Mobile Web Searching to Surpass PC Searching
Recent studies have shown that mobile web searches have experienced explosive growth over the past few years alone. Google, along with Cisco, Gartner, and Compuware, have all released similar reports illustrating the rapid growth of mobile web browsing, mobile web searches, and mobile local searches.
If you haven't done so already, now is the time to look into developing a mobile site for your business or non-profit and ride this powerful trend. It’s high time to make the change as new searches are now made more often on mobile than they are on PC.
The Demand for Mobile Search
Google reported that the use of mobile web searching grew by four hundred percent between 2010 and 2011 alone. Based on data from February 2023, 52% of web visits are now made on mobile with the rest coming from computers. This growth in mobile queries can largely be contributed to the monumental growth in popularity among smartphones and tablets.
The demand for smartphones has been immense the world over. Today, smartphones can be found in 84% of American households. On the other hand, only 78% of these households have a laptop or desktop computer. If you aren’t catering to mobile devices, you aren’t going to get the same audience.
Think about it. When you go to any public place, how many people do you see looking down at a smartphone of some kind? It is hard to go anywhere without seeing at least one. People are using their smartphones for entertainment, business, email, social media, and searching the Internet.
How Smartphone Usage Factors Into Business
So, what does this mean for your business? Well, mobile web users are an extremely large and quickly growing audience. You need to make sure that your website is visible and accessible to this audience. It’s essential today for anyone who runs a business.
A large majority of all smartphone users, over 90%, have used their smartphones to search for local information. You can drive a lot of traffic to your local business if these mobile users are finding your site.
When people find a business through mobile web browsing, over 60% then call the business from their phone, and over 55% of them actually go visit the business. In order to start benefiting from these statistics yourself, you need to have a great mobile site that is easy to use.
People expect a lot from their mobile browsing experience. They want the mobile site to be as good, and as functional as the full desktop version. The site should load quickly, have clear and concise information, and be easy to read and navigate on a smartphone screen.
The Benefits of Mobile Websites
Making a search for mobile-friendly sites on Google brings back hundreds of millions of results. Google even has a way for you to test whether your site is mobile-friendly. With so many people using the Internet from a phone (or tablet), being mobile-friendly is a must.
Curious about what benefits are available from mobile websites? There are several and we’ll share them below. If you’re still on the fence about updating your business site to accommodate people on smartphones, this will give you the insight you need to make that decision and move into the future.
- Constantly accessible – Mobile sites are created to be easily accessible, which can help boost conversions and sales. Investing in a mobile-friendly website can also help with customer retention and overall customer loyalty.
- Establishes trust and credibility – A mobile site lets customers know that you can be accessed at any time. It also shows that you have a reliable business that is trustworthy and credible. This is something that helps you stand out.
- Cost-effective SEO boost – The top reason to make a mobile site is because it increases conversions and sales. A seamless experience is important in today’s digital world. Since one site can be used for desktop and mobile, you can boost revenue in all spaces the site is visited.
Final Thoughts
There are two ways that you can increase your company’s mobile web presence: You can have a separate website created that is specific for access from a mobile device, or you may have a responsive site created for your business. Responsive sites automatically adjust to the size and resolution of a smartphone screen.
If you do not have a mobile or responsive site set up for your business, you should enlist the help of an experienced web designer so that you can reach these mobile audiences as soon as possible. You can also read more about the options available here.
