In the crowded world of advertising, one essential question remains: how do you know if your ad is any good? Most marketers judge their ads based on key performance indicators including CTR, CPM, CVR, CPC, ROI, and so on. As valuable as these metrics are, they offer only a partial view of an ad’s effectiveness – the proportion of views that led to an action. They don’t tell you exactly what it was about your ad that led to it.
If 95% of your audience didn’t click on your ad, do you know why? Do you know what they saw or didn’t see? The missing piece in most ad evaluations is visual attention. Eye-tracking can help you understand how users visually experience your ad – what catches their eye, what they ignore – and can fundamentally change how you design content that works.
The Power of Eye-Tracking: Seeing Ads Through Their Eyes
This is where eye-tracking studies come in. Using special glasses that track where people look on screens, researchers can analyze exactly what parts of an ad capture attention, and which don’t. We were shown a series of eye-tracking experiments designed to evaluate various video ads and social media content. What emerged were surprising insights and actionable takeaways for improving ad effectiveness.
Key Insights from the Eye-Tracking Lab
1. Faces Grab Attention—Sometimes Too Much
People naturally look at faces. In one video for the brand Be Routine, viewers overwhelmingly focused on the talking heads, especially the one speaking at any moment. While this makes human storytelling powerful, it can create what’s called the “vampire effect”—when the face steals attention from the product.
Tip: Use the face to direct attention. If the model is looking at the product, viewers are more likely to look there too. Eye gaze matters.
2. Arrows and Movement Can Guide the Gaze
Another ad featured a product image, a clean layout, and an arrow pointing to text. The result? Perfect visual flow. Viewers first looked at the product, then followed the arrow naturally to the message.
In more advanced ads, like one from Telekom, animated arrows and hand movements were used to guide the viewer’s eyes toward the logo and call to action. These guided sequences were more effective than chaotic, attention-grabbing movement.
Tip: Use movement with intention—not just for flair. Every motion should guide, not distract.
3. Contrast and Simplicity Matter
An eye-tracking survey of a visually busy ad from a German energy drink brand showed it had one key flaw: white text on a yellow background. The result? Viewers had a hard time reading it. Likewise, excessive stickers and visual elements created confusion rather than focus.
Tip: High contrast = high clarity. Don’t overdecorate. Every visual element must serve a purpose.
4. Sequential Storytelling Keeps People Engaged
Aura Ring’s ads were standouts. One featured relatable autocomplete search bar text and centered visuals. The ad used different fonts to highlight keywords, drawing attention exactly where it was needed.
Another ad from Aura used post-it notes in a mirror to guide viewers step by step. The sequencing was deliberate and effective—until the reflection in the mirror unintentionally distracted viewers.
Tip: Guide your viewer’s journey. Unintentional elements can throw them off course.
5. Memes and Relatable Humor Work
A gaming ad using a meme-style video (“POV: You’re browsing for drinks”) resonated strongly. The ad featured popular internet personality Speed, whose line of sight directed viewers toward the product.
Tip: Humor and cultural references engage—but keep the product in the visual spotlight.
Seven Takeaways to Improve Your Ads
- Define Your Focus Early
Know what the viewer should look at—and build the visual hierarchy around that. - Use Movement Intentionally
Movement should guide attention, not distract from the core message. - Guide with Visual Tools
Arrows, line of sight, and animated elements are powerful tools to steer the viewer’s gaze. - Make Cuts Count
In video ads, use quick cuts to retain attention—but not so fast that viewers miss key messages. - Test with Real People
Get feedback from people unfamiliar with your brand. Do they understand your message? - Use Unusual Staging to Stand Out
Break from clichés. Show your product in a way people haven’t seen before. Novelty gets noticed. - Don’t Overdo It
Highlighting everything means highlighting nothing. Simplicity beats noise.
Final Thoughts: Guide, Don’t Distract
In the age of fast-scrolling feeds and micro-attention spans, making a good ad isn’t just about a clever hook or beautiful visuals. It’s about strategic design—using psychology, storytelling, and visual science to guide your viewer from first glance to lasting impression.
If you want to create better ads, start by asking not just what people see, but how they see it. Because ultimately, the best ad is the one that guides attention with purpose—and leaves no doubt about what matters most.
