For local businesses, an online presence is essential to drive customer activity. About 97% of consumers check a company’s online presence before visiting in person. This shows that a digital storefront is now as important as the physical one.
However, with competition rising, businesses must review how users interact with their websites to understand what’s causing engagement and conversions to rise or fall.
Landing page behavior is a central part of that review. Clicks, scroll depth and pauses show what attracts attention and what causes visitors to leave. To collect this information, many businesses utilize website heatmaps and phone call tracking tools. These tools show how visitors navigate a page and help teams make adjustments to improve performance.
In this blog, we’ll break down what heatmaps and call tracking are, how to set them up and how to use the data they provide to improve your local landing page performance and drive more conversions.
Below, we discuss:
• What Are Heatmaps?
• What Is Call Tracking?
• Setting Up Heatmaps and Call Tracking
• Understanding Heatmap and Call Tracking Data
Explore how these tools can help you gain an edge in the digital space.
What Are Heatmaps?
Website heatmaps are visual tools that display user interaction data on a landing page using color gradients. Typically, warmer colors indicate areas of high engagement, while cooler colors highlight areas of lower activity. This visualization helps businesses understand how users navigate their websites, and reveals which elements attract attention and which are overlooked.
Heatmap Example
Image Source: VWO
What Is Call Tracking?
Call tracking identifies which marketing channels or landing pages lead to inbound phone calls. Unique phone numbers are assigned to different sources, and this allows businesses to trace each call back to its origin.
This level of attribution holds particular value for local service providers, where conversions often happen offline and over the phone. A customer might search for a dentist, click on a Google ad and call the office directly without filling out any online form. Without phone call tracking, that lead may go unattributed, which skews performance data.
Call Tracking Interface Example
Image Source: Agency Analytics
How To Set Up Heatmaps and Call Tracking
Implementing heatmaps and call tracking provides local businesses with deeper insight into what’s driving user engagement and conversions, making it a practical next step for local businesses.
Both support stronger conversion optimization by showing how visitors interact with each page. They do not require heavy development work and can be integrated with most modern websites and marketing platforms.
How To Set Up Heatmaps
• Step 1. Choose a Heatmap Tool: Select a platform such as Hotjar, Crazy Egg or Microsoft Clarity. Most tools offer free trials or low-cost plans for small business use.
• Step 2. Install the Tracking Code: After signing up, you’ll receive a JavaScript snippet. Paste this code into the <head> section of your website, or use a tag manager like Google Tag Manager for easier deployment.
• Step 3. Select Pages to Track: Identify which landing pages you want to monitor. Focus on high-traffic local pages or those tied to specific campaigns. You can set up individual website heatmaps per page.
• Step 4. Define Device Views: Segment heatmap data by device. This ensures you’re capturing behavior accurately across formats.
• Step 5. Allow Data Collection: Once installed, the tool will begin collecting user interaction data. Initial heatmap reports are usually available within 24 to 48 hours.
How To Set Up Call Tracking
• Step 1. Select a Call Tracking Platform: Options include CallRail, Invoca or Twilio. Choose a platform that integrates with your CRM or analytics tools.
• Step 2. Generate Tracking Numbers: Create unique phone numbers for each campaign, traffic source or landing page to track conversions effectively. These numbers forward calls to your business line while collecting attribution data in the background.
• Step 3. Add Numbers to Your Website and Ads: Embed tracking numbers on specific pages or configure dynamic number insertion (DNI), which automatically swaps numbers based on how the user arrived via Google Ads, organic search or social media.
• Step 4. Set Up Call Attribution Rules: Define how each number is labeled in the dashboard. Most platforms allow you to tag, score or record calls.
• Step 5. Sync With Analytics Tools: Integrate your call tracking platform with local SEO tools to view call conversions alongside digital metrics.
Understanding Heatmap and Call Tracking Data
Once heatmaps and phone call tracking are up and running, the next step is analyzing the data they generate.
User behavior tracking reveals how users engage with your site and shows which marketing efforts contribute to stronger local lead generation. Interpreting this information accurately can reveal overlooked opportunities and inform decisions that drive improvements.
What to Look for in Heatmaps
• Click Behavior
Identify where users are clicking and where they aren’t. Are calls-to-action (CTAs) getting attention? Are visitors clicking on non-clickable elements due to confusion? Frequent clicks on unintended areas may indicate layout or messaging issues.
