1. Updated
April 2018
Left vs right – who wins?

2. Key Findings: Left vs right
RAMetrics data shows that being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance. Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable (ad recall: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads) and right-hand side ads perform marginally better across most of the brand measures.
Advertising on the right-hand side of the page demands more of the readers attention (72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads) and is better received (likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads). Not only do the readers find the ads easier to understand (47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads) but they’re more likely to find them interesting (33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads).
When it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads out-perform right-hand side ads across a few measures such as encouraging website visits (13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads) and visiting the advertiser (14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads). This is also visible when looking at the purchase funnel, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads).
Similarly, Lumen eye-tracking shows that readers’ viewing is biased towards right hand pages of a spread and adverts on the right are seen more (94% vs 89% for left-hand pages).
Ad recall is generally higher for ads placed on right even when like by like sizes are compared.
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Left – 30 ads from 20/09/2016 to 03/04/2017, Right – 31 ads from 03/11/2016 to 03/04/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

3. Left vs right - Ad recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Left – 100 ads from 19/09/2016 – 31/03/18, Right – 100 ads from 19/01/2017 – 31/03/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

4. Left vs right ad comparison
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Right
Left
Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale
Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Like ad: How did you like the ad? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Easy to understand: The ad is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
New Information: The ad contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Positive: The ad makes me feel positive towards the advertiser. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Appeals to me: Ad appeals to you. % Yes
Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad? % Yes
Interesting: The ad is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Fresh approach: The ad has an original design. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally? % Yes
Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad? % Yes
Visit a website: Have you visited or will you visit the website as a result of the ad? % Yes
Visit advertiser: Have you visited or will you visit this advertiser as a result of seeing this ad? % Yes
Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad? % Yes
Recommend: Have you recommended or will you recommend the company / product due to the advertising? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale (Added in April 2016)
Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising? % Yes (Added in April 2016)
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Left – 100 ads from 19/09/2016 – 31/03/18, Right – 100 ads from 19/01/2017 – 31/03/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

5. Left vs right - Ad recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Most recent ads: Full page (Left – 100 ads, Right – 100 ads), Half page (Left – 50 ads, Right – 50 ads), Quarter Page (Left – 40 ads, Right – 40 ads) Score base: read the newspaper.

6. Although left-hand page ads are less recalled, they are better than right-hand ads at converting engagement to action
Ad recall 66%
Brand recognition 38%
Engagement 30%
Action 15%
58%
79%
50%
Left
Ad recall 72%
Brand recognition 35%
Engagement 33%
Action 16%
49%
94%
48%
Right
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Left – 100 ads from 19/09/2016 – 31/03/18, Right – 100 ads from 19/01/2017 – 31/03/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

7. Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions
Eye tracking shows attention leans right
67%
1.4”
73%
Lumen have a normative database of 3,492 print ads stemming from 2013
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.
Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions

8. Eye tracking shows attention leans right
Right hand pages get more attention
Higher standout on the right-hand page
Base: 34,742 impressions
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.

9. Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions
The natural gaze path means left hand ads seen last and less
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.
Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions

10. Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions
The natural gaze path means left hand ads seen last and less
The eye naturally tends to start in the middle of a page
It then scans to the right, and back across
This means ads in the lower left position are more likely to be missed
It has been a long-held belief, partly derived from 1980s reading and noting studies for magazines in the US, that right-hand pages of newspapers are premium sites. JWT research challenged this belief as long ago as December 1996 – at least for tabloid newspapers – but still it persists.
A quick Google will find a considerable list of business books and media consultants who proclaim the superiority of the right-hand page. The theories are somewhat conflicting, with some arguing that, as we read from left to right, the right must be dominant, while others assert that the right is preferable because we read right hand pages first. Much of this theorising appears to be based on personal newspaper reading habits, however, rather than science.
Eye-tracking provides more objective evidence. As early as 1991, a Poynter US study ( indicated that people looked at a spread as a whole, but images drew attention – so if there is a particularly dominant image in either the editorial of the newspaper or in the ad, that could affect which element grabbed most attention.
Lumen in the UK have used eye-tracking to analyse almost 3,500 newspaper ads since Their analysis shows that the natural gaze path for readers is to start in the middle, then scan to the right and back across. This means that ads in the lower left position are seen somewhat less. During the test, newspapers are shown on digital screens, however, so will not account for things that people do with their physical paper, such as folding so only one page is visible at a time, or reading from back to front.
The Lumen data for digitised newspapers shows a viewing bias towards the right-hand page of a spread (58% vs 42% for the left page), partly due to the fact that there are more ads on left-hand pages – and readers are, after all, reading the newspaper primarily for its editorial content. Ads also achieve higher standout on the right- hand page, though the difference is relatively small:
Full page ads: 94% look when placed on the right page, 89% look at left page ads
There’s a 3-4 percentage point difference for standout of 17x7 (77% right, 73% left) and 25x4 ads (74% left, 77% right)
The biggest difference is for 10x7 ads – 60% standout on left, 68% on right
However, the dwell time for ads is not affected by whether they are placed on left or right pages, according to Lumen.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that creative strength has a large influence on ad recall and how people respond to advertising. Indeed, being on the left or right-side of the page does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance.
Readers find advertising on the right-hand side to be more memorable and it performs slightly better across most of the brand measures. However when it comes to taking action, left-hand side ads marginally out-perform their right-hand counterparts across some measures.
Ads on the right-side of the page are better recalled – even when ad size is taken into account.
Full pages: 72% vs 66% for left-hand side ads Half pages: 57% vs 56% for left-hand side ads Quarter pages: 57% vs 49% for left-hand side ads
Right-hand side ads demand more of the reader’s attention and are better received.
Attention: 29% vs 25% for left-hand side ads
Likeability: 31% vs 28% for left-hand side ads
Easy to understand: 47% vs 45% for left-hand side ads
Interesting: 33% vs 29% for left-hand side ads
Ads on left-hand side of the page are marginally better at encouraging readers to take action.
Visit website: 13% vs 14% for left-hand side ads
Visit advertiser: 14% vs 15% for left-hand side ads
Have bought/well buy: 11% vs 12% for left-hand side ads
The evidence suggests that advertising on right-hand pages generates a somewhat better response, it’s more likely to grab the reader’s attention, readers find the ads more beneficial (18% vs 16% for left-hand side ads) and it even evokes more of an emotional response (22% vs 20% for left-hand side ads). However, left-hand side advertising is better at converting engaged readers into those that take action (conversation rate: 48% vs 50% for left-hand side ads). So we have established that more people might look at ads on right hand pages, and more might recall seeing them, but a great ad on a left-hand page will always out perform a lacklustre ad on the right.
Source: Lumen eye tracking. Base: 34,742 impressions