How important is a mobile-first approach?

We live in a world that has moved beyond the confinement of a PC. With the evolution of mobile devices and their access to the internet on or off wifi, marketers need to prioritize their websites and anything online that they use in association with their brand. Pew Research cited that as of February 8th, 2021, 85% of Americans owned a smartphone. That makes your mobile-first website that much more important. Now there are two formats a business can use:

• Mobile-friendly website 
• Mobile app

Let’s talk about some background information first though.

The More the Merrier

According to Broadband Search, the average seconds spent on mobile in 2020 was 642, while desktop is 1,006. In their article, they strictly state this could be due to efficiency on a mobile device. We are in a generation that expects results immediately with these devices; a generation of social media and Amazon. 

Pew Research states that Americans in the age range of 18-29 are more dependent on mobile devices than any other age group, and that’s not counting those below 18 that have also grown with the technology.

Business Savvy

The world of business changed when LinkedIn was introduced in 2003 on desktop, but the mobile device revolutionized the ability to network. Mobile apps and websites ultimately changed not just how we shop or socialize, but how we hire, interview, and scope new potential employees. 

Mobile apps themselves have made it easy to check out your industry’s latest information, keep in contact with employees, shareholders, board members, and company partners. They’ve made work more efficient in every field.

Mobile-First Websites

We stated before that 85% of the US has a smartphone, but also 57% of traffic back in 2017 was from digital devices and not a desktop. Now come to the present, Sciatica reported that in the first quarter of 2021, 47.07% of web traffic in the US originated from mobile devices. Businesses should have, at the minimum, a smartphone-friendly website. 

Mobile apps

According to buildfire, 88% of the time on mobile is spent on applications or apps. Big retailers such as Starbucks, Nordstroms, Ikea, and more all have their own mobile apps on top of mobile websites to enhance customer experience. Consumers can browse products, make purchases, and check inventories. Apps are also projected to make over $900 billion in revenue in the next 2 years. Want to know a bit more about apps? Check out a previous post here!

Consumers are spending a lot of time on the small computer in their hand rather than the one on their desk. And marketers should adapt if they haven’t already. If you haven’t, give James Ross a call or email and we can get your mobile website up and running for you and your customers!