Social media
15 Must-Know Facts on How People View Websites
Filed under: Blogging, Content Copywriting, Dreamgrow, Facebook, Psychology, Science, Social Media, Surveys and stats, Top10, User experience
Do you know what is the first thing that your eye is drawn to on a website? And in what pattern do people scan your website? There have been many eyetracking tests on this subject and I’ll give you 15 most useful facts you should know.
The picture below shows 3 different websites and where people look on them. Red indicates the area, where people looked the most, yellow areas got a bit less eye-action, blue areas got the least views and the gray areas, well, people didn’t focus on them at all.
As you can see, the more people scroll down, the more they lose focus and start mainly scanning your website. So always try to place the most important information in the top part of your website.
Here are the 15 facts you should know on how people view websites.
- Text attracts more attention than pictures.
- People start viewing your website from the top left corner.
- Readers ignore banners. Surprise, suprise.
- Fancy fonts are ignored.
- People only scan the lower parts of your website.
- Short paragraphs work better than long ones.
- Ads, that are placed on the top or left part of your website, get the most views.
- Ads, that are placed inside or below an awesome piece of content, get more views.
- Big pictures attract more attention than small ones.
- Also headlines draw attention.
- Visitors spend more time looking at menus and buttons than other parts of your website.
- Lists are better at keeping your reader focused than large paragraphs.
- Some people even completely ignore large chunks of text.
- White space is good!
- Menu works best when placed on the top part of your website.
There you go. Some points from this list are pretty basic and elementary, but a good reminder never hurts. So the next time when you’re writing an awesome piece of content, or building your new website, keep these points in mind. You now have the knowledge – use it!
Sources:
BBC News | directcreative | GoogleBlog
Great post, Raul! Seriously.
Good article. I am sure many will be surprised that text draws more attention than pictures. I am learning to use lists more frequently.
I am going to move my share buttons to the top!
Thanks!
Great post! Im curious to know how you were able to track what they were looking at.
Good to see someone who is looking at internet marketing using a more analytical approach instead of urban myth and magic.
Here you can get an overview of eye tracking and its applications http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_tracking. Practical web related stuff http://www.useit.com/eyetracking/
Eye tracking for the win. Major car companies use the technology to build in accident avoidance systems into their cars.
Nice tips. I hate having to go back and move things on the site after finally getting them the way I want them to look, but things like this have to be followed.
Great content. Thanks so much. I’ll post it on my facebook biz page. Ciao, Ludwina
Pretty much a case of eye tracking confirming what we already instinctively know! Did we need eye tracking studies to tell us any of this?
Readers start at the top left corner – well yeah, we do that with any form of media. That’s how we’re taught to read.
Headlines and large images draw the most attention? Not really a revelation either.
Also somewhat annoyed by the lack of clarification here too. What are fancy fonts? Do you mean cursive typefaces? Condensed? Expanded? Serif?
Elementary? No, this is something else. The article is far too short. How do I know what your talking about if you don’t expand on your points or provide any references? Maybe short articles and paragraphs aren’t so good?
Great post! I think what is really interesting is with all of the changes in technology, website layouts, applications and all the rest – the eyetracking tests have not changed in 10 years! Looks like we will never change how we view the web.
Great post! Or at least I think it was. Like everyone else apparently, I only got 3/4 of the way through and assumed I got the point
I like the analytical approach here. Fonts and graphics aren’t nearly as important as good content.
Very helpful indeed. What happened to the ‘top right-hand corner’ theory as the most viewed piece of website real estate?
Thanks a-plenty.
What are your sources? Because if you base these facts solely on the eyetracking images shown in this article, you might be jumping to conclusions.
I am asking this because two of your facts differ from general best practices. Specifically facts 1 and 5.
I think that there is a bit more to say about these points.
Thanks for the great (and concise) information!
Good general post. Of course, these are just general patterns. The particulars of a website can change the F pattern to some extent. How you lay out the site, with what text, fonts, contrast, etc. will draw the eye to different locations.
The one piece of data that surprises me is the pictures versus text. I’d love to know where this data came from and what kinds of pictures we’re talking about. For example, we know that the human eye is drawn to faces, so pictures of faces generally draw people’s attention. Which kind of pictures were tested here?
Thanks!
Thanks Neicole! I totally agree that in most cases the F pattern doesn’t apply. I would say, only in wide single column text.
I wonder how much of that has to do with the way the website is laid out though. I’ve seen heat maps that showed the exact inverse. Well everything top is best, but I’ve seen heavy top right also.
WOW the #1 and #3 and very surprising, it is always said that pictures draw more attention to visitors but the facts you are sharing is making that statement wrong.
Thanks for the beautiful info.
Is this based on any study if yes what is the source. BTW great article would like to see more soon
Sources are at the bottom of the post.
Thanks for the insights Raul! I’ve just started researching and going into UX so this info is extremely helpful.
I’ve included this post in today’s Posthuman newsletter because I thought this would provide a ton of value for my readers who are primarily interested in building great apps for their budding startups (here is a browser version of what went out today http://eepurl.com/hkSAg).
Keep up the great work!
Dan
Thanks a lot. It really helps me for my articles!!!
Only question is how would this f-shape pattern affect asian people? Reading manga, gotten used to viewing things from right to left.
Wonder if these facts still apply
Actually surprised that text commands more attention than pictures. I know it used to be that way, but lately video and photos seem to have more impact than they used to.
Also as a print designer I must concur:
WHITE SPACE IS GOOD! Very good….
Fantastic info. I will definitely take note in future design while I market my blogs…thanks much!
I agree with most of the material but I think it all depends on the type of website. What product or services you are marketing. Some require more pictures then text. Seeing is believing they say!
Interesting facts and good to know for the future. I agree with white space is good. It’s hard to read if the background is black or dark.
Great post!, but some points are subjective