Where do viewers focus their attention on Facebook?

The business world heavily relies on technology for success. Delivering high quality content to consumers has become influential in the way organizations interact with the public, and as technology has become more robust in its delivery, people have grown accustom to digesting information through visual aids.

In primary school, this would be referred to as visual learning. However, in the real world, it is just the way many people retain information. It makes sense that studies have been conducted to determine how people engage with and digest facts that are presented through Facebook - the findings can greatly help businesses survive.

In an effort to catch the attention of consumers on Facebook, brands have experimented with a variety of advertising methods. Innovative applications, profile pictures and posts are the most commonly seen marketing avenues, however, in most cases, the traditional Facebook wall itself still reigns supreme.

Recently, Mashable conducted a webcam eye-tracking study under the direction of EyeTrackShop to determine the hot spots that consumers spend the most time focusing on while on Facebook. The results painted a detailed picture on where brands should place their most valuable information when crafting their online profiles.

According to the survey, professional profiles with engaging wall posts kept the attention of consumers longest - usually, at least four times longer. Additionally, two other focus points were determined to be major factors in how viewers engage with a Facebook profile: the header photographs and "likes" column.

Mashable reported that 85 percent of viewers spent a good portion of their time on any given professional profile interpreting the header photographs. It should come as no surprise that, whether on a Facebook wall or at the top of a profile, people focus their energy on digesting visual aids that are provided. Pictures can tell a lot about a business, ranging from its corporate personality to the latest products it's offering.

While viewers do react well to images, they should not overwhelm a Facebook page. If there are too many conflicting visual aids, viewers may not be able to differentiate the important pictures from the excessive posting. A complete balance of content can help businesses gain attention, and realizing that the wall is the most-utilized space can help drive sales. It all comes down to posting quality information, whether in the form of text or photographs.

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