Unlocking Image Hotspots in WordPress: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Do you want to make your WordPress images more engaging and interactive? Image hotspots can enhance static images by adding clickable areas that provide additional information.

We have tested image hotspots ourselves to highlight locations on a map, tag team members in photos, and showcase product features. From our findings, we discovered two straightforward methods to incorporate image hotspots in WordPress.

Are you ready to elevate your website’s visual appeal? Let’s dive in.

When to Incorporate Hotspots into Your WordPress Images

Image hotspots are clickable areas that transform ordinary images into interactive content for visitors to explore. But when should you consider adding hotspots to your images?

A great time to use hotspots is when you want to highlight different aspects of a product image.

For example, if you’re selling a new smartphone, you can add hotspots to highlight its camera, screen, and other features. This allows customers to learn about the product without having to read lengthy descriptions.

Many home goods websites also utilize image annotations to emphasize product details in staged photos.

Hotspots enhance infographics and data visualizations by making them more interactive. Instead of overwhelming viewers with all the information in a single image, you can conceal additional details behind hotspots. When users click on various sections of the infographic, they can access more facts and statistics.

If you operate an eLearning platform, incorporating hotspots can significantly enhance user engagement and interactivity in your lessons. For instance, you can place hotspots on a map, allowing students to click and discover information about different countries or landmarks.

Now, let’s explore how to easily integrate image hotspots into your WordPress site. We’ve outlined two methods, and you can use the quick links below to navigate through the article:

Method 1: Integrate Image Hotspots Using SeedProd (Ideal for Landing Pages and Custom Themes)

The first method involves using SeedProd, a user-friendly drag-and-drop page builder, to incorporate image hotspots into your WordPress site. This approach is ideal if you’re designing a custom landing page or WordPress theme and prefer a platform that includes an image hotspot block.

We have previously tested other page builders like Divi and WPBakery, but SeedProd consistently outperforms them.

What we appreciate about SeedProd is its extensive library of over 350 landing page templates and theme kits tailored for various industries, including online boutiques, cleaning services, and SaaS businesses. This ensures there’s a suitable option for every type of website.

It’s important to note that if you’re looking for a free way to create image hotspots, this method may not be suitable for you. SeedProd’s hotspot block is only available in the paid versions. If that’s the case, we suggest exploring method 2.

For detailed information about the plugin’s features and pricing, take a look at our SeedProd review.

After purchasing a SeedProd plan, you can download and install the WordPress plugin from your admin dashboard. Then, navigate to SeedProd »Settings and input your license key, which can be found on your SeedProd account page.

Once you’ve entered the key, simply click ‘Verify Key.’

Next, go to SeedProd » Landing Pages.

Click on ‘Add New Landing Page.’

You will see a variety of templates offered by SeedProd, including options for a viral waitlist landing page, a Google ad landing page, a coming soon page, and more.

Be sure to scroll through the templates and preview each one to select the best fit for your project.

Once you’ve chosen a template, hover over your selection.

Then, click the orange checkmark button.

A new popup will appear, prompting you to name your page and enter its URL slug.

After entering the details, click ‘Save and Start Editing the Page.’

This will launch the SeedProd drag-and-drop editor.

It functions similarly to the WordPress block editor, allowing you to drag and drop elements onto the page and customize them as you wish.

To add image hotspots, locate the ‘Hotspot’ block in the left sidebar.

Drag and drop it onto your page.

Next, upload the WordPress image you want to enhance with hotspots.

You can do this by clicking on the ‘Hotspot’ block and selecting either ‘Use Your Own Image’ or ‘Use a Stock Image’ to choose an image.

The first option allows you to access the media library, where you can select an existing image or upload a new one. If the image is too large, refer to our guide on uploading large images in WordPress.

After uploading an image, you can enter alt text to describe it for search engines and assistive technologies.

You also have the option to customize the image size and alignment.

Next, scroll down to begin adding your hotspots.

You can add a hotspot by clicking the ‘+ Add Hotspot’ button.

An orange dot will appear on your image, and you can reposition it by dragging the horizontal and vertical orientation sliders.

Additionally, you can add text that will display when a user hovers their cursor over the hotspot.

As you continue down, you can change the color of the hotspot.

Simply click on the ‘Color’ settings to select a color that aligns with your brand and website design.

If you scroll further down, you can activate the ‘Advanced Settings’ toggle.

Here, you can add a link to the tooltip text for your hotspot, allowing users to be directed to your chosen page.

You can also select a custom icon to replace the default circular shape.

To do this, simply click the ‘Choose Icon’ button.

A popup window will appear, allowing you to select various icons from SeedProd’s library. Additionally, you can choose icons from Font Awesome for more variety.

To select an icon, simply click on it.

After selecting an icon, you can adjust the ‘Icon Size’ slider to resize the icon according to your preferences.

You can repeat these steps to create additional interactive image hotspots.

Below, you can add an animated effect to your image hotspots. You have two options: ‘Soft Beat’ and ‘Expand.’

Now, let’s proceed to the ‘Tooltip’ section.

Here, you can adjust the position of the tooltip (right, left, above, or below the hotspot) and modify the trigger settings.

