The WordPress way to install Hotjar is clunky
You need heatmaps, recordings, and surveys in one tool. Hotjar delivers — but its WordPress plugin is 50 MB, adds an admin page, and triggers admin-bar notices.
The canonical WordPress paths are: install an analytics plugin (comes with admin pages, updates, subscription nags), paste the snippet into functions.php (breaks when you switch themes), or set up Google Tag Manager as middleware (overkill for one pixel).
What most people do instead
A better way: one command, one ID, tracking live
Run enable hotjar with your Site ID. The command auto-registers as a startup command so the tracking snippet outputs on every page load. No theme edit, no plugin, no GTM middleware.
Consent-aware flag included. Pass -consent_aware=true and the pixel only fires when your cookie-consent plugin's gate has been accepted. Works with any standard WP consent plugin that sets a cookie flag.
How it works
The command hooks wp_head with the Hotjar-provided tracking snippet, then auto-registers itself in Startup Commands so the tracking stays active across requests. Re-running with a different ID updates the existing entry. Disable from Startup Commands to remove.
enable hotjar -hid=1234567| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
-hid(required) | Site ID (format: 1234567) |
-consent_aware | true to only fire after cookie consent (checks standard consent cookie) |
| Scope | Auto-registered as startup command — runs on every frontend page load |
| Where to find the ID | Hotjar dashboard → Sites & Organizations |
| Can be used in |
Real example
Your UX team uses Hotjar. Every WordPress site you manage has a Hotjar install — and every install comes with a plugin you don't otherwise need. Run enable hotjar -hid=1234567 and drop the plugin. Heatmaps, recordings, and feedback surveys all still work.