How To Improve Conversion Rate Optimization on Desktop vs Mobile

web conversion experts

You have steady traffic to your e-commerce website

Wonderful news! 

However, the quantity of visitors is less important than the quality of those visitors.

The number of visitors to your website may be reassuring, but clicks do not make you money.

Sales and leads do.

That said, conversions do not always equate to sales.

Web conversion experts will be the first to tell you that a conversion could be a visitor setting up a customer account, signing up for your email newsletter, downloading your app, or sharing your product pages on social media.

All are beneficial as any conversion strengthens the prospect’s relationship with your brand. 

To achieve a high percentage of conversions is often based on the layout, design and navigation of your website.

And in today’s consumer landscape, that means assuring the site looks smart and navigates intuitively across multiple delivery platforms, especially on desktop and mobile devices. 

Size constraints must obviously be taken into consideration to appeal to both audiences. 

The most traffic to online merchants continues to come from mobile devices. However, conversion rates from these devices are lower. 

Let’s examine how mobile conversion rates compare to desktop conversion rates, and what online retailers can learn from both.

mobile online shopping

Buying online using a mobile device requires a unique design and navigation scheme for easy check out.

Conversion Rates by Device

Due to the pandemic, e-commerce sales soared last year as brick-and-mortar businesses closed their doors to customers. However, mobile traffic and conversion rates were similar to the year before.

Globally, in 2020, 68% of online traffic came from mobile devices, while 33% came from desktops. 

Mobile led the way in driving traffic, and while mobile sales are growing, they are not increasing as dramatically as traffic. 

Ask any premier digital marketing agency, and they stress how valuable it is to remember that conversion rates are not just about sales. Leads or the collection of email address can be equally as important.

Therefore, if we look at overall conversion rates, it becomes apparent that while people are comfortable browsing via their mobile devices, they are more prone to converting on desktop computers or tablets.

Consumer behavior on mobile devices is greatly influenced by user experience. Therefore, improving the user experience will increase conversion rates. 

While customers seem happy to add products to their cart on mobile devices, they tend to wait until they get home to take action.

The checkout process appears to be the main point of differentiation here. So what can you do to improve mobile conversion rates? 

If shoppers do not have a sense of security during mobile checkout, it can cost you conversions. Improve your conversion rates by removing friction from the checkout process with auto-fill forms, guest checkout, optimizing your Call To Action (CTA) making product recommendations, and allowing a range of payment options. 

Auto-fill forms make checkout faster and much less arduous. Users can autofill address and payment details stored in their phone’s browser, or use a postcode lookup tool to reduce the steps they need to take. 

Even the smallest details matter, like selecting the right smartphone keyboard for entering payment card information. Minor improvements can make a huge difference to customers.

Allowing customers the option to check out as a guest gives them flexibility. This is greatly appreciated if time is limited or they just aren’t ready to sign up for an account. Shoppers hate registering before they begin a purchase and are more prone to abandon at checkout. Offering guest checkout helps create a hassle-free experience.

Providing a clear and compelling CTA makes shopping an easy experience for customers and can make a huge difference in conversion rates. This is a key component to your Conversion Rate Optimization strategy. 

Analyze your buy buttons and add-to-cart buttons for page placement, color, shape, and size. You can also improve the process by making your buttons sticky while your users scroll.

A great way to upsell shoppers on your website and improve mobile sales is to make product recommendations once an item is clicked on. 

Perhaps it’s a pair of pants or a jacket that will go great with a selected top. By putting these items in front of shoppers at the point of purchase, you not only provide outstanding customer service but also increase the size of the sale.

When it comes to payment options, offering your customers digital wallet choices in addition to standard credit and debit cards can make checkout a seamless process.

It takes time to input card details, but PayPal and digital wallet options like Apple Pay can make payments faster and easier. Many shoppers are leery of putting in their personal payment information on their mobile devices, so having digital wallet alternatives can increase mobile conversions.

User Experience Matters

Improved conversion rates will follow when the search advertising user experience on phones matches or surpasses the desktop experience. 

There appears to be a shift in the way people search online. In years past, the majority of internet searches occurred via major search engines like Google and Yahoo on desktop computers. Consumers now search on specialized applications and the Web from a variety of mobile devices.

Although screen size has been a significant factor in conversion rates on desktop vs. mobile, consumers are still not afraid to purchase on mobile if the user experience is easy. 

The path to purchase must be efficient and unhindered by a smaller mobile screen. And this requires that you optimize your landing pages to work on all device types.

When mobile landing pages become as easy to use as those on desktop, conversions will follow. Consumers follow the path of least resistance. Small-screen mobile advertising should continue in the short term because that is where consumers are. 

A well-designed mobile form can have a significant impact on conversions. User requirements are straightforward, reducing friction and basket abandonment. They should be easy to complete on mobile devices, with an attractive design, clear labels, and helpful error messages.

Ensure that your website presents your business professionally. You may need the help of web conversion rate optimization experts to achieve Conversion Rate Optimization and turn visitors into customers. Taking action to make your conversion funnel mobile-friendly will help close the conversion gap. 

Most of your consumers use mobile devices, and they are willing to buy or convert if the purchase process is simple. 

online conversion expert

Ease of use makes visitors more likely to feel satisfied and thus purchase.

Conversion is the Ultimate Goal

Ultimately, it is irrelevant whether desktop or mobile converts better. What is relevant is making it as effortless as possible for customers to purchase from you. Be ready to have your business or product found where shoppers are looking. Regardless of whether they are looking on their desktop or smartphone, the journey to checkout needs to be seamless. 

If your conversion rates for both desktop and mobile are showing a decline, it may be time to make changes to your website. 

Conversions are essential, but quality converts and repeat customers will make your business grow and thrive. 

A major player in attracting customers to your website is optimizing SEO. Check out this testimonial concerning family law digital marketing that led to a 55% increase in quality leads and a retention rate of 60% for new clients. 

Traffic on mobile devices is increasing because it is the primary place we get our news, communicate with others, and surf the Web. 

To increase mobile conversions on your website, you must optimize for mobile and make the checkout process as effortless as possible. Ignoring these suggestions will put your business at a disadvantage and ultimately drive down your conversion rates. 

Always strive to remove obstacles and covert shoppers however they come to your site.

As a five-star rated digital marketing agency in Calabasas, CA, Avita Digital  wants to ensure that your business and products are easy to research and find, no matter what device your customers are using. 

After all, if customers cannot find your website, they certainly cannot purchase your products. And if they get frustrated trying to navigate your site and the buying process is cumbersome, they likely will not return.

Though desktop still leads mobile in conversion rates, mobile usage is increasing, and it is impossible to predict what the future will hold. 

To quote the legendary line from Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come,” building a website that is easy to find and even easier to negotiate will lead to higher conversion rates, and better sales and profits.

ABOUT AVITA GROUP

Avita Group is a digital marketing firm in Calabasas, California. We specialize in organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign management, Online Reputation Management (ORM), website creation and conversion optimization. 

The Avita Group team boasts a collective experience of over 30 years in the industry led by Founder and CEO, Brad Weber, and has worked with a variety of multi-million dollar companies to help them improve their ROI, build better brand awareness, and mitigate negative online reviews and results.

Contact us for a free consultation to evaluate how we can bring our unique brand of digital intimacy to your business growth values.