Overview

Turtl Docs outperform webpages across all attention and perception metrics

We know Turtl Docs generate more attention and engagement than PDFs. Now, we’re exploring how they stack up against webpages.

Today’s marketers have their work cut out for them.

In a world where attention spans are shrinking and audiences are served a near-infinite stream of new content, they need to find creative ways of cutting through the noise – and ensuring the money they spend on content delivers measurable results.

It was with these challenges in mind that, back in 2021, Turtl commissioned Lumen Research to explore one of the most pressing questions in all of marketing: how does the way you present information affect reader engagement?

Lumen designed a scientific study where static, analog content was compared to digital, interactive content. The same information was presented in two ways: in our interactive content format, the Turtl Doc, and as a classic, static PDF. It found that readers engaged with the Turtl Doc for longer – and showed improved comprehension and information retention.

Since then, those findings have helped hundreds of marketers make the case for more interactive, effective content. So, we decided it was time to repeat the experiment.

We asked Lumen to pit the Turtl Doc against another heavyweight. The webpage.

Turtl Docs vs Webpages:
The key findings

Using A/B testing and eye-tracking technology, Lumen Research compared how 300 adults engaged with the same content when it was presented in a Turtl Doc, versus a webpage. The team also asked them a series of questions to better understand their experiences.

Key findings:

Attention

The Turtl Doc demonstrated clear uplifts in attention against webpages. People viewed the Turtl Doc for longer, and this attention was retained consistently across all sections.

Experience

Reader perceptions of the Turtl Doc were consistently better than those of the webpages, with many readers noting Turtl Docs’ superior user experience.

Impact

After reading a Turtl Doc, many readers were able to correctly recall information from it, and were more likely to share it with someone they knew.