Visual attention and visual hierarchy testing are methods used in market research to understand how consumers see and respond to design elements in marketing stimuli. From the moment someone sees an ad, a product on shelf, or a digital banner, their eyes follow a natural path. These tests help you uncover what catches their attention first, and whether key messages are being seen as intended.

At a basic level, visual attention refers to where people naturally look when viewing an image – essentially, what grabs their eye. Visual hierarchy, on the other hand, is about the order in which they absorb elements like logos, images, pricing, claims, or calls-to-action. Together, these insights help teams understand whether their communications are structured in a way that supports consumer understanding and engagement.

You might use visual attention and hierarchy tests in a variety of marketing scenarios, such as:

• Ad testing – Ensuring your headline or hero image is seen first
• Packaging research – Understanding if consumers notice new product claims or brand logos
• Concept testing – Gauging early reaction to new creative directions or layouts

Traditionally, marketers have relied on eye-tracking technology to collect this kind of data. However, eye-tracking studies can be expensive, time-consuming, and require specialized equipment. That’s why newer, non-eye-tracking methods – such as those offered through Toluna’s platform – are becoming increasingly popular for quick-turn testing.

These methods often use algorithms and behavioral models to simulate typical eye paths. By analyzing how respondents interact with visuals – for instance, through timed visual exposures, image click tests, or heatmaps – researchers can generate statistically significant results that mirror what would be found in a lab-based eye-tracking setup, but at a fraction of the cost and time.

For business and research teams trying to do more with less, understanding visual hierarchy has moved from a “nice to have” to a strategic necessity. Whether you're a creative lead refining campaign visuals or an insights manager evaluating concept effectiveness, these tests build confidence in your decisions – ensuring your most important messages aren’t going unseen.

One of the most exciting capabilities in modern DIY research tools is the ability to assess visual salience – or what stands out to consumers – without traditional eye-tracking. Toluna, a widely used platform for concept testing and other types of market research, offers several ways to run these attention-focused tests quickly and affordably.

While these methods don’t measure literal eye movements, they use well-established proxies to simulate where viewers are most likely to look first. Here’s how you can leverage Toluna’s tools to test visual attention in marketing materials such as ads, packaging, and digital concepts:

Use timed exposures to understand first impressions

Timed exposure tests are a great way to uncover what people notice in the first few seconds – a critical window in consumer attention. Participants are shown an image (like a package or ad layout) for a limited number of seconds, then asked to recall or identify what they saw. This helps identify dominant and overlooked design elements.

Incorporate heatmaps to visualize attention patterns

Toluna allows for the use of click-based heatmaps that show where respondents clicked or tapped on an image to indicate what caught their eye. The result? A visual mapping of attention hotspots and cold spots. This is especially useful when trying to validate if your key message or logo is visible and memorable.

Pair visual tests with diagnostic questions

To go deeper, pair your visual attention test with follow-up questions that uncover why certain elements stood out. For example, you might ask, “What was most appealing about this product’s packaging?” or “What did you think this ad was trying to communicate?” Combining quantitative mapping with qualitative input brings the full picture into focus.

Best practices: Getting the most out of Toluna tools

Here are a few ways to improve your outcomes when testing visual salience using Toluna:

• Keep it simple – Limit the number of visuals per test to reduce cognitive overload
• Use control images – Test variations to compare what changes improve attention
• Ensure clarity – High-resolution images and clear labeling make results more accurate

Because Toluna’s platform is built for speed and flexibility, it’s ideal for teams testing concepts in real-time or moving quickly in dynamic markets. But tool access is just one part of the equation. Knowing how to design a test properly, interpret subtle patterns, and ask the right follow-up questions can significantly elevate outcomes.

This is where SIVO Insights comes in. Our On Demand Talent – a network of seasoned research professionals – can step in to guide your team on setting up visual hierarchy tests, selecting the right variables, and making sense of the results. They’re particularly valuable when your internal team is stretched, or lacking specific expertise in consumer attention testing.

Whether you’re exploring DIY tools for the first time or refining an existing process, combining platforms like Toluna with expert-led support lets you move fast and stay confident. Done well, these tests don’t just tell you what gets noticed – they help you design with attention in mind.

