How an eye tracking study is conducted

Eye tracking shows what your visitors look at and builds heat maps with “red” and “gray” areas; learn how an eye tracking study is done.

Companies that conduct eye tracking research studies recruit respondents. Depending on the size of the project to be analyzed, a common user base ranges from ten to a thousand users per item to be audited. Respondents are given a task – for example, look for the sign up box on your site, locate the 10.1” netbook among a series of 13.3” and 15” laptops or locate a red backpack on your shelf.

When moving across a larger hall (like a store or parking lot), subjects are given to wear a special pair of glasses with a tracking device that records their eye movement. Key viewing areas are identified and, later on, consolidated into the known heat maps. The sensor in the glasses is programmed to track eye fixations (a short period of time that is proven to occur when a person’s eyes engage with their minds), the order in which objects are viewed as well as the time spent analyzing an object or area.

When sitting in front of a computer, the respondents’ eye tracking are tracked with the help of cameras built in the monitor or devices placed right next to it. Wearing a pair of glasses with a tracking device for prolonged periods of time can disrupt the user experience or, worse, yield false positives.

At the end of the survey, respondents usually take a short interview where they share their experience on how the test went and why they focused on certain areas longer than others. Responses are also consolidated into a report that accompanies the generated heat map.

What Copywriters Must Learn From Eye Tracking Technologies

Eye tracking findings aren’t only to be used by web designers; copywriters as well must understand how people read on the Internet.

Eye tracking doesn’t only assist web designers to arrange elements properly on a page, but also shows insight on how to make text flow smoothly. This article will outline some tips for copywriters to produce so-called “scanable” text.

• Use using the inverted pyramid writing model. Start with the conclusion, work your way to the bottom with outlining the major benefits in descending importance and wrap up with a call to action. Especially with a long copy, people tend to read the introduction, skim through the middle paragraphs and read the ending.
• Write one idea per paragraph. Don’t combine more ideas into one block of text and don’t split one idea across multiple paragraphs. Eye tracking will ensure a logical, smooth and easy to follow flow.
• Make use of bulleted lists. Outline the most important points in your copy and, again, place items in order of importance. Keep each point brief, the purpose of a bulleted list is to put information through quickly and efficiently.
• Be short and concise. Rule of the thumb says that a sales copy should be about half the size of a regular article while outlining the same ideas. Once you are done with putting down your ideas, re-read everything and rewrite in a more concise manner. Remove all the fluff that may distract your readers and keep in mind that your sole purpose is to lead them down your intended sales path and prepare them for the call to action at the end of the copy. 

Understanding how people read online and how easily they can get distracted can help you tune up your copywriting skills.