Data is critical to not only understanding how users are interacting with your website or app, it is also collected and used by marketers to drive greater returns from their campaigns. As technology evolves, an increasing number of brands are using augmented reality to incorporate eye-tracking technology into their websites and apps.
In this blog post, we’ll examine how some brands are using eye-tracking technology to their advantage and explain the benefits of doing so:
GSK & product research
Consumer healthcare company, GSK, has used eye-tracking technology as part of its consumer sensory lab to establish which products have the most appeal to consumers.
Designed to look like a real store, the ‘lab’ contains eye-tracking devices alongside monitoring systems, which can effectively monitor the products and packaging consumers find most appealing. For example, if a consumer spends a long time looking at a particular product or returns to a product more than once, it may be because the copy on the packaging is not conveying the product’s benefits or purpose clearly enough. As a result, the consumer is hesitant about choosing it.
This type of eye-tracking application shows how influential the information captured can be in making decisions. By knowing what customers prefer in terms of packaging and presentation, GSK can ensure their items are presented in the best way to not only capture attention but also consumer interest.
Toyota & refining the showroom experience
As we discuss in our automotive white paper, 96% of car purchases take place offline. While the purchases themselves take place outside of the online sphere, digital still has a huge role to play in the overall process.
Recognising this, car manufacturer, Toyota, partnered with Tobii Pro to use eye tracking to monitor how customers and potential customers interact with a showroom. In total, 92 participants were split into two groups — millennials and others. Tests in the interactive Toyota showroom found that younger shoppers preferred using the interactive digital elements, while older shoppers liked textual information. Digital screens were found to drive the most engagement across groups.
The findings from the tests can be used to implement further refinements to Toyota’s showrooms. As the success of a showroom visit could be the deciding factor in a sale, eye tracking could hold the key to increasing sales for the brand.
Eye-tracking technology and digital marketing
Of course, the above examples are from super-brands who have the digital marketing budget to spend on such cutting-edge technology. However, the principles and purpose of eye tracking are closely linked to digital marketing. The greatest success is achieved when you understand what your target audience wants — and eye tracking for the above brands was a vehicle for doing so.