If you’re a product manager, you know it’s easy to drown in data and still have no idea why users aren’t converting. Heatmaps, session replays, and event tracking sound great—until you’re stuck sorting through hours of click videos or dashboards that don’t actually answer the questions you have. This guide cuts through the noise and shows you how to actually use Smartlook to get real, actionable insights that help move the conversion needle. No buzzwords, no fluff—just what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid common traps.
1. Decide If Smartlook Is Worth Your Time
Before you start pasting code snippets, let’s be honest: Smartlook isn’t magic. It records user sessions, heatmaps, and in-app events. It’s helpful for:
- Understanding why users get stuck (not just where)
- Watching real sessions to spot UX bugs or confusing flows
- Validating if people actually use the features you shipped
Smartlook is not for:
- A/B testing (it won’t do that for you)
- Deep quantitative funnel analysis (stick to GA or Mixpanel for that)
- Automagically fixing your conversion problems
If you want to watch users struggle in real time and get context you can’t get from numbers alone, Smartlook is a solid pick. If you just want to see "conversion rates by channel," you’re looking in the wrong place.
2. Get the Basics Set Up—Don’t Overthink It
a. Add the Tracking Code
- Go to your Smartlook project and grab the JavaScript snippet.
- Paste it before the closing
</head>tag on every page you want tracked. - For SPAs, follow their docs to make sure page views are tracked as routes change. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a bunch of “one-page” sessions.
Pro tip: Don’t wait for your devs to “build an integration”—the snippet takes five minutes. If you’re running a native app, you’ll need their SDK (which does need dev time).
b. Check for Privacy Red Flags
- By default, Smartlook will record everything—including sensitive fields if you’re not careful.
- Mask or exclude form fields for passwords, emails, or anything regulated.
- Double-check with legal or your DPO. Nothing tanks a product manager’s day like “accidentally” recording PII.
c. Verify It’s Working
- Open your site or app, poke around, then check Smartlook’s session recordings. If you see your activity, you’re good.
- If you see nothing, something’s off—don’t move forward until it’s logging sessions.
What to ignore: Don’t bother setting up every advanced integration yet. Get the basics working, then get fancy.
3. Define What You Actually Want to Learn
Here’s where most teams waste time: recording everything, watching nothing, and learning zilch. Before you set up a single event, answer:
- What’s the single biggest drop-off or UX question you have?
- Which pages, features, or flows do you wish you understood better?
- Are you after broad patterns (“where do people rage click?”) or specific behaviors (“do people use the new filter?”)?
Write these down. If you skip this, you’ll just end up with hours of session videos and no clue what to do with them.
4. Set Up Events—But Don’t Go Overboard
Smartlook lets you track “events” (clicks, scrolls, form submits, etc.) so you can filter sessions and see who did what. Resist the urge to track every possible interaction.
a. Start with the Essentials
- Key conversions: Signups, purchases, demo requests.
- Critical flows: Onboarding complete, feature use, cart add/remove.
- Error states: Failed payments, form errors, dead ends.
b. How to Set Up Events
- Use Smartlook’s point-and-click event setup for basic stuff (like button clicks).
- For anything custom (e.g., a modal that only fires under certain conditions), ask your dev to add Smartlook’s
trackcalls to your codebase.
Pro tip: Give your events clear, human-readable names. “Clicked CTA” is better than “btn_1234.”
c. Ignore the Noise
- Don’t track every scroll or hover—those just create clutter.
- Avoid tracking things you’ll never review (“Clicked Footer Link 7”).
5. Use Heatmaps and Funnels—But Stay Skeptical
a. Heatmaps
- Heatmaps show where most users click or move their mouse. Great for spotting ignored buttons or distracting page elements.
- They’re not gospel—sometimes a “hot” area just means people are confused.
What works: Use heatmaps to sanity-check new page layouts or major UI changes.
What doesn’t: Don’t obsess over tiny changes in color or shape. If nobody’s clicking your CTA, it’s probably not the button color.
b. Funnels
- Build simple funnels to see where users drop off in multi-step flows (signup, checkout, onboarding).
- Funnels in Smartlook are basic—don’t expect cohort analysis or fancy segmentation.
Pro tip: Focus on big drop-offs. If 90% of users make it through step 1 and only 10% finish, dig into those sessions and see why.
6. Actually Watch Session Recordings (But Don’t Watch Them All)
This is where Smartlook shines. You can see exactly what happened in real user sessions—where they hesitated, where they gave up, and where they got frustrated.
How to Get Value Without Losing Your Week
- Filter sessions: Use your events to pull up sessions that matter (e.g., “users who dropped off at step 2”).
- Watch 5–10 relevant recordings, not 100. Look for patterns and “aha” moments.
- Take notes (seriously—don’t trust your memory).
Look for:
- Repeated rage clicks (users mashing buttons out of frustration)
- Dead clicks or non-responsive UI
- Users hesitating or backtracking
- Unexpected user paths
Ignore:
- Outliers. Don’t build a roadmap around one confused user.
- “Looky-loos” who just poke around and bounce (unless that’s your core UX issue).
7. Share Insights—Not Just Pretty Clips
Smartlook lets you share session recordings or heatmaps, but sending around videos isn’t the same as driving change.
- Summarize what you’re seeing: e.g., “7 out of 10 users couldn’t find the ‘Next’ button on mobile.”
- Pair insights with product metrics, not just anecdotes.
- Recommend specific, testable changes (“Move CTA above the fold,” not “Make it better”).
Pro tip: Bring short, 30-second clips to meetings—not 10-minute videos. Nobody’s got time for that.
8. Iterate, Don’t Automate
Once you’ve got the basics running and learned something useful, keep it simple:
- Review events and funnels monthly, not daily.
- Refresh heatmaps after major releases.
- Update your tracked events as your product changes—old events become useless fast.
Don’t try to “set and forget” Smartlook. It works best as a tool for periodic deep dives, not as a constant dashboard.
What to Watch Out For
- Too much data: More recordings won’t make you smarter. Focus on what you care about.
- Privacy headaches: Double-check what’s getting recorded, especially if you’re in regulated industries.
- Over-promising: Smartlook can show you what users do, not why they do it. Pair with interviews or surveys when you need deeper answers.
- Team fatigue: Don’t make everyone watch hours of videos. Summarize findings and make them actionable.
Keep It Simple—And Keep Going
Smartlook is a useful tool for product managers who want to go beyond the numbers and actually see what’s tripping up users. But don’t expect miracles: you’ll get the most value by setting up just enough tracking, staying focused on your key questions, and reviewing insights in short, regular bursts.
Don’t get lost in endless recordings or fancy dashboards. Set up the basics, watch a few sessions, fix what’s broken, and repeat. That’s how you actually move the needle.