Mobile vs. desktop conversion rates
Conversion rate is one of the most critical percentages for any business. It indicates the number of users that completed a desired action – subscription, purchase, etc. – as a percentage of the total number of people that visited your website. That percentage directly correlates to the amount of profit your company makes.
Through the years, how we market our offers has evolved, and so has the type of devices we use to promote them. The marketing world has seen significant changes and improvements from radio and TV to laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Today, when almost every adult uses smartphones daily, businesses are increasingly pressured to adapt their websites to mobile devices to maximize conversions. When talking about desktop vs mobile conversion rate, which one is better? Should your business prioritize optimizing for mobile or desktop?
Mobile vs. desktop: a comparison
As technology continues to evolve, how users search and buy products online also keeps changing. Your potential clients’ choices of devices to purchase – desktops or smartphones – significantly impact conversion rates and user satisfaction. You must understand your target audience’s online shopping behavior to improve the buying experience and ultimately increase conversion rates.
Stats show that mobile traffic is 56.2% compared to 34.5% for desktop. With those numbers, plus the amount of time users spend on their phones – an average of 2.5 hours daily – one would think smartphone conversion rates are higher. But in fact, mobile phones are converting at less than half the rate that PCs and laptops.
Why does that happen? While users spend more time on their smartphones, desktop computers hold some essential benefits regarding making online purchases. One such benefit is screen size. Think about this: before buying a product, you want to do your research. While tablets and mobile phone screens keep getting bigger, most people still prefer to do product or service research on their PCs. That is primarily due to the comfort of researching from a large screen and using a full keyboard, opposite to multitasking on your smartphone.
How to improve mobile conversion rates
The fact that conversion rates are higher in desktop devices doesn’t mean you should pay less attention to your mobile marketing strategy. Remember that traffic remains higher on smartphones, and the digital game continues to change every day. Putting your efforts on mobile conversion rates is always a good idea.
Design for mobile users
The design of your mobile website has a direct impact on user experience, and it can make or break your marketing strategy. You will adapt your design for mobile devices, or those leads will click the return button at light speed.
Optimize your website content to fit small screens, eliminate distractions, and add one clear call-to-action (CTA) per page.
Autofill forms
Increasing mobile conversion rates is all about making the purchase and payment process smooth and easy for clients. Sites can allow users to autofill personal data, such as address, email address, or payment details, saved on their smartphone’s browser. That will reduce the number of steps shoppers must take to make the purchase. Defaulting a smartphone keyboard with a numeric version for credit card details entrance is another small detail that can make all the difference.
Include several payment methods
Payment methods matter; providing various options can make it easier for mobile buyers. Ensure that you include different methods; debit and credit card details take time to enter, but digital wallets or services such as PayPal can make payments fast and smooth, so remember to include those, too.
Add on-page product recommendations
Users can quickly see relevant products through on-page product recommendations without navigating your website endlessly. A good rule of thumb is suggesting products or services similar to what the client has previously purchased or has recently viewed.
Track mobile users’ behavior
Use mobile user tracking tools to understand user behavior on your business website and identify their pain points. This practice removes the guesswork and provides your company with valuable insight and accurate data to plan your sales funnel on mobile devices.
Final thoughts
For your business to succeed in the digital world, you must optimize your website or eCommerce site for desktop and mobile devices. While desktops take home the highest conversion rate trophy, smartphones still win regarding traffic amount. Your clients likely find your products while using their phones, and they finish the purchase on their PC. Therefore, giving them the best possible user experience on both devices is crucial to increasing conversion rates and skyrocketing sales.
