Eye tracking study optimizes SOS-Kinderdorf website

How do companies perceive the SOS Children's Villages website? Which content catches the eye – and which is overlooked? These questions were the focus of a practical project carried out by four students of the master's degree program in Digital Marketing at the FH Kufstein Tirol in the winter semester 2024/25. Using digital user analysis and complementary methods such as interviews, they analyzed the user behavior of potential corporate partners.

EMOTION COUNTS: WHAT CONVINCES COMPANIES

The study revealed that emotional and value-based criteria play a decisive role when companies consider partnering with SOS Children's Villages. Aspects such as regionality, the specific area of support, shared values, transparency, and social sustainability are particularly important. These findings are now being incorporated into the optimization of the website in order to further improve communication with potential corporate partners.

Innovative methods for deeper insights

The students used a stationary eye-tracking system on a laptop (Tobii Eye Tracker) to collect data. These systems record eye movements and measure which content on a website is viewed for a particularly long time and which receives little attention. In addition, interviews were conducted with the participants and assessments were collected using Likert scales – a method in which people use a scale (for example, from 1 to 5) to indicate how strongly they agree with a statement.

In addition, heat maps were created—visual representations that use colors to show which areas of a website were viewed or clicked on most often. This made it possible to identify exactly which content captured users' attention and where there was room for improvement.

CROSS-INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

A total of 13 Austrian companies took part in the study, including three one-person companies (EPUs), seven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and three large companies. The selection was made in close consultation with SOS Children's Villages to cover as broad a spectrum of company sizes and industries as possible.

WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR STUDENTS AND PRACTICE PARTNERS

Working with a project partner provided students with a valuable opportunity to apply expert knowledge in a practical setting. Despite their professional experience, it was an exciting challenge for the group to use eye-tracking technology in a specific business context. SOS Children's Villages also benefited from the study, which provided valuable input for future website design.

With these practical results, the project not only contributes to the digital development of SOS Children's Villages, but also shows how data-based analyses can help to support social initiatives in an even more targeted manner.

Links:

• SOS Kinderdorf | Website
• Digital Marketing | ft

This article was written by students of the master's degree program in Digital Marketing as part of their practical project.