Eye Tracking Testing
Eye tracking testing is a method that researchers use to understand how users interact with a digital product. This is achieved by tracking users' eye movement when they view the product. The findings show what users are looking at, how long, and how they navigate through the content. The results help optimise website design to improve user engagement and conversions.
Eye tracking testing is inexpensive and time-efficient among research methods aiming to understand user behaviour. It shows how users look at the digital product – where their eye stays longer, what catches their attention, and how they move from one element to another. This kind of data allows you to understand their behaviour on a website (e.g. why they missed a piece of information or why it was harder to find) and adjust to it. Optimising the website's design according to your users' eye focus points can increase engagement and conversions. You can easily determine areas the user is not paying attention to, improve them and test the outcome or use the findings to adjust your content organisation. Adapting your website to fit your user's focus can also contribute to increasing ROI, as higher user engagement leads to a higher return on investment.
Reliable results from eye tracking testing require a few things. First, you should use specialised equipment to ensure that your results are accurate. Once you have the right equipment, get a representative user sample – it should be big enough and reflect your users. Don't ignore the context of the test. The environment should be as close as possible to the real situation in which your users would check your digital product. And don't neglect the data you collected. If you've put the time and effort into doing this research, make sure you use your findings to prepare actionable plans that will lead to better user engagement.
Finally, one of the most important things to remember is that one method is never "it". Try to combine a few to get a more comprehensive view of your users and not rely on just one source of information. Eye tracking testing works best with other methods that can put its results in context or confirm them, such as A/B testing, surveys, or interviews.
Eye tracking testing gives you relevant and tangible results that you can use to optimise your website. It's a valuable research method that works great, especially if you combine it with others. You can then be sure that your design decisions are data-driven and informed.
