What is Eye Tracking?
Measuring and recording the movement of eyes as they look at a web page. In online marketing, eye tracking is often used to determine what parts of a web page or email people look at first or spend the most time looking at, which is usually displayed as a heat map. Marketers use this data to strategically place elements, such as call-to-action buttons, where they are most likely to be seen and clicked.
Example
Imagine a usability study conducted by a web designer to evaluate the effectiveness of a new website layout. The designer uses an eye-tracking device to monitor participants’ eye movements as they interact with the website.
During the study, participants are asked to perform specific tasks like finding information or navigating different website pages. As participants interact with the website, the eye-tracking device records their gaze patterns, including where they look first, how long they spend looking at specific elements, and any areas of interest or confusion.
After the study, the designer analyzes the eye-tracking data to identify areas for improvement in the website design. For example, they may discover that users frequently overlook important navigation links or that some aspects of the page distract users from completing their tasks.
Based on these insights, the designer can make informed decisions to optimize the website layout, improve usability, and enhance the overall user experience.
In summary, eye-tracking technology allows researchers and designers to gain valuable insights into user behavior and attention patterns, helping them create more effective and user-friendly products, interfaces, and experiences.