toolsPublished26.05.2026

Yandex Metrica

Yandex Metrica is a free web analytics platform from Yandex. Includes click maps, WebVisor session replays, funnels, and segments. Essential for Russian-language sites and a key SEO analytics tool.

In brief

Yandex Metrica is a free web analytics service from Yandex, an alternative to Google Analytics for the Russian-language market. Provides data on traffic, user behavior, conversions, sessions, and enables reports on Yandex search phrases.

What is Yandex Metrica

Yandex Metrica is a free web analytics platform developed by Yandex. It is installed on a site via a JavaScript counter and collects data on visitors: traffic sources, on-page behavior, conversions, devices, and geolocation.

For sites targeting Russian-speaking audiences, Metrica is irreplaceable: it shows search phrases from Yandex (unlike Google Analytics, which hides most organic keywords). Metrica is the primary SEO analytics tool for projects in the Runet.

Yandex Metrica provides data on search phrases from Yandex's organic results. This lets you see the exact queries that brought users — valuable data not fully available in Google Search Console.

Key Yandex Metrica features

WebVisor: Session recordings: video of how each visitor interacted with the page. Essential for UX analysis and conversion problem-finding.
Click map: Heatmap of clicks and scroll depth: shows where users click and how far they scroll.
Goals: Conversion events: form submission, call, button click, page visit. Tracks key user actions.
Segments: Audience filtering by source, device, geography, behavior. Lets you compare different traffic segments.
Funnels: Multi-step conversion analysis: where users drop off in a process (checkout, registration).
Search phrase report: Shows Yandex keywords that brought users to the site.

SEO reports in Yandex Metrica

Sources → Search queries: full list of Yandex phrases, visit counts and bounce rates per phrase
Sources → Search engines: comparison of traffic from Yandex, Google, and other search engines
Content → Entry pages: top pages by organic traffic
Conversions by search phrase: which keywords lead to actual goal completions
Site speed monitoring: average page load time — an indirect SEO factor

WebVisor — a unique feature

WebVisor is a session recording tool available only in Yandex Metrica. It records each user's actions: mouse movement, clicks, scrolling, form filling. This lets you literally 'watch' visitor behavior.

Identify problem spots: where users leave landing pages
Find form bugs: user starts filling in but abandons — exactly where?
Analyze mobile behavior: see gestures and responsive design issues
Segment by source: compare behavior of organic vs. paid traffic users

Yandex Metrica vs. Google Analytics

Parameter	Yandex Metrica	Google Analytics 4
Yandex search phrases	Full data	Not available
Google search phrases	Not available	Limited (via GSC)
Session recording	WebVisor — free	None (requires Hotjar)
Click maps	Built-in	None
Interface	Simpler, less flexible	More complex but more powerful
Price	Free	Free (with paid add-ons)

FAQ

Common questions

Yes, if your site receives traffic from Yandex. Metrica is the only way to see full search phrase data from Yandex. Additionally, WebVisor and click maps are available for free only in Metrica.

Minimally. The Metrica counter loads asynchronously and doesn't block page rendering. Impact on Core Web Vitals is virtually zero when installed correctly.

Monitor organic traffic from Yandex, study search phrases with high bounce rates (they may need content improvement), analyze entry pages, and use WebVisor to identify behavioral issues on landing pages.

Data is stored on Yandex servers in Russia. For international projects with audiences outside the CIS, this may raise GDPR questions. For Runet projects, using Metrica is standard practice.

Direct contacts

Discuss your project?

Share your goals and website context — I will suggest a practical next step.

[email protected]@pavelbarushka LinkedIn