Eyes on the Prize: An Eye Tracking Study Exploring How Consumers Visually Engage with Beef Industry Social Media Content

This study explores effective strategies for communicating about the beef industry on social media, focusing on Instagram. Social media allow for visually driven posts that combine informative and entertaining elements, offering opportunities to capture attention, convey information, and influence consumer perceptions. By comparing how viewers allocate attention to different elements of posts, the study identifies which design elements enhance focus, recall, and credibility, as well as topics that connect most with consumers, which provides insights for creating clear and compelling content in the beef industry, agricultural communications, and beyond. Quantitative and qualitative approaches investigated how 25 beef consumers in Lubbock, Texas, allocated attention to mock Instagram posts about beef nutrition and sustainability through image-based and infographic-based posts. Participants completed pre-screening questionnaires, which gathered data on demographics, Instagram use, agricultural involvement, beef consumption, and beef beliefs. The in-person portion of the study used eye tracking to measure visual attention across four stimuli, assessed information retention and recall, and captured perceptions and thoughts through think-aloud interviews. The questionnaire, eye tracking, and interview procedures were deemed reliable and valid through expert review, pilot testing, and member checking. Quantitative analyses were conducted in SPSS, and qualitative data were coded for themes. The data were analyzed alongside each other to determine how and why the participants allocated attention. Findings revealed the participants were frequent Instagram users who regularly consumed beef and held positive beef attitudes. Attention varied by post type and topic: image posts directed focus to headlines and captions, while infographics dispersed attention but enhanced brand recognition. Sustainability content engaged viewers more on images, whereas infographics standardized attention. Credibility was shaped by structured layouts, clear sources, and verified branding. Engagement depended on visual appeal, content relevance, and personal Instagram habits. Recommendations include repeating content for retention, aligning post design with specific communication goals, balancing emotional and informational content, and emphasizing simple, clear designs with visual hierarchy. This study offers guidance for both industry practice and agricultural communications education. Future research should investigate how variations in color, text density, emotional framing, and content type across different social media platforms and agricultural sectors influence consumer attention, retention, perception, and engagement.