Heatmap
Heatmap is a visualization tool that intuitively shows data concentration through color shades and hotspot distribution. Users can upload background images (such as posters, products, interfaces, car exteriors, etc.) and freely define multiple zones. Respondents complete responses by clicking corresponding areas. The system automatically counts clicks, option distribution or comments for each zone, displays results in heat form, and clearly reflects users’ focus, preferred positions and interest distribution.
Who it is for: Survey authors who want to measure where people look or click on a visual, and optionally compare regions or collect short feedback after each click.
Overview
The Heatmap question type lets you upload a background image and ask respondents to click on it. The heatmap question type records and aggregates respondents’ clicks on the background image, generating a heatmap that highlights the areas of focus for the audience on this image. Heatmap regions is an advanced mode: you draw regions on the image for per-region statistics, and you can optionally ask for a comment or a choice after each click. This article walks you through setup and reporting.
Example Usecases
Use a basic heatmap when you care about free-form attention on one image—for example, which part of a layout draws the eye first. Use heatmap regions when you already know the areas you want to compare (e.g., logo vs. headline vs. call-to-action) or when you need per-zone numbers and optional follow-up questions.
- Basic heatmap: See which areas of a poster, landing image, or product photo respondents focus on when they can click anywhere.
- With regions: Run creative testing, compare new design variants, or collect local ratings where you need counts, comments, or option choices by zone.
Feature access
Add the heatmap where you build the rest of your survey. After it appears on the canvas, you will upload the image and limits in the next section.
1. In the survey editor, open "Research Question Types".
2. Choose "Heatmap" to add this question type.
Configuring the heatmap (image and click limits)
The background image defines what respondents see; all clicks and statistics are tied to that image (and to the 700px display width when the image is wide—see below). Choose a file that is clear at survey size and matches the device you care about (e.g., mobile vs. desktop mockup).
1. Upload the background image. Width rules:
- If width is under 700px, the image is shown at original size.
- If width is over 700px, it is scaled proportionally so the displayed width is 700px.
2. Set the minimum and maximum number of clicks allowed for this question.
Why this matters: Limits keep the task feasible (e.g., “click your three main interests”) and help you control data volume. Set the minimum to match the smallest number of meaningful clicks; set the maximum so respondents are not asked to mark more points than your analysis needs.
Viewing heatmap data
Reporting has two layers: per person (exact clicks and coordinates) and all respondents together (a combined heatmap). Use single responses to verify behavior or debug; use the aggregate view to describe where your audience focuses overall.
Single response
- The platform records that respondent’s clicks and draws a click map.
- Detailed X/Y coordinates appear in the file name of the click map. If the original background is wider than 700px, coordinates follow the 700px-wide display version.
All responses combined
All clicks are merged onto one background. You choose a precision mode that balances detail vs. readability: raw points show the finest positions but can look busy; lower precision merges nearby clicks into larger cells so hot spots stand out more clearly. The available modes are:
- Raw points: Different X/Y pairs count as different points; identical positions merge and appear darker.
- High: ~20px × 20px grid cells; clicks in the same cell merge.
- Medium: ~40px × 40px grid cells.
- Low: ~60px × 60px grid cells.
More clicks in a cell produce a darker color on the heatmap.
Heatmap regions (zones and answer modes)
Enable regions when you need named zones, per-area click counts, or after-click comment or choice tied to regions.
What is a Heatmap Area?
After uploading a heatmap background image, you can divide it into multiple areas. Respondents can click by area when answering, and the system provides statistics by area in the response analysis. It can be used for poster design effect testing, new product style testing, partial evaluation, and other scenarios.
How to Use Heatmap Zones
1. After uploading the image, click "Set Heatmap Area".
2. Use the left mouse button to place vertices (lines connect automatically), then right-click to close the polygon. You can define multiple regions. Draw regions to match how you will interpret results—tight zones for small UI elements, broader zones if you only need rough areas.
3. Set answer modes . Pick the mode that matches your research question—Free click for exploratory attention, By area when respondents should commit to one zone at a time:
- Free click: Click anywhere; click order is recorded.
- By Area: Hovering shows region outlines; respondents select a whole region with one click.
After-click actions (optional): Use these when a click alone is not enough and you need a short label, rating, or open text per interaction. Enable the option in settings, then review exports or tables that break down results by region where applicable.
- Comment after click: A text box opens after each click; you can export a table of comments by region.
- Choice after click: Options appear after each click; tables show option distribution by region.
View Results by Heatmap Area
(1) After setting zones, click counts will be displayed by zone.
(2) With “Select on Click” enabled, the distribution of options for each zone can be viewed in the table.
(3) With “Comment on Click” enabled, comments for each zone can be exported and viewed in a table.
FAQs
Q: Heatmap vs. heatmap regions?
A: Basic heatmap aggregates clicks on the whole image. Regions let you draw zones for per-zone stats and support region-based answering plus after-click comment or choice.
Q: Raw points vs. high precision?
A: Raw points keep distinct coordinates where possible; high/medium/low use fixed grid cells to merge nearby clicks—smaller cells mean finer aggregation.
Q: Where are coordinates for one response?
A: In the file name of the click map; for wide originals, coordinates match the 700px display width.
Q: Which precision should I use for the aggregate heatmap?
A: Start with medium or low for a quick overview of hot spots; use raw points or high when you need finer spatial detail and do not mind a busier map.
Q: Do I need heatmap regions for every survey?
A: No. Use a basic heatmap when free clicks are enough. Add regions when you need zone-level statistics, structured follow-up after each click, or clearer comparison between parts of the image.
Important Notes
- Access: Research Question Types → Heatmap; upload image; set min/max clicks.
- Images wider than 700px are shown at 700px width; coordinates follow that display.
- Aggregated view: raw points or high/medium/low grid precision.
- Regions: left-click vertices, right-click to close; free click or by region; optional comment or choice after click.
