- June 4, 2014
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Using Metrics to Build a Better Mobile Experience
How often have you been browsing the Internet on your smart phone and clicked on an ad in Facebook or Twitter only to find the ad’s website isn’t displaying correctly? A desktop website crammed into your tiny touchscreen. What would you do if you were faced with the aggravation and inconvenience of having to zoom in and out while trying to click on tiny links? Can you imagine the frustration of unintentionally clicking on the wrong link while pinching to get closer?
Most likely, you close the website and move on never to think about it again. It becomes a missed opportunity for the business generating an ad worthwhile enough for you to click on.
It’s way too easy for businesses to lose potential customers to a complicated, slow or inefficient mobile website. After all, if a business doesn’t have a viable mobile strategy, chances are that one of their competitors does, and that customer will go to them. With mobile becoming the first point of contact for most consumers, even the most dynamic website or social media campaign will not be able to overcome a mobile website. Businesses are effectively stopping consumers at the gate and expecting them to know the secret handshake.
In today’s mobile market, users expect more from their devices and the websites they visit on their devices. According to industry tracker Mobile Industry Statistics, 17.4 percent of all global web traffic in 2013 came through mobile devices, a six-percent increase from 2012. In fact, mobility is no longer just considered pervasive, it is now the first point of contact between individuals and organizations, with 91 percent of users keeping their mobile device within arm’s reach 100 percent of the time.
Historically, designing for mobile simply meant modifying existing desktop applications or websites to be accessed on a mobile device. These mobile versions, generally an afterthought in website development, often appeared as a stripped down version of the business’ more robust desktop website offerings. It was a means to an end in the beginning when mobile usage was at a minimum. The mobile sites lacked the tools or the backend to track any of the valuable metrics beyond being a mobile device.
The new design of mobile app development not only needs to be rapid and iterative — but also cognizant of design, functionality and the user experience. This often begins with understanding the business processes required to engage and interact with customers.
Consumers behave different on smartphones and tablets, which have differing functionalities and capabilities. Businesses need to analyze that behavior and experiences across the spectrum to understand better the best move for web or app design. Tracking behavioral patterns and page flow among mobile users informs your decisions for many of these adjustments.
With the metrics surrounding certain behaviors — such as time spent navigating the site or watching videos — businesses will be able to seek out valuable insights into how to modify their mobile websites and mobile content to not lose a single smartphone and tablet user to an unfriendly mobile experience.
Not all businesses need to invest in a mobile site that flawlessly translates across every device on the market, but should be looking to customize the experience for the lion’s share of users. Just by taking a few minutes to look at mobile and screen size segments, you can identify and expand relevant sales opportunities for your customers.
For a more granular education, read “Five Tips for Enhancing Mobile Engagement.”
