What people really look at on your social sites

No it's not how many friends you have or how many pictures in which you're tagged. Mashable conducted a study using EyeTrackShop to discover exactly what a potential employer or mate looks at when viewing your social sites.

This is a brilliant move. Even though the test size was small - 30 test subjects, the methodology still provides measurable data rather than guesswork. Measurability is the very foundation of analysis. I've heard this statement and often quote it in my presentations: IF YOU CAN'T MEASURE IT, IT DOESN'T EXIST.

So what are the takeaways from the eyetracking study?

1. Profile pictures matter most to visitors of social media sites. The manner in which a person chooses to depict him/herself sends a message. Is it B&W or color? Do they smile? Is it an avatar? Is it explicit? All these factors convey a message about the profilee. OKTRends indicate smiling is a myth, in addition to 3 others.

2. Job Title clearly won out on LinkedIn. So make it impressive. Underwhelming are (Title) in (Industry). As in Portfolio Manager in Financial Services. Spelling counts!

3. Who you know gets attention. Being connected to Pete Cashmore will get you plenty of Whoas! If you're not, then Guy Kawasaki will get a couple sage heads nodding in approval.

4. Content on top wins. The same rule online applies to social sites, the further down you have to scroll the less attention the user pays. Keep the good stuff in the top 1/3 of the page.

Nice demo of the findings on YouTube.