Does banner advertising still capture attention? An eye-tracking study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how much visual attention is given to banner ads embedded in Web page content dependent on whether the user’s task is goal- or not goal-oriented, as well as the interplay between attention, banner location, banner click and banner recognition. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a within-subjects design where 100 participants performed two tasks – reading a news and finding where to click next – on a Web page containing three banner ads embedded into the website content. The authors gathered behavioral and eye-tracking data. Findings: Consumers disregard banner ads when they are performing a focused task (reading news). Visual attention paid to the banners while reading – but not while free browsing – and banner location do not impact ad clicking. In addition, it is not necessary to pay full attention to a banner ad to be able to recognize it afterward. Practical implications: The strategy of embedding banners in the main content of a Web page leads to higher visual attention when consumers are browsing a Web page compared to a focused task (e.g. reading). It also increases ad recognition over time compared to benchmark levels for ads placed in traditional positions. Originality/value: Previous studies mainly assessed effectiveness of banners located at the top or lateral of a Web page. The authors used eye tracking as an objective measure of visual attention to banner ads embedded in Web page content and behavioral metrics to assess ad interest and measured ad recognition over time.