What Really Grabs People’s Attention - Static or Dynamic Content?

Have you ever wondered whether a video grabs more attention than a still image?

‍ A study from Eastern Mediterranean University set out to find the answer - and used RealEye to help.

The research compared how people respond to static images (like posters) and dynamic videos (like trailers). Using RealEye’s webcam-based eye-tracking, the study measured where people looked, how long they looked, and how they felt while viewing each type of content.

Here’s how it worked - and what the results showed:

How the Study Worked

Researchers asked 15 participants to take part in a short eye-tracking experiment.

Each person viewed:

• Three static designs (like movie posters)
• One dynamic video (like a trailer)

While they watched, RealEye tracked their eye movements using a webcam - no special equipment needed. It captured where people looked, for how long, and what emotions they showed, such as smiling or surprise.

The team also looked at Instagram data for 30 different movies, comparing how many likes their posters and trailers received. This helped them link what they saw in the lab to how people behave online.

What RealEye Measured

RealEye made it easy for researchers to collect a range of helpful data with AOI Metrics:

• Fixations – How many times a person looked at something
• Fixation Duration – How long they kept looking at it
• Emotional Responses – Smiling and surprise levels
• K-Coefficient – A number that shows whether viewers were focused or scanning around

All of this data was downloaded from RealEye’s dashboard and analyzed in SPSS, a statistical software tool.

The Results: Videos Win Attention

Eye-Tracking Comparison

People looked more often and for longer at the video than at the posters. Even though the time they spent looking at each spot stayed the same, the video clearly held their attention better.

Emotional Reactions

• Viewers showed more smiling and surprise while watching the video.
• Their attention scores were also higher.
• The K-coefficient showed that people were more focused when watching the video, meaning it was easier for their brains to process.

Instagram Likes: Real-World Proof

To see if this held true outside the lab, researchers looked at Instagram likes on 30 movie posters and trailers.

On average:

• Posters got about 71,000 likes
• Trailers got about 125,000 likes

Some examples:

• Mufasa: The Lion King trailer: 924,000 likes (poster: 219,000)
• Interstellar trailer: 334,000 likes (poster: 42,300)

In most cases, videos clearly outperformed images. A few exceptions— - ike Joker, where the poster got more likes - show that great design still matters. But overall, video came out ahead.

What This Means for You

If you create content, design campaigns, or study how people interact with media, this study shows one clear thing:

Dynamic content - like video - tends to hold people’s attention better than static images.

But more importantly, with tools like RealEye, you don’t have to guess what works. You can test it, measure it, and improve it based on real user behavior.

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You can run a similar study!

Follow the steps below to start your own experiment with RealEye:

1. Go to RealEye Dashboard and create or log in to your account.
2. Purchase the License of your choice (https://www.realeye.io/pricing). If you need any custom adjustments, contact us at contact@realeye.io. We are happy to help!
3. Activate your license by following the instructions in the RealEye License Activation Guide

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‍Ready to set up your own study? Visit RealEye Support page to learn more and keep us posted on your results! 🚀