Optimize or lose customers, says Google mobility study
By Digital News Asia October 31, 2012
- 50% of people say that even if they like a business, they will use it less often if the website isn't mobile-friendly
- 67% of users are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site
BUSINESSES need to optimize their brands' mobile experience or risk driving potential customers to the competition, according to a new study by Google.
Findings from a study called What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today found that nearly 75% of users prefer a mobile-friendly site, with 74% saying they’re more likely to return to that site in the future; while 96% of consumers say they’ve encountered sites that were clearly not designed for mobile devices.
In the study, 61% of people said that they’d quickly move onto another site if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site and 67% of users were more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site.
User sentiments about non-mobile friendly sites had a direct impact on the company and its brand image:
- 50% of people say that even if they like a business, they will use it less often if the website isn't mobile-friendly;
- 48% of users say they feel frustrated and annoyed when they get to a site that’s not mobile-friendly;
- 36% said they felt like they’ve wasted their time by visiting those sites;
- 52% of users said that a bad mobile experience made them less likely to engage with a company; and
- 48% said that if a site didn’t work well on their smartphones, it made them feel like the company didn’t care about their business
In a blog post, Masha Fisch of Google Mobile Ads Marketing, said that the research confirms mobile users actively seek out and prefer to engage with mobile-friendly sites.
“It’s a sobering reminder of just how quickly and deeply user’s attitudes about companies can be shaped by mobile site experiences. Having a great mobile site is no longer just about making a few more sales. It’s become a critical component of building strong brands, nurturing lasting customer relationships, and making mobile work for you,” she wrote.
The study was independent market research firms conducted by Sterling Research and SmithGeiger in July 2012 and surveyed 1,088 adult smartphone Internet users in the United States.