Google MasterClass
Every year Google hosts a conference where their registered partners are able to learn about latest web trends and the future as Google, a very influential player in the world of web, sees it. We went along to see what we could learn, while there was a broad agenda, including speakers on topics such as how to better analyse website users and how to improve advertising efforts using Google AdWords, the real focus was on mobile, it has certainly been a key focus area for many of our customers this year and it is seen as a very important internet channel by Google.
Shift Towards Mobile Use
Through monitoring data of users on mobile, Google has been able to identify clear trends that continues to show the importance of mobile in web. With people, on average, checking their mobile devices 150 times every day, amounting to roughly 170 minutes of mobile use. They are being used for everything, from checking emails and texts to looking at maps, looking at bus schedules and of course, researching required services or products.
Analysis of data collected from millions of websites using Google Analytics, show a 20% increase in mobile's share of online sessions across the web over the past year.
Behavioural Trends
Another trend found using analytics data, isn't just that mobile usage is increasing, but also how our behaviour while on mobile devices is changing. The time spent per visit has decreased by 18% but conversion rates have seen an increase of 29%. So long gone are the days of hours of dedicated research on a desktop before making a purchase, users are instead reaching for their devices in the moment and making decisions faster. This means that if a website is clear in what it is providing and has clear accessible calls-to-action, this shift in behaviour will be seen positively. For those who lack a good mobile design (or no mobile design at all), there is an opportunity to increase your sales by making it easier for people to access and use your website on mobile devices.
As Important as Ever to be Mobile-Friendly
People are making decisions quicker and one decision they will make is that if a website they visit is not mobile-friendly, they will leave and go somewhere else as soon as they can. It is essential for every business owner to make sure their website is mobile-friendly and ensure they take advantage of the mobile wave.