MetrixLab Builds a Better Mousetrap

UK-based Metrixlab has announced 'sensational' results for an 'online eye tracking' tool which uses mouse movements to measure the attention paid to a web page by users. The firm says 'large scale validation' of the method at Groningen University shows a 0.9 correlation with 'traditional' eye tracking.

The Focustracker takes an integrated approach, based on traditional eye tracking, but developed for online use, and enables pretesting of online advertising, web pages, online campaigns, outdoor advertising and packaging.

The company stresses that 'attention in itself is not enough' in understanding how well a commercial message has been conveyed, so an integrated approach is required. However, eye tracking has to be done on location, making sample selection expensive and time consuming, and as a result many researchers still choose 'one dimensional' solutions.

CEO Han de Groot says the developers of Focustracker were faced with 'a huge methodological problem', given that the process of 'clicking' is dependent on a user's skills and habits. 'We therefore developed an instrument, based on some principles about attention, which does not need clicking.' In order to be confident about Focustracker's use, and to get it patented, the tool was validated by Groningen's Professor Dr. A. Johnson, who after several months of testing concludes: 'Mouse tracking is a viable alternative to eye tracking for determining which elements of advertisements receive attention during a short viewing period. Moreover, the FocusTracker training is a viable, online method of instructing observers to perform the task.'

Metrixlab says the tool has applications in larger scale, international, standardized research for the assessment of media and advertising.

The firm, which recently introduced 'online research 2.0' at the annual Dutch Marketing Information Event, is online at www.MetrixLab.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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