as your script has been implemented and your cookie settings are correct, you are ready to start collecting data for your heatmaps and session recordings. Here we’ll go through the last settings, and we’ll start with heatmaps. If you are only interested in session recordings, you can skip to that.
Creating heatmaps
To create a heatmap, you go to “Data sources/Heatmaps & session recordings” and then select “Manage heatmaps” in the sidebar menu.
Click on the button “Create heatmaps”.
You now have some settings to fill in.
Name
Give your heatmap a descriptive name. This name will only be visible to the users of your account, but it will help you to tell your heatmaps apart once you have more than one.
Sample limit and rate
The sample limit determines how many visitors will be included in the heatmaps. If it’s 250, the heatmap will stop collecting data once it has reached 250. The limit is 5000.
The rate determines how quickly the data is collected. With a sample rate of 10%, every 10th visit will be included. If your website have similar traffic regardless of time of day, the sample rate will have little effect on the results (it will only affect how quickly you reach the limit).
However, if your website has different kinds of traffic during different times of the day, say fewer but professional visits during the day and lots but private visits during the evening, collecting the data quickly (high sample rate) can skew the results.
Target page rules
The target page rules determines where you collect data for your heatmaps.
First, you choose between URL, path, and URL parameter.
Then define the rule. Again, there are several options.
“Equals simple” means the URL protocol, search parameters and trailing slash will be ignored. This is the most popular way for tracking certain pages.
“Is exactly” is for when you want to track specific URL paths.
“Contains” can be used when you want to track partial URL paths or a range of options with a similar theme.
“Starts with” is useful for tracking subdomains.
“Matches the expression” is the most advanced option and requires knowledge about regEx.
Lastly, write the URL etc that you want for your rule.
Excluded elements
There may be elements on the page for the heatmap that you don’t wish to include in the heatmap. You can define CSS selectors to exclude the elements you want to mask from the heatmap preview (screenshot).
Breakpoints
As the heatmaps are divided based on device, you can select the breakpoints for mobile and tablet.
Personal information warning
Lastly, don’t forget to make sure that no personal information is included in the heatmaps. There is a link in the settings, or you can read more here.
After you have saved your heatmap, the heatmap will start to collect samples. Repeat the process for all other heatmaps you want.
Although the heatmap is collecting data, there is one more setting left before you can view the heatmap.
Capturing screenshot
To view the heatmap, you will need to capture a screenshot. However, the screenshot is not needed to collect samples, and the samples collected before the screenshot was taken will still be used. So you don't need to hurry with the screenshot.
If you haven't captured a screenshot for your heatmap, you will be asked to do so when you attempt to view the heatmap.
Enter the URL for the screenshot (make sure it's the same as the target page rules for the heatmap) and then click the button to open the page.
As the page is opened in a new tab, you will get a message in the bottom right corner with a "Capture screenshot" button. Make sure there is no personal information on the page, for example profile name in logged in mode, before clicking on the button.
Go back to the heatmap and refresh the page if needed.
If you didn't get the message with the "Capture screenshot" button, it may be that the script requires cookie approval before loading, and that you either haven't accepted cookies or rejected cookies. The easiest solution for rejected cookies is to try again in incognito mode.
Editing heatmaps
After you have created your heatmaps, you are able to edit the settings, which are the same as above. However, don’t change any settings that will affect what data is included.
A setting you can change is the sample rate, for example, if you find that the heatmap is collecting data slower than you’d like it to.
Creating session recordings
To create a session recording, you go to “Data sources/Heatmaps & session recordings” and then select “Manage session recordings” in the sidebar menu.
Click on the button “Create session recording”.
You now have some settings to fill in.
Name
Give your session recording a descriptive name. This name will only be visible to the users of your account, but it will help you to tell your session recordings apart once you have more than one.
Sample limit and rate
The sample limit determines how many visitors will be included in the session recordings. If it’s 250, the session recording will stop collecting data once it has reached 250.
The limit is 5000, but you don't need that many samples. Session recordings are more intrusive than heatmaps, and therefore, try to only collect as many samples as you need. We recommend a limit of about 250.
The rate determines how quickly the data is collected. With a sample rate of 10%, every 10th visit will be included. If your website have similar traffic regardless of time of day, the sample rate will have little effect on the results (it will only affect how quickly you reach the limit).
However, if your website has different kinds of traffic during different times of the day, say fewer but professional visits during the day and lots but private visits during the evening, collecting the data quickly (high sample rate) can skew the results.
Target page rules
The target page rules determines where you want your session recordings to start. For example, you may not want to include all and entire visits, but only those on the product pages.
First, you choose between URL, path, and URL parameter.
Then define the rule. Again, there are several options.
“Is any” means that all pages are included.
“Equals simple” means the URL protocol, search parameters and trailing slash will be ignored. This is the most popular way for tracking certain pages.
“Is exactly” is for when you want to track specific URL paths.
“Contains” can be used when you want to track partial URL paths or a range of options with a similar theme.
“Starts with” is useful for tracking subdomains.
“Matches the expression” is the most advanced option and requires knowledge about regEx.
Lastly, write the URL etc that you want for your rule, unless you chose “Is any”.
Min session time
To avoid including very short visits, such as bounces, you can determine how long the visitors need to stay on the website before the session recordings start.
Activity and keystrokes
Another way of excluding visits with no activity (bounces) is to check the box “Requires activity”.
You can also decide if you want to include keystrokes or not. However, with this turned on, there is a risk of recording personal data. If you want to know search words, those are usually visible above the search results anyway, and the keystrokes are therefore not needed.
Personal information warning
Lastly, don’t forget to make sure that no personal information is included in the session recordings. There is a link in the settings, or you can read more here.
With all the settings done, click on “Save” and you have created your first session recording. Repeat the process for all other session recordings you want.
Editing heatmaps
After you have created your session recordings, you are able to edit the settings, which are the same as above. However, don’t change any settings that will affect what data is included.
A setting you can change is the sample rate, for example, if you find that the session recording is collecting data slower than you’d like it to.
Now that you know how to create heatmaps and session recordings, we have some tips to share, but also some articles which can help you with troubleshooting. Let’s move on to that.
