Behavior Analytics & Heatmaps
See exactly where users click, scroll, and get frustrated. Visual heatmaps reveal what numbers alone cannot tell you.
Your analytics dashboard says the page has a 40% bounce rate. But why are people leaving?
Numbers tell you what happened. Behavior analytics shows you why it happened.
What is Behavior Analytics?
Behavior analytics tracks how users interact with your pages, not just that they visited. It captures:
| Data Type | What It Reveals |
|---|---|
| Clicks | Where users tap/click on every page |
| Mouse Movement | Where attention focuses (desktop) |
| Scroll Depth | How far users read your content |
| Rage Clicks | Frustration points causing rapid clicks |
| Dead Clicks | Clicks on non-interactive elements |
| Form Abandonment | Where users give up on forms |
The Dashboard Overview
When you open Tracking ā Behavior, you see key metrics:
- Total Sessions - How many user sessions recorded
- Avg. Session Duration - How long users stay engaged
- Pages/Session - How many pages users visit
- Frustration Events - Count of detected frustration signals
- Dead Clicks - Clicks on non-interactive elements
- Rage Clicks - Rapid repeated clicks indicating frustration
Understanding Heatmaps
Heatmaps visualize user interaction as color gradients:
Click Heatmaps
| Color | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Red/Hot | Most clicked area | This works - keep it prominent |
| Orange | Moderately clicked | Consider if this should be more prominent |
| Yellow | Some clicks | Evaluate if this is getting enough attention |
| Blue/Cold | Few clicks | Consider removing or relocating |
Key Insights from Heatmaps
- CTA Performance - Is your Add to Cart button getting clicks?
- Navigation Usage - Which menu items are popular?
- Content Engagement - Are users clicking images, reviews, details?
- Dead Zones - Areas users ignore completely
Pro tip: Compare mobile vs desktop heatmaps. Touch targets need to be larger on mobile, and users interact differently.
Click Tracking
Beyond heatmaps, we track every click with context:
Click Data Captured
| Field | Example | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| element | button.add-to-cart | Know exactly what was clicked |
| text | "Add to Cart" | Human-readable click target |
| coordinates | {x: 450, y: 320} | Position on page |
| timestamp | 2024-12-28T10:30:00Z | When it happened |
| sessionId | sess_abc123 | Link to full session |
| pageUrl | /products/shoes | Which page |
Click Analytics Features
- Top Clicked Elements - See most popular interaction points
- Dead Click Detection - Find where users click but nothing happens
- Click Paths - Understand click sequences leading to conversion
Scroll Depth Analysis
How far do users actually scroll on your pages?
Scroll Milestones
We track when users reach key scroll points:
| Milestone | Typical % | Insight |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | 85-95% | Most users see above-the-fold |
| 50% | 60-75% | Two-thirds engage with mid-page |
| 75% | 35-50% | Less than half see lower content |
| 100% | 15-25% | Few users reach the footer |
What This Tells You
If your conversion-critical content (pricing, CTA) is below the 50% mark, consider moving it higher. A significant portion of users never see it.
Content Performance Analysis:
- Hero Section (0-25%) - Nearly everyone sees this
- Product Details (25-50%) - Most users reach here
- Reviews Section (50-75%) - Less than half read reviews
- Related Products (75-100%) - Move important content up!
Frustration Detection
We automatically detect user frustration signals:
Frustration Signals
| Signal | Definition | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Rage Click | 3+ rapid clicks in same area | High |
| Dead Click | Click on non-interactive element | Medium |
| Error Click | Click followed by error state | High |
| Form Abandonment | Left form without submitting | Medium |
| Thrashing | Rapid mouse movement back and forth | Medium |
| U-Turn | Immediately navigated back | Low |
Common Frustration Causes
| Issue | Detection | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Slow-loading buttons | Rage clicks before response | Add loading states |
| Misleading elements | Dead clicks on images/text | Make clickable or style differently |
| Form errors | Abandonment after error | Improve validation UX |
| Broken links | Error clicks | Fix links, add 404 handling |
Session Recordings
Watch real user sessions to understand behavior in context.
What Gets Recorded
| Captured | Not Captured |
|---|---|
| Mouse movements | Passwords (masked) |
| Clicks and taps | Credit card numbers (masked) |
| Scrolling | Personal form data (optional) |
| Page navigation | Keystrokes in sensitive fields |
| Form interactions |
Finding Useful Sessions
Filter recordings by:
| Filter | Use Case |
|---|---|
| hasRageClick: true | Find frustrated users |
| converted: false | See why users did not buy |
| duration > 5min | Find highly engaged users |
| page: /checkout | Focus on checkout issues |
| device: mobile | Mobile-specific problems |
Setting Up Behavior Tracking
Automatic Tracking
Most behavior data is captured automatically with the SDK:
****
javascript adsmai('init', 'YOUR_API_KEY', { behavior: { clicks: true, scrollDepth: true, mouseMovement: false, sessionRecording: true, frustrationDetection: true } }); ****Privacy Controls
****
javascript adsmai('init', 'YOUR_API_KEY', { behavior: { maskSelectors: [ '.credit-card-input', '.password-field', '[data-sensitive]' ] } }); ****Recap
Here is what you learned:
- Heatmaps visualize clicks - See patterns at a glance
- Scroll depth reveals engagement - Know if users see your content
- Frustration detection finds UX problems - Fix issues before they hurt conversions
- Session recordings show context - Understand the "why" behind behavior
Behavior analytics transforms guesswork into insight. Stop assuming why users leave - watch and learn.
Next step: Set up conversion funnels to track the complete purchase journey.
Key Takeaways
- 1Visual heatmaps show click patterns at a glance
- 2Automatic frustration detection finds UX problems
- 3Scroll depth reveals content engagement
- 4Session recordings let you watch real user behavior
Frequently Asked Questions
Does behavior tracking slow down my website?
How long are session recordings stored?
Is this GDPR compliant?
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