• Scroll Depth
Scroll maps indicate how far users scroll down the page. If visitors rarely reach key content or your CTA, consider moving essential elements higher on the page or shortening them to improve visibility.
• Hover and Movement Patterns
Mouse tracking reveals where users pause or move their cursors most often. These areas usually align with what they’re reading or considering. If engagement clusters around testimonials or guarantees, those elements may deserve greater emphasis.
• Engagement Gaps
Spot areas that users ignore completely. Sections with little or no interaction may need to be redesigned, rewritten, or removed. Every part of the page should serve a purpose or be revised for clarity.
What to Look for in Call Tracking
• Call Volume by Source
Examine which campaigns, landing pages or referral sources generate the most calls. If one source consistently drives qualified leads, it may warrant increased budget or content support.
• Call Timing and Duration
Look for patterns in when users call and how long the conversations last. Call tracking software can show whether longer calls indicate higher intent or better lead quality. Timing trends may help you adjust ad scheduling or staff availability.
• Page-Level Attribution
Track which specific landing pages are converting visitors into callers. If certain pages outperform others, review what sets them apart, then apply those insights across your site.
• Call Quality Indicators
Many call tracking software solutions allow you to tag or rate calls based on their value. Pay attention to lead quality, caller questions and conversion outcomes. High volumes are less valuable without understanding the type of call being generated.
Turn Insights Into Action With Thrive
Heatmaps and call tracking are more than basic tools. They support conversion optimization by giving a clear view of what customers want, how they behave and where a website may be missing opportunities. When used correctly, these insights can reshape local landing pages and turn casual visitors into customers.
But gathering data is only one part of the process. Interpreting that information and knowing what to do next requires an understanding of digital behavior.
Thrive specializes in helping local businesses get found. Through our local SEO services, we ensure your business ranks where it matters—right in your community. Our SEO experts craft customized strategies that attract high-quality traffic and establish long-term visibility.
We also offer user behavior analytics to uncover precisely how visitors interact with your site and why they convert or bounce. From there, our conversion rate optimization (CRO) team conducts data-driven tests that enhance your landing pages and boost revenue.
Let Thrive help you turn insight into advantage. Reach out today and make every click and every call count.
Frequently Asked Questions About Heatmaps and Call Tracking
HOW OFTEN SHOULD BUSINESSES REVIEW DATA FROM HEATMAP ANALYTICS?
Most businesses benefit from reviewing heatmap analytics at least once per month. This keeps teams aware of shifting visitor patterns and helps identify early signs of performance issues on key landing pages.
WHAT TYPES OF DECISIONS CAN BE INFLUENCED BY USER BEHAVIOR TRACKING?
User behavior tracking can guide decisions on layout design, copy placement, visual hierarchy and content sequencing. It provides clarity on which page elements support the customer journey and which ones create friction.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY LANDING PAGE LAYOUT IS TOO CLUTTERED?
If visitors skim past key content or ignore important sections, clutter may be the issue. Reviewing data patterns through user behavior tracking can confirm whether the design needs simplification.
WHAT METRIC IS MOST IMPORTANT WHEN EVALUATING CALL TRACKING SOFTWARE?
Look at attribution accuracy. Effective call tracking should clearly identify the channel or page that generated each call, which helps determine which marketing efforts produce the strongest results.
HOW CAN BUSINESSES USE HEATMAP ANALYTICS TO IMPROVE MOBILE PERFORMANCE?
Mobile-specific analytics reveal how thumb movement, tap behavior and viewport size impact engagement. This helps teams adjust the placement of buttons and other elements for smaller screens.
HOW DO LOCAL SEO TOOLS SUPPORT BETTER PLANNING FOR FUTURE CAMPAIGNS?
Local SEO tools provide competitive insights and geographic engagement trends. These data points help determine which topics or service areas deserve more attention in upcoming campaigns.
CAN HEATMAPS HELP WITH LOCAL LEAD GENERATION?
Yes. When businesses analyze interaction patterns, they can identify which sections influence decision-making and which ones slow users down. Improving those areas supports stronger local lead generation.
WHAT ROLE DOES CONVERSION OPTIMIZATION PLAY IN LONG-TERM WEBSITE PERFORMANCE?
Effective conversion optimization ensures that each improvement builds on previous data rather than relying on guesswork. This ongoing process enables businesses to achieve steady gains in engagement and revenue impact.