Google Search Mapped Results: Eye Tracking Insights

Transcription

1 Google Search Mapped Results: Eye Tracking Insights Introduction: ionadas local LLC & Sentient Services, LP Current local search engine practices do not always meet the needs of potential customers who use online search. Generally, users prefer search results convenient to their home, workplace or daily commute, often using the results they get as a memory trigger for familiar locations or brands. Unfortunately, a typical Google Maps search-result display, with its combination of a map image, business links to the right of the map, and a See more local results link above the map, can cause confusion and disorientation instead of the desired next action. Users may assume, for instance, that clicking on the map locations will take them to the company website, while ignoring the See more local results link entirely. Objectives: This survey, conducted in Austin, Texas by the marketing research firm Sentient Services for the local search engine optimization company ionadas local, sought to reveal local search user behavior more clearly and accurately than ever before, using modern eye tracking techniques to determine how much time and attention users devoted to the map and associated links based on their position on the search results page. The findings from this survey will aid marketing companies and business owners employ better search placement practices based on a more complete knowledge of how people respond to search result layouts. Methodology: The study administrators conducted detailed interviews with 19 respondents divided into four groups. These respondents were asked to complete a set of five tasks related to Google Maps searches while the researchers recorded their eye movements, mouse movements and mouse clicks. Researchers posed the following tasks to the respondents: 1. Free-form task: Complete a local search defined from answers given in the initial portion of the interview

2 2. Identify their next action following a search for Austin Bars 3. Identify their next action following a search for Austin Eye Doctor 4. Identify their next action following a search for Austin Jeans 5. Identify their next action following a search for Coffeeshop The researchers accounted for possible order bias by using a Latin Square to randomize the order of the tasks presented to each respondent. Subjects First Second Third Fourth Group A (N=5) T2 T3 T5 T4 Group B (N=5) T3 T4 T2 T5 Group C (N=5) T4 T5 T3 T2 Group D (N=4) T5 T2 T4 T3 Figure 1: Respondent groupings After the respondent groups performed their tasks, the researchers converted the data from the respondent interviews into composite displays known as heatmaps. Heat mapping offers a powerful means of visualizing the gaze behavior of a group of respondents. The color-coded results, superimposed over the actual Google Map viewed by the respondents, reveals the relative amounts of attention paid to each area of the search result. Red hotspots show which areas received the most attention, with yellow indicating moderate attention and green indicating relatively little attention. Figure 2: A sample heatmap

3 Findings: Figures 3-6: Heatmaps of search results The heatmaps in Figures 3 through 6 delivered some surprising results. In all four cases, eye-tracking analysis revealed that the map did not draw significant attention or a first click response from users. The map had a better chance of receiving users attention if it had more businesses listed to the right of it, creating a larger map area with more potentially interesting links. Higher page placement also drew more attention to the maps by preventing a portion of the map from falling below the fold, out of the user s visual range. The researchers also studied the amount of attention given to each part of the search results pages, as measured by the average time to first fixation, or the first time the user s eyes became fixated on the defined area.

4 Figures 7-8: Responses to search results for Austin Bars

5 On the Austin Bars search, users found their eyes drawn to the first three local results listed, while their eyes spent the longest amount of time on the first local result and the map. Figures 9-10: Responses to search results for Austin Eye Doctor

6 On the Austin Eye Doctor search, users devoted both their first and their longest fixation to the first local result, paying markedly less attention to the rest of the page. In debriefing the respondents, interviewers discovered that the users gave priority to eye doctors convenient to their location, and that expanding the search would require them to navigate away from the results page. Figures 11-12: Reponses to search results for Austin Jeans

7 On the Austin Jeans search, as with the Austin Eye Doctor search, users once again devoted their first and longest attention to the first local result. The respondents explanation was likewise similar in that they gave priority to a store location close to their home or workplace. Expanding the search would require them to navigate away from the results page. Figures 13-14: Responses to search results for Coffeeshop

8 On the Coffeeshop search, users fixated first on the top three organic results and viewed them for the longest period within the first three seconds. In this case, the results page proved somewhat disorienting, with respondents expressing confusion over the seemingly unrelated gaming links displayed above the local results. The heatmaps and search result responses indicated that the typical Google Maps results page does not give users enough information to help them make a definite choice. The survey uncovered two primary problems with the current utilization of location-based map searches: 1. The map defaults to downtown Austin, confounding users who base their search criteria mainly on proximity to their home or workplace. 2. The lack of readily accessible user reviews compels users to move away from the search map toward other sites such as Yelp or CitySearch for high-level reviews and customer ratings. Implications: The findings of this survey present several possible strategies to improve the effectiveness of local search mapping. Having the search map display a geographic area central to the IP location of the user, for instance, would display only the most relevant results to the user s eye first. Additionally, a larger, more detailed map would grab users attention more fully and provide them with more useful information, instead of forcing them to scan elsewhere on the results page for the data they need. Finally, the placement of user reviews would make a major difference to users who require such information before clicking on the business s website. Conclusion: The data collected in this survey sheds new light on local search best practices. Through this first-ever application of heat mapping techniques to Google Maps usage, we have confirmed many tried-and-true precepts about viewer behavior while uncovering new and useful facts about how the eye actually tracks these online search results. The results of this survey should have a deep and lasting impact on future corporate advertising methodologies on the Web.

9 Appendix A: Respondent Profiles Gender Age Internet Use Shop Online Internet Exp Male 25 1 to 3 hours Weekly More than 10 years Male 45 3 to 6 hours Weekly More than 10 years Female 39 3 to 6 hours Monthly More than 10 years Female 39 1 to 3 hours Weekly More than 10 years Female 26 3 to 6 hours Weekly More than 10 years Male 37 6 to 10 hours Weekly More than 10 years Male 19 1 to 3 hours Monthly 5 to 10 years Female 27 1 to 3 hours Weekly More than 10 years Female 58 3 to 6 hours Monthly More than 10 years Male 29 More than 10 hours Less than once a month More than 10 years Female 40 3 to 6 hours Less than once a month More than 10 years Female 33 3 to 6 hours Less than once a month More than 10 years Female 25 6 to 10 hours Monthly More than 10 years Male 21 6 to 10 hours Monthly More than 10 years Female 41 6 to 10 hours Monthly 5 to 10 years Female 23 6 to 10 hours Monthly More than 10 years Female 46 3 to 6 hours Monthly 5 to 10 years Male 52 3 to 6 hours Less than once a month More than 10 years Male 49 More than 10 hours Monthly More than 10 years

10 Appendix B: Austin Eye Doctor Stimulus

11 Appendix C: Austin Eye Doctor Heatmap

12 Appendix D: Austin Bars Stimulus

13 Appendix E: Austin Bars Heatmap

14 Appendix F: Coffeeshop Stimulus

15 Appendix G: Coffeeshop Heatmap

16 Appendix H: Austin Jeans Stimulus

17 Appendix I: Austin Jeans Heatmap

18 This research and this report are 2010, ionadas local LLC and Sentient Services, LP. They are being published under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, allowing businesses, organizations and individuals to download, use and reproduce the data in their own promotional and research efforts providing proper attribution is made. Proper attribution means listing the above copyright statement and including links to and for web usage. For other uses, the copyright statement, and must be listed. Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from ionadas local LLC. ionadas local LLC N Hwy 183, # Austin, Texas Tel: info@ionadas.com Web: ionadas local is a trademark of ionadas local LLC. Sentient Services is a trademark of Sentient Services, LP. Google is a registered trademark of Google Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.