How to build conversion funnels on Hotjar

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Building conversion funnels on Hotjar involves creating a new funnel in the Insights section, defining each step of your user journey with specific URLs or events, and analyzing where users drop off. Hotjar's funnel analysis helps you identify conversion bottlenecks and optimize your user experience.

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Prerequisites

Active Hotjar account with tracking code installed
Website with defined conversion goals
Access to your website's URL structure
Basic understanding of user journey mapping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access the Funnels feature

Log into your Hotjar dashboard and navigate to Insights in the left sidebar. Click on Funnels from the dropdown menu. If you don't see this option, ensure your plan includes funnel analysis or upgrade your subscription.

Funnels are available on Business plans and above

Create a new funnel

Click the Create funnel button in the top-right corner. Enter a descriptive name for your funnel (e.g., "E-commerce Checkout Process" or "Newsletter Signup Flow"). Select the date range you want to analyze, typically the last 30 days for sufficient data.

Use clear, descriptive names to easily identify funnels later

Define your funnel steps

Click Add step to begin building your funnel. For each step, enter the URL pattern or use wildcards (*) for dynamic URLs. For example:

Step 1: https://yoursite.com/product/* (Product pages)
Step 2: https://yoursite.com/cart (Shopping cart)
Step 3: https://yoursite.com/checkout (Checkout page)
Step 4: https://yoursite.com/thank-you (Conversion)

Use wildcards (*) to capture multiple similar pages in one step

Configure step matching rules

For each step, choose the appropriate matching rule from the dropdown:

Exact URL: Matches the exact URL provided
Contains: URL contains the specified text
Starts with: URL begins with the specified text
Regular expression: Advanced pattern matching

Select the rule that best captures your intended pages.

"Contains" is often the most flexible option for dynamic URLs

Set funnel conditions

Configure additional settings for your funnel:

Toggle Sequential steps if users must complete steps in order
Set the time window (1 hour to 30 days) for how long users have to complete the funnel
Choose whether to include or exclude specific traffic sources or devices

Click Create funnel when finished.

A 7-day time window works well for most e-commerce funnels

Analyze funnel performance

Once created, Hotjar will display your funnel visualization showing:

Conversion rates between each step
Drop-off percentages and user counts
Overall funnel conversion rate

Hover over each step to see detailed metrics and click on any step to drill down into user behavior.

Focus on the largest drop-off points first for maximum impact

Connect with recordings and heatmaps

Click View recordings or View heatmaps next to any funnel step to see actual user behavior. This integration allows you to:

Watch session recordings of users who dropped off
Analyze heatmaps to identify UI/UX issues
Understand why users abandon the funnel at specific steps

Filter recordings by "Completed funnel: No" to focus on drop-offs

Set up funnel alerts and sharing

Click the Settings icon to configure:

Email alerts when conversion rates drop below a threshold
Scheduled reports to stakeholders
Sharing permissions with team members

Use the Export button to download funnel data as CSV for further analysis.

Set alerts for 10-15% drops to catch issues early

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Funnel shows no data or very low numbers

Check that your URL patterns are correct and not too restrictive. Verify the tracking code is installed on all funnel pages. Try using Contains instead of Exact URL matching and ensure your date range includes sufficient traffic.

Steps are capturing wrong pages

Refine your URL patterns using more specific matching rules. Use Starts with for consistent URL structures or Regular expressions for complex patterns. Test URLs in the pattern matcher before saving.

Funnel percentages seem incorrect

Verify that Sequential steps is enabled if users must follow a specific order. Check your time window setting - it may be too short for your user journey. Ensure there are no duplicate or overlapping step definitions.

Cannot connect recordings or heatmaps to funnel steps

Confirm that recordings and heatmaps are enabled for the pages in your funnel. Check that you have sufficient data collection permissions and that the pages have received enough traffic for meaningful analysis.

Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official Hotjar website before purchasing.

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