Visual attention testing isn’t just for massive brand campaigns – it’s increasingly used across day-to-day decisions in marketing and innovation teams. Whether you're optimizing a product label, testing banner ad performance, or refining a digital concept, understanding what captures consumer attention can help you make smarter, faster choices.

By using Toluna tools with visual hierarchy principles, even teams without access to eye-tracking tech can determine what elements of their design pop most. This kind of consumer attention testing helps spot distractions, clarify messaging, and prioritize content.

Packaging Research

Packaging plays a critical role on the shelf – virtual or physical. With visual hierarchy testing in Toluna, you can evaluate if your product name, variant, or key benefit is noticed first, or gets lost in the design clutter. Research via tools like Toluna Start helps rapidly test different versions using proxy measures of attention (such as click or dwell behavior) to determine what elements truly stand out.

For example, in a fictional test of two juice bottle labels, customers might be asked which part of the label they noticed first and why. Insights like these not only validate design strategy but can highlight opportunities to improve visual flow.

Ad Testing

When developing campaign assets, marketers often wonder: Does the call to action stand out enough? Are people noticing the brand logo or just the creative headline? Visual salience tests with Toluna tools simulate real-life scrolling behavior to find out what gets noticed first – and what doesn't. When you measure ad impact at this level, optimizing becomes easier and more data-driven.

Concept Testing for Digital Experiences

For digital-first businesses, every landing page, social media mockup, or app onboarding flow is a testable asset. DIY tools like Toluna make quick-turn concept testing straightforward, letting you assess whether users are following the intended visual path – even without eye-tracking.

Evaluating user interactions with prototypes and creative layouts can reveal where attention lags or misaligns. It's a powerful way to refine your UX or messaging strategy grounded in behavioral feedback.

Across these use cases, visual hierarchy testing gives teams concrete feedback on design performance – a crucial advantage when every impression counts.

While tools like Toluna have made DIY research more accessible, interpreting visual attention data still requires the right mix of creative and analytical expertise. Knowing how to test designs is only half the battle – knowing what the results mean, and how to act on them, turns good research into impactful decisions.

Visual hierarchy data often includes nuanced feedback like heatmaps, order of noticeability, or recall scores. These need to be translated into design refinements and strategic insights. That’s where creative-analytic experts come in – they bridge the gap between consumer insight and business action.

Why This Matters

Without guided analysis, teams may misinterpret high-attention areas as always being successful – when in fact, those elements might be distracting from the core message. For example, in a fictional snack brand ad, a vibrant background may grab attention, but if it overshadows the product benefit, you're missing the mark.

Creative-analytic professionals spot these nuances and pose questions like:

• Are the right parts of the design being noticed for the right reasons?
• How does consumer behavior align with campaign objectives?
• What changes could materially shift outcomes without heavy redesigns?

They blend storytelling with statistical validation, ensuring that your concept testing isn’t just technically correct – it's practically useful. Their involvement elevates surface-level metrics into recommendations that teams can act on with confidence.

And in today's fast-moving marketing and innovation cycles, making better decisions – not just faster ones – is the competitive edge.

Digital research platforms like Toluna have transformed how teams can access insights – but unlocking their full value requires more than pushing buttons or launching surveys. That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent can provide specialized support.

These are not freelancers or temporary hires – they are experienced consumer insights professionals ready to step in quickly, add immediate value, and guide your team through the complexities of gathering and applying research data. Whether you're testing a new ad campaign or refining packaging design using visual salience metrics, On Demand Talent can help every step of the way.

Unlocking More Value From DIY Research Tools

When you're using Toluna tools or other DIY platforms, it's easy to collect data. It’s harder to make sure the research is focused, aligned with business goals, and interpreted accurately. SIVO’s On Demand Talent helps by:

• Designing smart research plans tailored to your objectives
• Ensuring strong survey design that truly captures what stands out visually
• Interpreting attention test results to drive clear next steps
• Training internal teams to build proficiency in visual testing tools

Think of On Demand Talent as a flexible extension of your team – available when you need support, but without the lengthy hiring process or fixed overhead of a full-time role.

Whether you’re a lean startup team navigating your first DIY concept test, or an established enterprise optimizing your research budget, these experts help transform quick-turn research into quality insights.

In a world where marketing timelines are faster and budgets tighter, pairing powerful DIY market research tools with seasoned human interpretation is the best way to keep your work both efficient and impactful.