Heatmaps help visualize data — they might, for example, outline the weather forecast or show various government statistical data.Online, heatmaps help track user activity on a page. With a heatmap tool, you can monitor a user’s cursor activity to observe:

• The screen elements they attempt to click on (i.e. links, graphic elements etc.)
• The screen areas to which they pay attention (i.e., which elements they point the cursor to without clicking).

1. Discover How Users Scan Each Screen

The way a user scans a screen — their “scanning pattern” — can provide valuable insight into your users’ behavior patterns.In general, people follow an F-shaped pattern when scanning a page:

As Jakob Nielsen reported when observing our online behavior:

• “Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F’s top bar.
• Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This additional element forms the F’s lower bar.
• Finally, users scan the content’s left side in a vertical movement. Sometimes this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid stripe on an eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a spottier heatmap. This last element forms the F’s stem. “

But as it turns out, scanning patterns can change depending on the way information is presented:The Gutenberg Diagram

This pattern is activated when users are presented with a content-heavy screen.(source)Some users begin scanning the page on the upper left of the screen; this area ultimately receives the most attention. Next, they move down across the quadrants to the bottom right section, the second area of focus.The Z-Pattern Layout

This pattern is activated if the user has to absorb a lot of important elements presented in a graphical way. As the name suggests, these users scan the page following the outline of character “Z”.Knowing how users scan each screen can help you strategically place the most important information and functionality along their visual path, increasing the likelihood that they’ll spot it.

2. Assess If Design Elements Attract Unnecessary Attention

As research conducted at the University of Barcelona reveals, “Human visual attention first responds to contrast in color and light.”When viewing a screen, users tend to first interact with elements that stand out visually – images, graphics, and other elements that stand in contrast to the page.This particular trait becomes problematic when less significant page elements seize an undue amount of user attention. It’s important to make sure that you’re using contrasts in color, light, and design to your advantage, not to your detriment.

3. Observe How Users Interact with Content Below the Fold

“Fold” has become one of the most prevailing myths in UX.In 2010, Jakob Nielsen reported, *“Web users spend 80% of their time looking at information above the page fold. Although users do scroll, they allocate only 20% of their attention below the fold.”*However, many studies have since undermined this theory, proving that content below the fold often outperforms content at the top..For instance, according to a research by Clicktale, the length of the page has no influence over whether or not a person chooses to scroll: