How does adding more information to a news story impact user behavior? That question is answered in a new book called “EyeTracking the News“. The book was compiled by the Poynter Institute’s Eyetracking07, a project headed up by Sara Quinn, Poynter visual journalism faculty member.
The writers claim their book will change the way in which newsrooms put together stories and this mainly boils down to one thing only; the length of stories. Ever since the blogging hype took off, stories have become quirky but short. Very short indeed. And even though everybody knows that brevity is the art of wit, it ain’t the first thing that journalists get taught in school.
Eyetracking07 scientifically studied the ways in which over 600 readers aged between 18 to 60 years, navigated through news stories in two tabloid papers in print, two broadsheet papers and two online news sites. The test material was designed with input from editors and designers and the outcome is also of interest to the advertising industry (surprise surprise). Readers’ eye movements were tracked as they processed more than 300 articles, headlines, captions, briefs and graphics.
A lively discussion of the book is ongoing on Gangrey.com.