How Heat Maps Can Contribute To The Site’s Usability

HeatMapsUsabilityDuring the earlier times in the internet era, web designs are pretty much complicated. For this reason, only a few and rich companies are able to get this for their online exposure.

These days, websites are getting easier to create thus, small or even home-based businesses with websites are already a common sight in the online world.

This occurrence on the internet can only be credited to the increasing advancements in the internet technology.

Today, even the novices in web design and development can create a useful and functional web site.

With the availability of different online tools that will facilitate web design and the prevalence of different types of broadband where people can access as many websites as they want, the hindrances in creating a website is declining significantly.

Overview of the heat maps

Among the helpful tools that website owners can use to boost their site’s usability is a heat map.

It works on the premise that internet users tend to hover their eyes over specific areas of the website most of the time. A heat map, traces the path that a website visitor’s mouse cursor trails while going through a website.

The results of the heat map are exhibited through a sort of graphical data that is shown over the web page being analyzed.

The areas in the web page where the human eye or the mouse’s cursor frequents will display the colors red, orange or yellow.

The areas where people pay less attention will have the colors green or blue. On the other hand, areas that are not visited at all will not have any color.

How heat maps can contribute to a web site’s usability

From the foregoing, we can already have an idea on how web site owners can benefit from this online tool.

But to explain further, heat maps can do a great job of giving the web site owners a greater insight on the website visitor’s behavior which websites can use to their advantage, even before putting the website in effect.

If heat maps are used while designing the website, the web designer can optimize the layout in such a way that will be favorable on the website viewers’ browsing behaviors.

Web designers can ascertain where to position advertisements or promo buttons in order to get the desired results.

Web site owners can redesign websites further to accommodate the website visitor’s expectations.

There may be areas of the website that internet users frequent but does not have any hyperlink.

With a heat map, web site owners will have the chance to figure this out and make the most out of the frequently visited area by placing an ad or a link.

Website owners can also reduce their site’s unorderliness. Instead of placing links and ads all over the site to increase their chance of getting clicked, they can simply focus on the areas that are frequently visited.

Heat map options

Web site owners won’t have to worry about getting a heat map for their website since there are a couple of options available for this tool.

Right now, the popular options are Mouseflow, Crazy Egg, ClickHeat, Click Tale and Click Density. These heat maps, except for ClickHeat which can be availed for free, offers affordable plans ranging from $5 per month to more advanced packages amounting to $990 per month.

These heat maps are easy to look for and if coupled with the necessary tools in facilities such as a reliable and fast cable internet, a website will be having an excellent usability and profitability.

Fortunately, website owners as well as internet users can easily compare internet services with speed and pricing – www.broadbandexpert.com/cable/

Final Words

By using heat maps during the web site’s design and redesign, web site owners will be on their way to having a website that is optimized for their website visitors’ browsing behaviors. Furthermore, the website will be having the usability feature which will make internet users look forward to it more often.

Author Bio – Rich Martinez is a writer on technology, business and the Internet at BroadbandExpert. During his free time, Rich writes for other blogs to share her insights to their readers.