Unleash the Power of Hotjar's Integration with Google Analytics

Unleash the Power of Hotjar's Integration with Google Analytics

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Hotjar Google Analytics integration
2. Watching Hotjar recordings of users identified from Google Analytics
3. Filtering Hotjar Recordings and Heatmaps using Events from Google Analytics
4. Triggering a Hotjar Survey or Feedback widget using a Google Analytics event
5. Requirements for setting up the integration
6. Creating a custom dimension in Google Analytics
7. Creating a User explorer visualization in Google Analytics
8. Enabling the Hotjar Google Analytics integration
9. Watching recordings of recently active users
10. Using Google Analytics Events to filter Hotjar data and trigger surveys
11. Improving user experience with Google Analytics Events and Hotjar Surveys

Introduction to Hotjar Google Analytics integration

In this article, we will explore the Hotjar Google Analytics integration and how it can help you gain valuable insights into user behavior on your website. We will cover the process of watching Hotjar recordings of users identified from Google Analytics, filtering Hotjar Recordings and Heatmaps using Events from Google Analytics, and triggering a Hotjar Survey or Feedback widget using a Google Analytics event. We will also discuss the requirements for setting up the integration and provide step-by-step instructions on creating a custom dimension in Google Analytics and a User explorer visualization. So let's dive in and learn how to make the most of the Hotjar Google Analytics integration.

Watching Hotjar recordings of users identified from Google Analytics

One of the key features of the Hotjar Google Analytics integration is the ability to watch Hotjar recordings of specific users identified in Google Analytics. This feature allows you to gain a deeper understanding of user behavior by viewing their interactions with your website. To set up this feature, you will first need to create a custom dimension in Google Analytics. This custom dimension will store the Hotjar User ID, which will be used to link the recordings with the corresponding user in Google Analytics. Once the custom dimension is created, you can enable the GA integration in Hotjar and start watching recordings of specific users found in Google Analytics.

To create a custom dimension in Google Analytics, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Google Analytics Admin page.
2. Click on "Custom Definitions" and then select "Create custom dimension."
3. Enter a name for the dimension (e.g., "hjuid") and set the scope to "User."
4. Enter "Hotjar User ID" as the description and "hjuid" as the User property.
5. Click "Save" to add the custom dimension to the Custom definitions table.

Once the custom dimension is created, you can now create a User explorer visualization in Google Analytics. This visualization will allow you to easily navigate and analyze user behavior on your website. You can find the User explorer template in the Template gallery. Select the template and customize it according to your preferences.

Now that you have set up the custom dimension and User explorer visualization in Google Analytics, you can enable the GA integration in Hotjar. On the Hotjar Integrations page, select your site from the dropdown and click "Connect" for the Google Analytics integration. You can then enable the "Automatically share Hotjar user IDs" option and click "Save."

With the integration set up, you can now go to the User explorer visualization in Google Analytics. Select the desired segment, such as the "Recently active users" segment, and click on a user's ID. You will see a detect_user event, which contains the Hotjar User ID. Copy the Hotjar ID value and go back to your Hotjar Recordings page. Add a Hotjar User ID filter and paste the copied Hotjar ID. Now you can watch recordings to understand how your most recently active users are engaging with your site.

Pros

• Ability to link Hotjar recordings with specific users in Google Analytics
• Gain deeper insights into user behavior by watching recordings
• Understand how recently active users interact with your site

Cons

• Requires setting up a custom dimension in Google Analytics
• Additional steps to watch recordings of specific users

Filtering Hotjar Recordings and Heatmaps using Events from Google Analytics

Another powerful feature of the Hotjar Google Analytics integration is the ability to filter Hotjar Recordings and Heatmaps using Events from Google Analytics. This feature allows you to focus on specific user interactions and analyze their behavior in more detail. Events passed from Google Analytics to Hotjar can be used to filter Recordings or Heatmap data, providing you with a more targeted analysis.

To set up this feature, you will need to enable the "Automatically create events" toggle on the Hotjar Integrations page. This will associate Google Analytics Events with sessions captured for Recordings and Heatmaps in Hotjar. Please note that it may take some time for the events to appear in Hotjar's Events filter after enabling this feature.

Let's say you have been receiving reports of issues from users trying to verify their email address. To understand what's really happening and improve the experience for your users, you can find the relevant Google Analytics Event using the Events filter in Hotjar. Search for "GA underscore" followed by the event name (e.g., "verify") to locate the event. Apply the filter and watch recordings to gain insights into the user experience and identify areas for improvement.

In addition to filtering Recordings and Heatmaps, Google Analytics Events can also trigger Hotjar Surveys and Feedback widgets. For example, if your team wants to improve the sign-up experience for new users, you can set up a Survey to appear once the signup flow is complete. By editing the targeting settings for the Survey, you can select specific pages and choose an Event as the trigger. Enter the appropriate Google Analytics Event name, activate the Survey, and gather responses to generate new ideas for improving the sign-up flow.

Pros

• Filter Hotjar Recordings and Heatmaps using Events from Google Analytics
• Gain insights into specific user interactions and behaviors
• Improve user experience by triggering Surveys and Feedback widgets based on Events

Cons

• Events may take some time to appear in Hotjar's Events filter
• Requires identifying relevant Google Analytics Events for filtering and triggering actions.

Note: The next sections will cover the requirements for setting up the integration and provide step-by-step instructions on creating a custom dimension in Google Analytics, creating a User explorer visualization, enabling the Hotjar Google Analytics integration, and using Google Analytics Events to filter Hotjar data and trigger surveys.