It might sound like something from a sci-fi blockbuster but one Ipswich firm claims eye-tracking is the future.

East Anglian Daily Times: Richard Jennis, managing director of digital agency SimpleClick which has launched new eye-tracking services for businesses to help imrpove their websites. Picture: SIMPLECLICKRichard Jennis, managing director of digital agency SimpleClick which has launched new eye-tracking services for businesses to help imrpove their websites. Picture: SIMPLECLICK (Image: SimpleClick)

And digital agency SimpleClick believes the new tool can help businesses to uses their websites more effectively.

This innovative technology measures where someone is looking at on a website - and even for how long.

Vitally it can tell the site owners what is being seen and what is not.

It also provides insight into a person's conscious and subconscious interactions when visiting a website.

The eye-tracking research begins with focus groups of relevant customers, chosen by age or special interest, looking at individual websites and their reactions being measured, including where they look on the page.

Richard Jennis, managing director of SimpleClick, said: "Our eye-tracking services can provide brands with insight into how audiences are interacting with their websites, a new method of measuring the effectiveness of their online presence, and with an additional tool to carry out competitor research.

"It is a technological advancement that offers a wealth of benefits and opportunities to brands, and we have already experienced significant interest from businesses across the region."

A pilot scheme for the new technology has been set up for St Elizabeth Hospice, the Suffolk charity, which has turned to SimpleClick to provide more insight about the use its website by the public.

Rosemary Porter marketing and communications business manager of St Elizabeth Hospice said: "Having this technology at our disposal will be invaluable for the hospice. Through eye-tracking we want to verify how the website is driving donations, and hope that these findings will direct new ways of communicating with the community and will navigate improvements to our website."

When implemented at the early stages of website design the benefits of this type of technology typically increase, Mr Jennis said, providing brands with the knowledge required to make cost effective changes.