Behavior AnalyticsFullSession vs. Hotjar Heatmaps
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MoFu • Troubleshooting
Error-State Heatmaps: Find Breaking Points Before Users Bounce
By Roman Mohren, FullSession CEO • Last updated: Nov 2025
Pillar: Heatmaps for Conversion — From Insight to A/B Wins
BLUF: Teams that pair error-state heatmaps with session replay surface breakpoints earlier, shorten time-to-diagnosis, and protect funnel completion on impacted paths. Updated: Nov 2025.
Privacy: Inputs are masked by default; allow-list only when necessary.
On this page
Problem signals (what you’ll notice first)
- Sudden drop-offs at a specific step (e.g., address or payment field) despite stable traffic mix.
- Spike in rage clicks/taps clustered around a widget (date picker, coupon field, SSO button).
- Support tickets with vague repro details ("button does nothing").
- A/B variant wins on desktop but loses on mobile—suggesting layout or validation issues.
Root-cause map (decision tree)
- Start: Is the drop isolated to mobile?
Yes → Inspect mobile error-state heatmap: tap clusters + element visibility.
If taps on disabled element → likely state/validation issue.
If taps off-element → hitbox / layout shift. - If not mobile-only: Cross-check by step & browser.
If one browser spikes → polyfill or CSS specificity.
If all browsers → API error or client-side guardrail. - Next: Jump from the hotspot to Session Replay to see console errors, network payloads (422/400) mapped to the DOM state. Masked inputs still reveal interaction patterns (blur/focus, retries).
How to fix it (3 steps) — Deep‑dive: Interactive Heatmaps
1. Target the impacted step
Filter heatmap by URL/step, device, and time window. Enable an error-state overlay (or use saved view filters) to surface clusters near sessions with failed requests.
2. Isolate the misbehaving element
Use element-level analytics to compare tap/click‑through vs success. Look for rage‑click frequency, hover‑without‑advance, or touchstart→no navigation. Mark suspect elements for replay review.
3. Validate the fix with a short window
Ship a fix behind a flag. Re-run the heatmap over 24–72 hours and compare predicted median completion to observed median. Confirm no privacy regressions (masking still on) in replay.
Evidence (directional mini table)
| Scenario | Predicted median completion | Observed median completion | Method / Window | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Error‑state overlay enabled on payment step | Higher than baseline | Directionally higher after fix window | Directional cohort; last 90 days | Nov 2025 |
| Mobile hotspot fix (hitbox) | Neutral to higher | Directionally higher on mobile | Directional pre/post; last 30 days | Nov 2025 |
| Validation copy adjusted | Slightly higher | Directionally higher; fewer retries | Directional AA; last 14 days | Nov 2025 |
Payment step overlay
Hitbox fix (mobile)
Validation copy
Case snippet
A PLG SaaS team saw sign‑up completions sag on mobile while desktop held flat. Error‑state heatmaps showed dense tap clusters on a disabled “Continue” button—replay revealed a client‑side guard that awaited a third‑party validation call that occasionally timed out. With masking on, the team still observed the interaction path and network 422s. They widened the hitbox, added optimistic UI copy, and retried validation in the background. Within two days, the heatmap cooled and replays showed fewer repeated taps and abandonments. The team kept masking defaults and reviewed the Help Center checklist before rolling out broadly.
Next steps
- Add the snippet and enable Interactive Heatmaps for your target step.
- Use error‑state overlay (or equivalent view) to prioritize hotspots.
- Jump to Session Replay for the most‑impacted elements to validate and fix.
- Re‑run heatmaps over 24–72 hours to confirm directional improvement.