Heatmaps show you where people actually click and how far they scroll on a page, which your analytics numbers cannot. Microsoft Clarity is free and Hotjar is the paid standard. Both work on cannabis sites, but because you handle age-sensitive traffic, turn on the privacy masking before you record anything.
Key takeaways
- Scroll maps show where visitors stop; click maps show where they tap, including confused clicks on non-links.
- Start with Microsoft Clarity, which is free with no traffic cap, and move to Hotjar only if you need its extras.
- Turn on input masking so age-gate, sign-up, and checkout fields are never recorded on your cannabis site.
- Use analytics to find weak pages, then use heatmaps and recordings to understand why they underperform.
The two maps worth reading
Two heatmap types do most of the work. A scroll map shows how far down the page people get, with a visible drop-off line where most visitors stop. A click map shows where they tap, including clicks on things that are not links, a sign of confusion or a missed call to action. Between them you can see whether your key content and buttons are even being reached.
Clarity and Hotjar: which to use
Microsoft Clarity is free with no traffic cap and includes heatmaps plus session recordings, which makes it an easy first tool for a dispensary site. Hotjar is the longer-standing paid option with more surveying and funnel features. For most cannabis operators, start with Clarity because it costs nothing and covers the basics well; move to Hotjar if you need its extras.
The privacy note you cannot skip
Cannabis traffic is sensitive, and session recording tools can capture more than you intend. Both Clarity and Hotjar can record what visitors type. Turn on input masking so form fields, especially anything on an age-gate, sign-up, or checkout, are never captured. Confirm the masking is active before you rely on recordings, and keep your privacy policy honest about the tooling. This is not optional housekeeping in a regulated space.
Reading a scroll drop-off
If your scroll map shows most visitors leaving before they reach your menu link or your main call to action, that content is effectively invisible no matter how good it is. The fix is usually to move the important element higher or tighten the copy above it so people reach it. A heatmap turns a vague "the page underperforms" into a specific "they never see the button."
A worked example
A dispensary's product page had a strong reorder button, but conversions were weak. The scroll map showed 70 percent of visitors dropped off before reaching it, buried under a long description. They moved the button and a menu link near the top and trimmed the intro. The next round of recordings showed far more visitors reaching and clicking it, and reorders climbed.
Pair heatmaps with your numbers
Heatmaps tell you why, not how many. GA4 might show a page with a high exit rate; the heatmap shows people rage-clicking a non-link or bailing at a wall of text. Use the numbers to find which pages have a problem, then use the heatmap and recordings to understand what the problem actually is.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a scroll map and a click map?
A scroll map shows how far down the page visitors get, with a drop-off point where most stop. A click map shows where they tap, including clicks on non-clickable elements that signal confusion. Together they reveal whether your key content and buttons are actually being reached.
Should I use Clarity or Hotjar?
Start with Microsoft Clarity. It is free with no traffic cap and includes heatmaps and session recordings, which covers most dispensary needs. Move to Hotjar if you want its extra surveying and funnel features, but there is no reason to pay before you have outgrown the free tool.
Are heatmap tools safe for a cannabis site?
Only if you configure them carefully. Session recorders can capture typed input, so turn on input masking so age-gate, sign-up, and checkout fields are never recorded. Confirm masking is active before relying on recordings, and disclose the tooling in your privacy policy.
Do heatmaps replace my analytics?
No, they answer a different question. Analytics tell you how many and which pages have problems; heatmaps and recordings tell you why. Use your numbers to find weak pages, then use the heatmap to see what is actually going wrong on them.
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