Understanding how pages are sorted in the heatmap area of heatmap.com helps you navigate your data efficiently and gain insights into your website's performance. This guide explains the sorting mechanism, viewing options available to you, and how the sorting is regularly updated.
Sorting Method
In the heatmap area, pages are sorted based on a single, consistent metric:
Engaged Sessions: Pages are sorted by the number of engaged sessions, which represents active user interactions with each page.
Highest to Lowest: The sorting order is always from highest to lowest number of engaged sessions.
Fixed Order: This sorting order is set by default and cannot be changed by users.
Dynamic Sorting Update
An important feature of our sorting system is its regular updates:
Automated Sorting: A cron job runs every few hours to re-sort the pages based on the latest engagement data.
Up-to-Date Rankings: This ensures that the page order reflects recent user behavior and site performance.
Dynamic Changes: You may notice pages changing positions in the list over time as their engagement levels fluctuate.
Viewing Options
While the sorting order is fixed and automatically updated, you have options for how page information is displayed:
Page Title / Page URL Toggle: In the heatmap sidebar, you'll find a toggle that allows you to switch between viewing pages by:
Page Title: Displays the HTML title of each page
Page URL: Shows the full URL path of each page
How to Switch Views:
Locate the toggle in the heatmap sidebar
Click to switch between Page Title and Page URL views
Understanding the Display
Consistent Order: Regardless of whether you're viewing by Page Title or Page URL, the order of pages remains the same, always sorted by engaged sessions.
Full List: The heatmap area displays all tracked pages, not just top performers.
Metrics Display: Alongside each page title or URL, you'll see the number of engaged sessions and potentially other relevant metrics.
Tips for Using the Sorted Pages
Monitor Changing Rankings: Regularly check the list to see how page rankings change over time.
Identify Trending Pages: Pages moving up the list may indicate growing popularity or successful optimizations.
Spot Declining Performance: Pages moving down the list might need attention or updates.
Use Page Titles for Quick Recognition: When you need a quick, human-readable overview of your pages, use the Page Title view.
Use Page URLs for Precision: Switch to the Page URL view when you need to see the exact path or structure of your pages.
Analyze Similar Pages: Look for patterns among pages with similar engagement levels. Are there common elements contributing to their performance?
Limitations to Keep in Mind
Fixed Sorting Metric: Remember that pages are always sorted by engaged sessions; you cannot change the sorting criteria.
No Manual Reordering: The system does not offer options for custom sorting or manually organizing pages.
Update Frequency: Keep in mind that the sorting is updated every few hours, not in real-time.
Conclusion
The dynamic sorting of pages by engaged sessions in the heatmap area provides an up-to-date, engagement-focused view of your website's performance. While the sorting itself is not customizable, the regular updates ensure you're always looking at recent performance data. The ability to switch between Page Title and Page URL views offers flexibility in how you analyze your data.
Use this regularly updated, sorted list to quickly identify your most engaging pages, spot trends in page performance, and identify areas that might need improvement. The toggle between Page Title and Page URL allows you to choose the view that best suits your current analysis needs.
For more detailed information on using heatmap.com's features or for help with specific analysis tasks, don't hesitate to explore our other help articles or reach out to our support team.