Eye-Tracking Study of Google Results Page

[from The Unofficial Google Weblog]

Two search marketing companies and an eye-tracking firm called Eyetools have produced one of the most interesting studies of consumer response to a Google results page. By tracking eye movements, a picture emerges of the hot spots on a results pasge, outside of which a listing or sponsored listing is not likely to be noticed. See the eye-opening (so to speak) screen shot here. The study indicates that any listing below 7th place stands a less-than-50-percent chance of being seen. Sponsored ads become invisble to more than half of viewers if they are not in the top spot of the AdWords column. Intriguingly, most people’s eyes are glued to the left-hand side of the page, not even completing a scan of entire listings.

Technorati tag: Google