Barriers on a Website – New Research Findings
Do graphics attract or retain website users? Enquiro Research reveals the answers in the newly published whitepaper, Barriers on a Website, which explains how users interact with graphics and rich media in the navigation of a website.
Webpage readers interpret graphics differently than print media readers. In print media a graphic initially attracts and draws the user to the rest of the printed page. On a webpage, graphics can act as either a barrier or gateway to the information on the page.
With the use of eye tracking technology, analysts can see that graphics can act as a barrier when the user’s eyes cannot move past the image to other essential website information. Heatmaps also show us how graphics can act as a gateway by visually “coaxing” users towards text information.
Multimedia use on websites may create the “wow” factor but can also act as a barrier if users are unable to find a way out of the video, or other rich media, and locate the information they’re searching for.
Barriers on a Website is available as a free download from: http://www.enquiroresearch.com/whitepapers
About Enquiro
One of North America’s leading search marketing firms, Enquiro has worked with some of the world’s best known brands. Its strategies are based on industry research and expertise in usability, and natural and sponsored search. Enquiro has also authored eye tracking studies which have given marketers a greater understanding of user interaction with the major search engines and defined “Google’s Golden Triangle.”
What is Eye Tracking?
Enquiro uses a Tobii eye tracker to measure and record eye movement on a screen in real time. The eye tracker is non-intrusive and uses high resolution sensors that are calibrated to each participant before the study. The eye tracker measures each point of gaze from the eye and displays data as a colored heatmap. A heatmap is a visual representation of points of gaze and of eye movement. Points of gaze are displayed by dots of color. Multiple dots become circular color patches. Centralized color equals longer gaze time. When many heatmaps are amalgamated they can show common patterns of eye movement and level of engagement to parts of the webpage.