Mobile Traffic Keeps Growing

It’s official – mobile devices have overtaken desktop devices for internet usage for the first time.

Well, it is depending on where you are and who you listen to. As you might imagine, those specialising in the production of hardware that allows you to browse on the move are keen to twist the market factors in their favour, but enough evidence seems to corroborate their claims that even if mobiles aren't already winning, they’re going to take the lead some time soon.

In India, mobile users now account for 60% of internet traffic as opposed to 40% using desktop routes (Source: Cnet.com), with the technology-loving nation helping to bring the percentage of mobile traffic worldwide to 35% as of June 2013. Though the margin is still in the favour of the traditional route, consider that mobile usage surged 5% in just one month ahead of those figures being released, and it’s starting to look like mobile’s ascension to the top spot can’t be too far away.

Given that this turnaround in fortunes looks set to become a foregone conclusion in the near future – mobile devices, after all, are selling at far faster rates than the standstill situation affecting desktop alternatives – the key for companies now is to assess how mobile internet usage differs from desktop internet usage.

One finding is that mobile conversion rates are nowhere near their desktop counterparts, with conversions at only a third of the equivalent level (Source: Search Engine Watch). Tablet users, however, converted at very similar rates to traditional PCs or laptops, with the larger screen sizes potentially allowing users to enjoy a more traditional browsing experience.

This leaves companies wondering whether there’s a logic in tailoring the look, feel and purpose of their sites to cater for different methods of access. But if mobile growth is so exponential, isn't it only logical to expect customer confidence in using their mobile as a method of purchasing or procuring to grow similarly?

At Devto, we’ve become accomplished in creating sites that function effectively across all the major mobile types, such as Android, Blackberry, iOs and Windows, rather than specifically creating bespoke applications for every platform. This method streamlines the need for the host to understand the needs and variants across what would effectively start to feel like a network of websites rather than one multi-functioning site, and keeps cost to a more sensible level for companies of all budgets.

It also offers great efficiency savings on development time. With the mobile market evolving so rapidly, going for such depth for every individual platform can start to feel like the process of painting the Forth Bridge; as soon as you have completed the job, it’s time to start all over again. By keeping our thinking at the cutting edge for efficient functionality across all platforms, we can constantly evolve one mobile-friendly site that sits comfortably on every screen, whatever the shape or method of operation.

Many companies now want their website experience to be the same across all platforms, and the quality of many mobile devices is now making that dream a relatively sensible idea. Features like order tracking, one-click ordering and viewing purchase histories that once felt like the domain of sites accessed via bulky, anchored hardware are now perfectly plausible concepts to incorporate into sites that shine on iOS or Android too.

Ultimately, if a consumer has got used to the way your site works on the big screen, why shouldn't they enjoy the same functionality on the small screen? It takes a few tweaks to get it right in the majority of cases, but we’re now well on top of the game when it comes to ensuring that the growing world of mobile traffic – up 125% since 2012 and predicted by some experts to be the dominant force worldwide by 2014 – is a network that allows your site to function with style.