How do users view search results on Google and Bing?
Which
search results do users look at the most? The answer to this question is a great source of
information for those who are betting on
SEO and PPC . In this regard,
eye tracking studies provide us with very valuable data about where users focus their gaze when browsing Google and Bing.
Various studies on eye-tracking and mouse-tracking have been conducted in the past, however,
SERPs (search engine results) evolve very quickly, and so does user search behavior.
In this post we will analyze the studies that have been recently carried out on eye tracking.
The relentless evolution of SERPs
Google and Bing are constantly tweaking their interfaces. The goal, they say, is to offer the best possible user experience by showing the most relevant
results .
If users find what they are looking for as quickly as possible, they will be satisfied with the results that the
search engine offers, so they will be more willing to return to that search engine, which is a great reward for it.
Let's take as an example the proliferation of
rich snippets , that is, the additional content that is displayed in addition to the black text and the link to draw attention to that result. By this we mean recommendations, photos, phone numbers, etc.
All of these are intended to be highly effective calls to action, however, Google has recently determined that it is not optimal to display results in a haphazard manner with many of these rich snippets.
What did search engine results look like in the past?
In 2014, Mediative conducted an eye-tracking study involving 53 participants. After conducting the study in 2014, they compared it to one conducted in 2005, and the results were as follows:
This study shows that in 2014, top results are not getting as much attention as they were in 2005. Results from organic sources are now getting more attention than in 2005, when paid results were the most interesting.
Can we currently trust figure F in the view activity log?
Many researchers and web optimizers are wary of the Nielsen Norman Group's theory about the
F-pattern , a theory based on their studies in 2006.
The idea that the
F-shaped figure can predict
activity logs is something that doesn't work today, but that doesn't mean it didn't work in the past.
This is how the old F-pattern looked:
With the advent of new elements other than text and search engine ads, users now tend to
look at the
entire search results page until they find what they are looking for.
As for the
Google search engine, we did not find any letter of the alphabet that describes its current results:
How do users view search engine ads?
It is true that
ads positioned on the
right-hand side do not generate much interest. Their position on the Google results page simply does not give rise to this.
However, when it comes to cleverly timed ads that have a chance of appearing at the top of paid search results, users can't help but look at them, even if only for a moment.
One thing that is surprising in the research is how on Bing it is much more common for users to
click on the ads located at the top, 19% of clicks were on those ads on Bing, while on Google it was only 6.9%.
Differences between Google and Bing
There are very significant differences between the
way you navigate on Bing and on Google.
Users spend more time viewing top results on Bing compared to Google.
On Bing, users spend 9.8 seconds looking at information in the top results, while on Google, users spend 7.8 seconds looking at these same results.
GOOGLE
BING
On the other hand, it is significant that on Google users spend more time looking at the first organic results and less time looking at the first ads, the difference with Bing is significant.
Conclusion
On Bing, users spend more time considering search results. This may be because on Bing, users are not as familiar with the search engine (compared to Google users) and therefore need to spend more time discriminating between organic and paid results. The proof is that on Google, users completed their search two seconds earlier than on Bing.
On the other hand, the evolution of the F figure as an example of visual recording is something that has evolved in a brutal way in recent years. In the research carried out, we did not find any identifiable figure in the monitoring of the user's vision.
At
Línea Gráfica we are digital marketing professionals and we provide professional advice on everything related to
SEO and SEM, keeping up to date with all the changes that occur in the dynamics of search engines.
