Custom Hotjar Partner Banners: Design & Optimization Guide

By Azon Vault On May 5, 2026

As a Hotjar partner, you know promoting the platform’s user analytics and feedback tools is key to earning commissions and growing your audience. But generic, pre-made banners rarely cut through the noise — that’s where custom Hotjar partner banners come in.

These tailored assets let you promote Hotjar’s heatmaps, session recordings, and survey tools while staying true to your brand and connecting with your audience’s specific needs. Below, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to design, optimize, and deploy custom Hotjar partner banners that drive results.

What Are Custom Hotjar Partner Banners?

Custom Hotjar partner banners are promotional assets created specifically for members of Hotjar’s partner program. Unlike the generic pre-approved banners available in the Hotjar partner portal, custom versions are tailored to your brand guidelines, your audience’s pain points, and the specific Hotjar features you want to highlight.

All custom banners must comply with Hotjar’s official partner brand guidelines to avoid violating program terms. We’ll cover those rules in detail below.

Why Generic Hotjar Banners Fall Short

Pre-made banners from Hotjar’s partner portal are a good starting point, but they often underperform custom assets for three key reasons:

Low click-through rates (CTRs): Generic banners don’t speak to your audience’s specific challenges, so they’re easy to ignore.
No brand alignment: Using off-the-shelf banners makes your promotions look disjointed from your other branded content.
Limited flexibility: You can’t highlight the specific Hotjar features your audience cares about most, like ecommerce-focused heatmaps or SaaS-ready session recording tools.

Key Design Specifications for Custom Hotjar Partner Banners

Mandatory Brand Compliance Rules

Hotjar has strict brand guidelines that all partner assets must follow. Always refer to the Hotjar Official Partner Program Brand Guidelines for the most up-to-date requirements, but core rules include:

Use only approved Hotjar logos and brand colors (including their signature #FF5C5C orange).
Never alter, stretch, or recolor the Hotjar logo.
Include required disclosures, such as “Affiliate Link” or “Partner Promotion”, to comply with FTC regulations and Hotjar program terms.
Do not claim Hotjar endorses your brand or services unless you have written approval.

Standard Banner Sizes to Support

Create banners in all common display sizes to cover every possible placement on your site and marketing channels:

Leaderboard (728x90px): Ideal for website headers or blog top bars.
Medium Rectangle (300x250px): The most versatile size, perfect for sidebars and in-content placements.
Mobile Banner (320x50px): Optimized for mobile site footers or sticky headers.
Vertical Banner (160x600px): Great for tall sidebar or footer placements.
Square (250x250px): Works well for in-content promotions or small sidebar widgets.

5 Tips to Create High-Converting Custom Hotjar Partner Banners

Follow these actionable tips to design banners that drive clicks and conversions:

Align messaging with audience pain points: If you serve ecommerce brands, highlight Hotjar’s cart abandonment heatmaps. For SaaS audiences, focus on session recording for onboarding optimization.
Use high-contrast, legible text: Pair Hotjar’s brand orange with neutral backgrounds, and keep font sizes large enough to read on mobile devices.
Add a clear, action-oriented CTA: Avoid vague copy like “Hotjar” — use specific offers like “Get 30% Off Hotjar Annual Plans” or “Start Free 15-Day Hotjar Trial” (use the offers available in your partner portal).
Include trust signals: Add your Hotjar Certified Partner badge (if you’re certified) to build credibility with your audience.
A/B test multiple variations: Create 2-3 versions of each banner with different CTAs, images, or value props, then test to see which performs best.

Where to Use Your Custom Hotjar Partner Banners

Deploy your banners across all your marketing channels to maximize reach:

Website placements: Sidebars, headers, footers, and in-content widgets within blog posts about UX, analytics, or optimization.
Email newsletters: Include banners in dedicated tool roundup emails or newsletters focused on marketing growth.
Social media ads: Resize banners to platform-specific specs (e.g., 1080x1080px for Instagram posts, 1200x628px for Facebook ads).
Educational content: Webinars, online courses, or lead magnets about user experience optimization.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Steer clear of these frequent errors to keep your banners compliant and high-performing:

Altering Hotjar’s official logo, colors, or iconography.
Overloading banners with text — keep copy under 10 words total for maximum readability.
Forgetting affiliate disclosures, which violates FTC rules and Hotjar program terms.
Using low-resolution images that look pixelated on high-DPI (Retina) screens.

FAQ: Custom Hotjar Partner Banners

Can I use my own custom illustrations in Hotjar partner banners?

Yes, as long as they don’t mimic Hotjar’s official iconography or conflict with brand guidelines. When in doubt, submit your custom illustrations to the Hotjar partner team for approval before publishing.

Do I need to get Hotjar’s approval for custom banners?

Most partners are required to submit all custom assets to the Hotjar partner team for compliance approval before publishing. Check your partner portal for specific submission instructions and timelines.

What’s the best size for custom Hotjar partner banners?

The medium rectangle (300x250px) is the most versatile size for most website placements, while the leaderboard (728x90px) works best for site headers. Always create a full set of sizes to cover all potential placements.

Can I include my unique affiliate link in custom banners?

Yes, as long as you use your official Hotjar partner tracking link and include required affiliate disclosures (e.g., “Affiliate Link”) as per FTC guidelines.

Ready to Launch Your Custom Banners?

Custom Hotjar partner banners take a little extra design time, but the boost in CTR and partner commissions makes the effort worth it. Start by auditing your current generic banners, then use the tips above to create assets that resonate with your audience.

Internal Linking Suggestions: For maximum SEO value, link this post to your existing guide on affiliate conversion optimization and your review of essential user analytics tools for beginners. These internal links will keep readers on your site longer and boost your search rankings.

External Authority Reference: All brand compliance rules mentioned in this post are sourced from Hotjar’s official Partner Program Brand Guidelines, the leading authority on Hotjar partner asset requirements.

Call to Action: Want more Hotjar partner marketing tips? Sign up for our weekly newsletter for exclusive strategies to grow your partner earnings, or check out our latest guide to optimizing co-marketing campaigns for more ideas.