Recording Users and Heat Maps

One of the most influential ways to improve your site is through recording users.  When I say record, this is not just noting where they clicked.  This is a recording that allows you to see the site as they do and watch as they navigate around.  It is data that can be viewed on a per visit basis or aggregated to produce a heat map of common destinations. Tools Aplenty The good news for us modern developers is that there are several tools available to perform this task.  They make it easy and affordable.  A few that are mentioned and reviewed include: Hotjar CrazyEgg LuckyOrange MouseFlow Honestly, each of these tools has its target market and price range that make it an excellent fit.  You can see some more information on these in a past post as well or see a more in-depth article on CrazyEgg. Large and Small Improvements It is important to note that these tools provide incredible value for substantial, trend-related fixes while also being helpful in finding hard-to-reproduce bugs.  The power is much more than one might expect at the entry-level prices of these products as well.  Thus, you can have access to enterprise tools even on a shoestring budget.