SEO Glossary: Eye Tracking

 

What is eye tracking?

Eye tracking uses test subjects whose gaze directions and eye movements are recorded. This is followed by an evaluation, which takes the form of a HEATMAP is created. Analysts can use this to find out in which areas the subjects' gaze direction occurs most frequently.

 

To perform eye tracking, an external device is also required. A type of camera is used to record eye movements and gaze directions. Eye tracking is now regularly used to perform tests on interactive applications and products (websites and software).

 

The goal of eye tracking is to answer certain questions. For example, which areas a test person looks at frequently and which he tends to neglect. After the analysis with test subjects, optimized visual processing can now take place, in which, for example, control elements are specifically adapted.

 

Eye tracking has also become indispensable in market research. Experts can use this to design special products and position them on sales shelves so that they become eye-catchers.

 

 

How does eye tracking work?

As already explained, eye tracking records and analyzes eye movements. Such movements are divided into different types.

 

The following is a detailed explanation:

 

• Fixations: These are specific areas and points of view that the observer fixates on closely and observes more closely. The fixation can vary in length. Typically, a normal fixation is between 100 and 600 milliseconds.

 

• Saccades: If the eye jumps from one fixation (or from one image area) to the next, this is called a saccade. If the subject performs such a fast movement, the eye does not record any further information. On average, saccades last 50 milliseconds.

 

• Regression: If a subject looks at a certain area and returns to an already looked at area, this is called regression. Together with other fixations and saccades, a pattern now emerges, which is summarized and evaluated with other subjects.

 

How are data and information from eye tracking processed?

If eye-tracking has been successfully completed for several subjects, visual presentation is performed. With such types of presentation, a precise pattern can be recognized.

 

The following display types are used:

 

• Gazeplots: They can be either static or animated. Here you can see exactly what the sequence of individual image areas looks like, and the duration is also recorded. In addition, numbers are used in static gazeplots.

 

• Heatmaps: Color-coded areas show where a respondent looked and how often they looked. Here, analysts can simultaneously see how long an area was viewed.

 

• Opacity Maps: In contrast to the heat map, an opacity map is displayed inversely. If the eye observes an area, it is displayed transparently. Areas that are not observed are darkened, and areas that are not perceived at all are displayed in black.