As brands go head to head for consumers dollars and advertising space rates increase, companies are realizing they need to be more strategic with their messaging to reach their target audience. What better way than to ask their potential consumers? However, traditional methods of collecting data from consumers surrounding brands need to be supplemented by new ones, which are based on more indirect indicators of what’s happening. One method that is growing in the market research world is eye tracking.

Eye tracking takes in to account not only what users remember or perceive but also what they have actually done or seen.  Collecting data through many sources and with multiple methods gives you a good picture on how users perceive your web site or application. But leaning too heavily on traditional survey methods, asking people how and why they do things, can be risky. While these methods provide attitudinal information, they lack in providing true behavioral measures.

Knowing what consumers see is an important first step in ensuring effective communication and a greater user experience.

Eye tracking is a technology that makes it possible to:

• ·         Objectively measure what people look at and what they ignore without asking questions or having to rely on volatile memories.
• ·         Identify consumers’ attention and spontaneous reactions to e.g. an application or a web page.
• ·         Be used in a wide array of applications from web page analysis to ad placement, package or concept testing and medical research to automobile design, among others.
• ·         Allow a company to quickly determine not only what consumers think of their product package (attitudinally), but also determine exactly what is being seen or missed.

Eye tracking provides unique opportunities to not only give insight into how different types of applications and web sites perform, but also why they perform the way they do – so you can do something about it.

Eye tracking provides objective behavioral learnings that can be quickly utilized and applied for fast results. Additionally, the ability to conduct customized research surveys provides attitudinal understandings pertinent to a specific product or service. This two-fold opportunity allows companies to focus in on specific areas of improvement and gain superior understandings to better their product or service.

The ability to determine how many people actually view a key brand element or element of hierarchical importance on a website or package only furthers the data extracted from an attitudinal assessment.  AOL tests their web homepage as well as their client’s ads and video ads to help make important decisions for placement and creative advantages.

While eye tracking offers advanced learnings for companies; the following have been confirmed through repeated testing and are generally accepted marketing practices:

Conclusion: Eye tracking should be an essential part of any advertising campaign. Not only do the studies eliminate the guess work on the agencies behalf, it offers brands the most accurate data based on their predetermined and customized study guidelines. It is the most cost effective and timely means to collect the data that will untimely speak your targeted consumers’ language, translating in to a successful campaign.

About the Author:

Jeff Bander is President and GM of EyeTrackShop, the World’s first online eye tracking company that uses a webcam to measure respondent’s eye gazes. Since taking over the role in March 2011, Bander has been responsible for attracting and maintaining client relations, managing the research, marketing and public relations sectors for the company, as well as overseeing the growth and development of the company’s brand.

Prior to his role with EyeTrackShop, Bander worked for more than 20 years in executive management for Cox and BellSouth.  He has a proven track record in establishing and growing companies’ revenue, as well as a successful background in creating value with start-up companies. He also has a broad-base of expertise in neuromarketing  and biometric research.

Bander’s effective and professional management style is focused on the successful execution of strategic objectives, improving profitability and helping companies solve the challenges to increase ROI.  By maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset, Bander fosters an environment that encourages creative yet aggressive thinkers who are honest and ethical in the building lasting and rewarding relationships.

Bander holds a bachelor’s in Business Management from the University of Georgia.  He resides in New York.

EyeTrackShop is a startup eye tracking market research firm founded in 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden. The company expanded to the US in 2011; locating its new branch in New York City. EyeTrackShop works with a variety of notable clients including, Google, Proctor & Gamble and AOL.