Poynter: Click, Click, Click, Go the Web Users

One of the managers of the Poynter study, reported yesterday, that tracked eye movements to determine how users viewed (or didn't view) online ads noticed a funny finding that didn't make it into the final results. It turns out that web users click all over web pages where they assume clicking won't take them anywhere. In areas - such as unlinked graphics and text fields - where hyperlinks aren't present, a minority of users will click in areas they're viewing.

This might be in part due to people attempting to mark their place. Sometimes, when switching between tasks, selecting text can leave a visible mark that can be used to quickly return to the place left off.