Heatmap
A heatmap is a visualisation of a website page that helps explain how visitors actually behave on a specific page. In most such visualisations, colours show which areas receive the most attention: where users click, how far they scroll down, and where the mouse pointer moves. The “warmer” the colour, the greater the activity in that area of the page.
In practice, heatmaps are usually divided into several types: click maps, scroll maps and move maps. These data help you rely on real user behaviour rather than guesswork. Popular tools used to collect such data are Hotjar and Microsoft Clarity, but their deployment in the public sector must be assessed responsibly, taking into account GDPR, cookie use and the legal basis for data processing.
How are heatmaps useful for public-sector websites?
On the websites of municipalities, schools, libraries, museums or other public bodies, the most important thing is that residents or visitors can quickly find the information they need. This may include application forms, contacts, opening hours, service bookings, news, public procurement or information about events. Heatmaps make it possible to see whether the most important elements are actually noticed or whether they remain overlooked because of a poor layout.
For example, on a municipality website it may become clear that residents often click an inactive image instead of a real “Register” button. On a school website, you may notice that parents stop reading the page before reaching information about admissions. On a museum or library website, a heatmap can show whether visitors see ticket information, education booking or changes to opening hours.
What can you learn from a heatmap?
- Where visitors click. A click map helps identify which buttons, links or other elements attract the most attention. It also reveals misleading areas, where users try to click elements that are not interactive, making it possible to shape the design and navigation more clearly.
- How far visitors scroll down the page. A scroll map shows whether important information is hidden too far down. If a large share of visitors do not reach a certain part of the page, it is worth reviewing the content structure, shortening the introduction or moving the most important information higher up.
- Where attention goes. Move maps can help explain which areas attract users’ attention. Although this is not an exact substitute for eye tracking, it often helps assess whether the page structure is clear and whether the most important blocks are arranged logically.
How do heatmaps help improve a website?
Heatmaps are especially useful when practical questions arise on a website: why do few people complete a form, why is an important button rarely clicked, why do residents still call even though the information has already been published on the page. In such cases, statistics on page views alone are not enough – you need to see how the user behaves within the page.
Based on this data, you can adjust the content hierarchy, button placement, headings, link names and page length. For example, if the registration button on a library website is too hard to notice, it can be highlighted. If the most important information on a school website gets lost in a long text, it is worth presenting it in clear blocks, lists or highlighted links.
Accessibility and compliance
On public-sector websites, it is important to assess not only usability but also accessibility. Heatmaps can show where users get stuck, but they do not replace an accessibility assessment against the required standards. If a button is hard to notice, the problem may be related not only to its position but also to insufficient contrast, an unclear label or improper keyboard use.
It is also necessary to take GDPR and privacy requirements into account. Since some heatmap tools collect behavioural data, before deploying them you need to assess what data are processed, whether cookies are used, whether user consent is required, where the data are stored and whether proper data processing agreements are in place. For public bodies, this is particularly important, as they must ensure transparent and lawful data processing.
When is it worth using heatmaps?
This method is useful when updating a website, testing a new homepage, assessing a service ordering or registration process, and looking for reasons why users do not reach the desired action. It is especially valuable where information needs to be presented clearly to a broad audience – from residents and parents to tourists or visitors to cultural institutions.
In short, a heatmap helps you see not what the website creator expected, but how real people use the page. On public-sector websites, this makes it possible to make informed decisions, improve access to information, increase service clarity and create a more usable, more accessible digital environment.