If you choose ‘Click,’ the tooltip will display when the user clicks on the hotspot. Conversely, selecting ‘Hover’ means the tooltip will appear when the cursor hovers over it.

Next, you can customize the duration of the tooltip.

This refers to the time it takes for the tooltip to appear after the user hovers over or clicks on the hotspot. To make the tooltip show up instantly, set the duration to 0.

You also have the option to disable the tooltip arrow based on your preferences.

By navigating to the ‘Advanced’ tab, you can further enhance the appearance of your image.

For instance, you can apply a box shadow or modify the padding and margin settings.

When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Save’ button located in the top right corner.

Next, click ‘Publish’ to make your page live for visitors.

That’s all there is to it! Be sure to check how the page appears on mobile, desktop, and tablet to ensure it looks great on all devices.

Here’s a preview of our interactive image hotspot:

Method 2: Create Image Hotspots Using the Free Image Hotspot Plugin

If switching themes or using a page builder feels overwhelming, you can opt for the free WordPress Image Hotspot plugin. It’s one of the top image hotspot plugins we’ve tested and serves as a solid alternative to the first method.

Keep in mind that the free version has a limit of 6 hotspots per image.

To get started with Image Hotspot, install and activate the WordPress plugin from your admin dashboard. Then, navigate toImage Map Hotspot » All Image Map Hotspotand click the ‘Add New’ button.

Begin by naming your new image map hotspot. Next, choose how you want the tooltip to display; you can opt for tooltips that appear when the user hovers over or clicks on the hotspot.

After completing the setup, click ‘Save’ to store your changes.

Now that you’ve saved, it’s time to add your image.

Simply click the ‘Upload Image’ button to proceed.

This action will open the media library, allowing you to upload a new image or choose one from your existing collection.

Next, you can add hotspots to your image map by clicking the ‘Add Point’ button.

A popup window will appear, allowing you to configure your interactive image hotspot.

Start by going to the ‘Marker’ tab, where you can customize the appearance of your hotspot image. To change the icons, click the ‘+’ sign next to the ‘Icons’ and/or ‘Hover Icons’ fields.

‘Icons’ refers to the default symbol displayed when the hotspot is neither clicked nor hovered over, while ‘Hover Icons’ is the symbol that appears during interaction.

Select an icon to replace the current default option. The plugin offers a wide variety of icons to choose from.

Once you’ve made your selection, click on the icon and then hit the ‘Close’ button.

With your hotspot icons configured, you can also adjust their colors.

This plugin allows you to customize the default color of the hotspot icon, making it distinct from the hover color. This feature helps users easily identify when a hotspot is active by clicking or hovering over it.

To change the color of the hotspot icon, simply click on the square color selection button and choose your desired color.

After selecting the color, you can click anywhere on the page to proceed to adjust other settings.

You can also adjust the size of the hotspot icon for desktop views. A higher number will result in a larger icon.

Once you are satisfied with how the icon looks, click the ‘Save’ button to apply your changes.

Next, scroll up and navigate to the ‘Content’ tab, where you can personalize the text and style of the tooltip.

The plugin offers four templates to choose from, allowing you to select one that complements your website’s design.

Additionally, be sure to replace the default title text with your own content.

Depending on your website’s design, you might want to increase the font size and change the text color for better readability.

When you are happy with your settings, just click ‘Save’ to finalize your changes.

The final tab is ‘Link,’ where you can choose to make your tooltip text clickable, redirecting users to a different page.

To proceed, select ‘Yes’ in the ‘Do you Link Title?’ option.

Next, enter the URL for your title link in the designated field and decide if you want the link to open in a new tab.

Finally, click ‘Save’ to apply your changes.

A new hotspot will now appear on your image, which you can move to your preferred location.

You can repeat these steps to create additional image hotspots as needed.

After configuring your image map, click the ‘Save’ button once more.

To add the image hotspot to your pages, posts, or widgets, simply copy the shortcode provided above the image.

Then, paste the shortcode into a shortcode block on your widget, page, or post using the block editor. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on adding and using shortcodes in WordPress.

Here’s an example of our interactive image hotspot:

Essential WordPress Design Tips You Should Consider

In addition to creating interactive image hotspots, there are many other ways to enhance your website’s design. Here are some helpful guides:

• Essential Design Elements for a Successful WordPress Website
• How to Implement Infinite Scroll on Your WordPress Site (Step-by-Step Guide)
• A Comprehensive Guide to Adding Infinite Scroll to Your WordPress Site
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Visual Sitemap in WordPress
• How to Implement a Sticky Floating Footer Bar in WordPress
• Adding a Font Resizer in WordPress for Enhanced Accessibility
• Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a Click-to-Call Button in WordPress
• How to Customize Your Scrollbar in WordPress
• Adding a Progress Bar to Your WordPress Posts: A How-To Guide
• Creating a Custom Shape Divider in WordPress: Step-by-Step
• How to Add a Scrolling News Ticker to Your WordPress Site

We hope this guide has helped you learn how to easily add image hotspots in WordPress. Don’t forget to explore our ultimate guide on WordPress sidebar tricks for optimal results and our expert recommendations for the best WordPress theme builders.

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