The Layout of Web Pages: A Study on the Relation between Information Forms and Locations Using Eye-Tracking

Abstract

Web pages are an important human-computer interface, and the layout of Web pages has an effect on visual search. This study focuses on using eye-tracking to explore the relation between information forms and locations, as well as the impact of floating advertisements (ads for short) for visual search on Web pages. The results show that for the information presented as text, the fixation duration in quadrant I (right upper), II (left upper) and III (left lower) are shorter than in quadrant IV(right lower) and the center area; for the picture, the fixation duration in quadrant II is the shortest and in quadrant III is the longest. No matter what location the information is placed on a Web page, there is no significant difference between the Web page with floating ads and without floating ads on the fixation duration, which indicates that floating ads have no significant effect on the layout of Web pages. The results suggest that the important information whether text or a picture is suitable to place in quadrant II; however, it is the worst for the layout of Web pages to arrange text information in quadrant IV and the center area or picture information in quadrant III.