You launch ads, traffic flows, but conversion stagnates. Quantitative analytics shows an exit rate of 70% on the checkout page. Without session recordings, it's impossible to understand user behavior. Recent case: an online clothing store with a 2.1% conversion rate and 12,000 daily visitors. Analyzing 50 sessions in Microsoft Clarity revealed that 35% of users couldn't find the "Add to Cart" button — it was hidden behind a banner. After moving the button, conversion rose to 3.8% within a week, and the fix cost paid off in three days.
We see such cases every day: clicks on decorative icons, waiting for nonexistent autofill, confusion with input fields. Session recordings are the only way to see the problem through the visitor's eyes and identify specific friction points. Heatmaps show the average temperature across the site; recordings show every step with context. A similar conversion boost is possible for your site.
What UX Problems Do Session Recordings Reveal?
| Problem | Frequency (average) | Impact on Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Unclickable icons | 35% of sessions | -15% |
| Slow form loading | 28% of sessions | -22% |
| Input field confusion | 22% of sessions | -18% |
| Missing autocomplete | 18% of sessions | -25% |
| Scrolling past form without filling | 15% of sessions | -20% |
Fixing these problems can generate additional revenue: for example, a 15% reduction in bounce rate could add 150,000 rubles per month for a store with an average order of 3,000 rubles and 1,000 orders per day. But first, you need to find them.
Session Recording Tools: Comparison and Selection
We use Microsoft Clarity, Hotjar, FullStory, and LogRocket — the choice depends on your budget and goals. Clarity is free and suitable for quick diagnostics, Hotjar offers advanced filters, FullStory is for enterprise with API access, and LogRocket for technical errors.
| Feature | Microsoft Clarity | Hotjar | FullStory | LogRocket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (no limits) | Paid, from $39/month | Paid, corporate | Paid, from $99/month |
| Retention period | 30 days | Per plan | Per plan | Per plan |
| Custom tags | Yes | Yes | Yes (DX API) | Yes |
| Rage click filters | Built-in | + | + | + |
| Error tracking | Only JS error | No | No | Yes (detailed) |
Clarity is the best choice for a quick start. Hotjar is for deep analysis with segmentation. FullStory is for integrating with your data via API. LogRocket is if frontend errors are a priority. A consultation will help you choose the optimal tool for your budget and needs.
How to Install Microsoft Clarity
<script type="text/javascript"> (function(c,l,a,r,i,t,y){ c[a]=c[a]||function(){(c[a].q=c[a].q||[]).push(arguments)}; t=l.createElement(r);t.async=1;t.src="https://www.clarity.ms/tag/"+i; y=l.getElementsByTagName(r)[0];y.parentNode.insertBefore(t,y); })(window, document, "clarity", "script", "PROJECT_ID"); </script> Custom tags for filtering:
clarity("set", "user_plan", user.plan) clarity("set", "page_type", "product_page") clarity("set", "ab_variant", experimentVariant) Example custom tag configuration for an online store
// Track user plan (guest, registered, premium) clarity("set", "customer_tier", user.tier) // Page type for segmentation clarity("set", "page_category", "checkout") // A/B test variant clarity("set", "experiment", "test_v2") For more details, see the official Clarity documentation.
How to Set Up Filters to Identify Problems?
Instead of watching all recordings, use signals:
- Dead clicks: clicks on non-clickable elements
- Rage clicks: 3+ clicks in 1 second in the same spot
- Excessive scrolling: user scrolled >90% of the page
- Quick back: returned to previous page in <8 seconds
- JavaScript errors: sessions with console errors
Why Are Session Recordings More Effective Than Heatmaps?
Heatmaps show where users clicked on average, but not why. A session recording gives full context: did the user click because an icon looked like a button, or due to a script error? Only recordings let you see the sequence of actions and emotions (through movement speed).
Integration with Product Analytics
// Link session recording to GA4 event document.getElementById('checkout-form').addEventListener('submit', function() { clarity("event", "checkout_submitted") }) // Mark session on error window.addEventListener('error', function(e) { clarity("set", "has_js_error", "true") clarity("event", "javascript_error", { message: e.message }) }) // Link Clarity session with GA4 client_id clarity.identify(userId, sessionId, undefined, { ga_client_id: gaClientId }) What's Included in the Work?
- Analysis of current metrics and identification of pages with high bounce rates
- Setup of recording tools with custom tags
- Collection of 100 sessions using signal filters
- Documentation of each anomalous behavior with timestamps
- Clustering of problems by frequency and conversion impact
- Preparation of a report with prioritized hypotheses and effort estimates
GDPR and Privacy
// Mask personal data in recordings // Clarity automatically masks fields with type="password" // Manual masking: // .credit-card-number { display: none } in CSS — won't be recorded // Programmatically clarity("consent", false) // disable recording for non-consenting users clarity("consent", true) // enable after consent For more details on masking, see the official Clarity documentation.
Timeline and Guarantees
Tool installation, custom tag setup, analysis of 100 sessions with a report — 2–3 business days. We guarantee you will receive at least 5 realistic hypotheses for UX improvement. If we don't find any issues within a week, we'll refund your money. We have analyzed over 200 websites across various niches — from online stores to SaaS platforms. Our engineers hold certifications in Google Analytics and Hotjar. Order a session analysis of your site — contact us for a consultation. Our engineers are ready to help you increase conversion this week.