Heatmaps and Session Recording for Casino Affiliates: Understanding User Behavior

Google Analytics tells you what happens. Heatmaps and session recordings show you why.

Watching how real users interact with your pages reveals issues that numbers alone can't explain. Confusion, missed CTAs, content that never gets seen—all become visible.

This guide covers using visual analytics for casino affiliate optimization.

For basics, see our beginner's guide to casino affiliate marketing.

What These Tools Show

Heatmaps

Aggregated visual data about user interaction:

Click heatmaps: Where users click (or tap on mobile). Reveals which elements attract attention.

Scroll heatmaps: How far users scroll down pages. Shows where attention drops off.

Move heatmaps: Where cursors move (desktop). Indicates reading patterns and attention areas.

Attention heatmaps: Combination showing where users spend time.

Session Recordings

Video recordings of individual user sessions. Watch real people navigate your site:

• Where they hesitate
• What they click
• How they scroll
• Where they get confused
• What makes them leave

Popular Tools

Hotjar

Most popular for small-to-medium sites:

• Free tier available
• Easy setup
• Heatmaps, recordings, feedback tools
• Good documentation

Microsoft Clarity

Completely free, privacy-focused:

• Unlimited recordings and heatmaps
• Integrates with Google Analytics
• No impact on site speed
• Machine learning insights

FullStory

Enterprise-grade features:

• Advanced search and filtering
• Frustration detection
• Session replay with full fidelity
• Higher price point

Lucky Orange

Mid-range option:

• Dynamic heatmaps
• Conversion funnels
• Live chat integration
• Form analytics

For most casino affiliates, Microsoft Clarity (free) or Hotjar (freemium) provide sufficient capabilities.

Setting Up Effectively

Installation

Add the tracking script to your site. Most tools provide simple JavaScript snippets.

Placement: Header or before closing body tag, depending on tool recommendation.

Sampling: Some tools sample sessions rather than recording all. Understand your tool's approach.

Privacy Considerations

Mask sensitive data: Tools should automatically mask form inputs, but verify.

Cookie consent: These tools use cookies; include in your consent management.

GDPR compliance: Ensure your tool supports compliance requirements.

Disclose tracking: Mention analytics tools in your privacy policy.

Page Selection

Start with your most important pages:

• Homepage
• Top casino reviews
• Comparison pages
• High-traffic landing pages

Don't try to analyze everything at once.

Interpreting Heatmaps

Click Heatmaps

What to look for:

Intended CTAs getting clicks: Good sign. Your design works.

Unclickable elements getting clicks: Users think these are buttons. Consider making them clickable or changing their appearance.

Important CTAs ignored: Your calls to action aren't drawing attention. Test repositioning or redesigning. Compare your click rates against conversion rate benchmarks to assess performance.

Clicks on navigation vs content: High nav clicks may mean users aren't finding what they want on the page.

Scroll Heatmaps

Key insights:

Fold line: Where does the "average fold" fall? What percentage of users see below it?

Content abandonment: Sharp drop-offs indicate content that loses interest.

Bottom reach: What percentage makes it to your bottom CTA?

Engagement zones: Areas where scrolling slows (users are reading).

Mobile vs Desktop

Always check both device types. Behavior differs significantly:

• Mobile users often scan more
• Tap patterns differ from click patterns
• Scroll behavior varies
• CTAs need different placement

Analyzing Session Recordings

Finding Useful Sessions

Don't watch randomly. Filter for:

Converting sessions: What do successful visitors do?

Bounced sessions: Why did they leave?

Long sessions: What are they looking for? Track click-to-FTD timing to understand how long users typically take before converting.

Specific page visitors: Focus on your key pages.

What to Watch For

Hesitation: Cursor stops, scrolling pauses. User is confused or deciding.

Rage clicks: Repeated clicking on same element. Something isn't working as expected.

U-turns: Scrolling down then immediately back up. Content didn't match expectations.

Form abandonment: Where do they stop filling out forms?

Exit triggers: What happens right before they leave?

Documenting Observations

Note patterns across sessions:

• Common confusion points
• Missed content
• Unexpected behavior
• Technical issues

Casino Affiliate-Specific Insights

Casino Comparison Pages

Watch for:

• Do users scroll to see all options?
• Which casinos get clicked?
• Do users interact with filters/sorting?
• Are comparison features used?

Review Pages

Observe:

• How much of the review gets read?
• Which sections get attention?
• Do users click to casino before finishing?
• Are CTAs in the right places?

Bonus Tables

Look for:

• Do users understand the table?
• Which columns get attention?
• Are expandable details used?
• Mobile table navigation issues?

Trust Elements

See if users:

• Notice license information
• Interact with security badges
• Read review credentials
• Check "last updated" dates

Common Problems Revealed

Content Below the Fold

Important content nobody sees:

• CTAs placed too low
• Key information buried
• Mobile scroll issues

Solution: Move important elements up or add visual cues to encourage scrolling.

False Floors

Page design suggests content ends when it doesn't:

• Natural stopping point in design
• Full-width sections that look like endings
• Lack of visual continuation cues

Solution: Add visual elements that guide users to continue scrolling.

Confusing Navigation

Users click around looking for content:

• Unclear menu labels
• Missing expected pages
• Confusing site structure

Solution: Clarify navigation, add prominent links to popular content.

Mobile Friction

Touch-specific issues:

• Tap targets too small
• Elements too close together
• Horizontal scroll problems
• Sticky elements blocking content

Solution: Mobile-specific design improvements.

Rage Click Zones

Frustrated clicking indicates:

• Broken elements
• Slow loading
• Misleading design (looks clickable but isn't)
• Unresponsive buttons

Solution: Fix technical issues, clarify interactive vs static elements.

Turning Insights Into Action

Prioritize Findings

Not every observation needs immediate action:

High priority:

• CTAs not getting attention
• Major confusion points
• Technical issues
• High-traffic page problems

Lower priority:

• Minor friction points
• Low-traffic page issues
• Edge case behaviors

Generate Hypotheses

Use observations to form test hypotheses:

Observation: Users don't scroll past the third casino in the list.

Hypothesis: Moving the CTA above the fold will increase clicks.

Test: A/B test CTA placement.

For A/B testing guidance, see our testing guide.

Track Changes

After implementing changes:

• Continue monitoring
• Compare new recordings to old
• Verify improvements in conversion data

Best Practices

Regular Review Schedule

Don't just set up tools and forget them:

• Weekly: Quick scan of key pages
• Monthly: Deeper analysis session
• Quarterly: Comprehensive review

Compare Device Types

Desktop and mobile users behave differently. Optimize for both.

Combine With Other Data

Heatmaps explain "why" behind the "what":

• High bounce rate? Watch bounce sessions.
• Low conversion? See where users stop.
• Page popular but low revenue? Check click patterns.

Pair heatmap insights with player lifetime value analysis to understand which behavior patterns correlate with high-value players.

Avoid Over-Analysis

You can watch recordings forever. Set time limits, focus on patterns, and move to action.

For pages promoting programs like PureOdds, heatmaps reveal whether your 50% RevShare messaging actually gets seen and clicked.

Action Items

Install a tool. Microsoft Clarity is free and capable. See our analytics tools guide for setup recommendations.

Start with important pages. Focus on high-traffic, high-value pages.

Watch before changing. Understand current behavior first.

Look for patterns. Individual sessions matter less than trends.

Generate hypotheses. Use observations to drive tests.

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Visual analytics tools use cookies and record user sessions. Ensure compliance with privacy regulations and include appropriate disclosures in your privacy policy.