The Importance of Mobile Search vrs. Mobile App
We have all known it for years, mobile traffic would one day be king, and it seems that time is now here. Many brands today though, still have problems addressing how to attack mobile with optimal results.
Today, there are really 2 ways to attack Mobile. The first way is the ‘App’, and by all accounts mobile app usage continues its strong growth. The second is through a strong mobile optimized site presence that provides strong U/X for your customers regardless of screen size.
To begin, lets take a closer look at mobile app usage today. This recent chart from Flurry analytics shows YoY mobile app usage by vertical – 2014 versus 2013. One can see solid user growth with mobile app’s use, almost across the board.
But as with all data comes a caveat, as a lot of this usage growth can be ’80/20′ meaning that 80% of usage typically is generated by the top 20% of the apps. As you can see further below, this caveat is somewhat true, as big apps like Facebook, YouTube, Pandora, the Weather Network, and Amazon account for a lot of this growth and use, as shown by below by ComScore.
The ‘big boys’ definitely account for the vast majority of usage, and growth. Out of this list only 2 pure play e-commerce brands exist – Amazon and Ebay, and there is no presence for pure-play travel or health. As well, recent study’s from IAB / Harris and Neilson, from Q4 of 2014 shows that app use is pretty even with mobile browsing use.
What these charts clearly show is that most of us have a tendency to use both mobile web browsing, and apps fairly equally, and there is a good bet that a lot of that App time is spent with the ‘big boys’ mentioned above.
What’s apparent is that there is still a very strong tendency to browse, learn, navigate and discover content via web/mobile search.
So for consumer-facing brands this means a couple of things as we begin 2015:
1. Do not take your eye off of your brand’s mobile website presence, mobile PPC, and mobile organic search. People in strong ‘buyer’ demographics still actively use mobile web search to find products, services and content based on queries. There is a recent tendency to be ‘app centric’ and that will not bode well as a pure strategy.
This is another graphic from that same IAB/Haris study showing a breakdown of content discovery methods via mobile:
As you can see here, Mobile Search is still the largest form of content, brand, item or service discovery.
2. Mobile apps, while great for user actions, conversion, can also be expensive to maintain. App development is continual, as mobile OS updates occur frequently and you have to develop for different platforms, where as your website, if truly responsive, is much more universal with a more streamlined dev path in comparison.
A Closer Look At Behavioral Mobile Web Search Use:
1. Mobile search is always on, and occurs across the span of a day versus PC search. Now part of that is just size and convenience of a mobile phone, but location is key too, meaning searches happen on the go, while trying to complete a task or goal. For retailers and service providers alike, the question to ask in 2015 is how to present the right info at the right place and format for better conversion rate optimization and end user-value.
2. When a mobile search for a product or service takes place, the person is usually much more qualified, or much deeper down the conversion funnel than the average desktop searcher. Specific mobile searches are goal-oriented which often results with the consumer going to the store or a service provider, or to a PC or tablet to complete their goal within an hour or less.
What’s also important to note is while mobile conversion does not compare with desktop conversion, the behavioral method is much more clear today. Consumers like a great multiscreen experience, and when using a mobile device, chances are that users are more focused on an action or intent.
Note, most people today tend to still complete the action / conversion on a desktop/Laptop/Tablet OR in person, versus the mobile phone. This is where your app comes into play more ie. Amazon.
More insights from this study reinforce the deeper Location in the Funnel for a mobile phone user versus a PC user.
Bottom line – For brands with active apps, never forget the importance of your mobile web presence, organic reach / share of voice, and mobile PPC, because the mobile searcher is one of the most important to attract into your funnel for conversions OR actions, and you cannot simply depend on your app for that today.
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Brought To You By WovenText SEO – Lead Generation – Content Support
By Caitlin Melvin – Mobile / Social Specialist