The Eyes Have It:Facebook Versus Google+
The study involved a mocked up version of Google+ featuring ads placed along the side, where users are used to seeing them on Facebook. The study’s 54 participants were shown a Facebook and Google+ landing page featuring the same ads and EyeTrackShop measured their gaze path, pattern, and fixations.
The results offer up two interesting conclusions. First, EyeTrackShop found that users navigate both interfaces almost identically. Generally, user gaze started in the “status update” section located in the middle, then moved to the left-hand side of the page, and finally ending by looking at the far right column that contains the ads for both Facebook and the mock ads on Google+. Secondly, EyeTrackShop notes that when using the Google+ interface, users noticed the ads 74% of the time compared to only 53% of the time when using Facebook.
So, does this mean that Google+ will dominate the social media ad market just like it does with search and display advertising or is it more likely that users are used to seeing ads in that location on Facebook and are starting to suffer from yet another form of banner blindness?
Only time will tell, but for now, let us know what you think in the comments section below!
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