Explore the dynamic world of visitor experience (CX) at CMSWire. Stay up-to-date on the latest news, expert tips, and in-depth research on designing visitor-centric marketing, sales, and virtual experiences.
The rise of mobile-first e-commerce (also known as m-commerce) reflects a fundamental shift in customer behavior, as more people use their smartphones to shop online. A 2023 Statista report found that m-commerce sales reached $2. 2 trillion in 2023 and were attributed to 60% of global e-commerce sales. This trend demands that online stores prioritize the design and capability of mobile devices to ensure a seamless visitor experience. A mobile-first technique means that websites and Internet applications are designed for smaller screens first and then expanded to larger screens, not the other way around. This article will explain why brands are prioritizing mobile design for apps, websites, and nearby searches, and the demanding situations that come with it.
Shaunak Amin, co-founder and CEO at SwagMagic, a global corporate swag platform, told CMSWire that last year the company revamped its platform by optimizing the user interface for smartphones and tablets. “As a result, we saw a remarkable 30% increase in user engagement within the first three months post-implementation,” said Amin. An effective mobile-first design can also substantially improve a brand’s Customer Effort Score (CES). “Our clients reported a 25% decrease in the time taken to select and send gifts. And they said it was all due to the intuitive and responsive mobile interface.” Amin emphasized that customer feedback revealed a 40% rise in overall satisfaction, emphasizing the convenience and fluidity of navigating the platform via mobile devices.
A recent Glassbox survey indicated that 60% of those polled preferred mobile apps over websites for convenience, and as such, 84% would be willing to install and shop through a mobile app if it gave them access to better sales or pricing.
This shift towards mobile apps is rarely just about aesthetics; It’s about convenience and meeting consumers wherever they are. Most consumers tend to prefer using mobile apps over mobile websites for e-commerce, largely because they’re designed for mobile, and there’s no doubt they will. In the end, it will be more usable than a normal online page through a mobile device.
A 2021 Heady survey indicated that 57. 5% of respondents said mobile apps are more convenient than other means of shopping for groceries. In addition, the survey found that customers overwhelmingly use apps for the purpose of shopping for groceries and making purchases, with 74% of respondents saying so. is the maximum function used. According to an October 2023 Statista survey, in the last peak quarter, global customer spending on mobile apps was $33. 9 billion, up 4% from the same quarter in 2022.
Moreover, in 2022, the total amount spent on mobile apps was approximately $387 billion, more than double what was in 2019 before the pandemic. The Statista survey also found that nearly one-third of U. S. consumers bought something online every week. a cell phone at the end of 2022.
Related Article: Creating a Mobile-Centric Mindset
By the late 1990s, most mobile phones had limited internet browsing capabilities, but as the generation of the early 2000s improved, other people began to get used to surfing the internet on their phones. As the generation continued to evolve and smartphones appeared, the prevalence of internet-enabled telephones increases exponentially. Consumers have become accustomed to using a telephone to make a stop at a website, but then want to place their phone horizontally so they can view the website. Zooming in to read the content was also anything other people were getting used to, albeit with a growing sense of frustration.
Eventually, developers began creating a responsive edition of their Internet sites by adding features that allowed the site to determine whether the visitor was using a desktop or mobile device. become a priority rather than a momentary idea. Mobile-first design was born, and consumers never looked back.
This does not mean that today’s Internet sites are all designed to be viewed on mobile devices. On the contrary, there are still many sites on the Internet, including some brands that deserve to be better informed, that do not have a mobile-centric website. Their sites are misleading. and tedious to use, they are still functional and many consumers would probably not visit such archaic Internet sites. Weather. gov, for example, deserves to be better informed; After all, it’s a site that other people would need to be able to access no matter where they are. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have taken this into account in its design.
As mobile usage continued to outpace desktop, search engines like Google made mobile-friendliness a key ranking factor, leading companies to adopt a mobile-first philosophy. Since 2020, Google’s mobile-first indexing has highlighted the importance of mobile optimization for search visibility. Ecommerce companies have invested in responsive design, resulting in faster page load times and simplified navigation to meet the desires of the mobile shopper. These innovations have not only benefited the user experience, but have also contributed to higher conversion rates and visitor retention.
Justin Ball, founder and owner of HammerHead Showers, an all-metal showerhead and accessories store, told CMSWire that even for a niche product like showerheads, consumers typically shop through their mobile devices. “Prioritizing the [channels] that our consumers buy is one way to improve the visitor experience,” Ball said. “Also, Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means that if your mobile site is rarely highly optimized, it may not rank. Ball explained that by creating the responsive site, they were able to achieve a blank stare on the phone.
With improved mobile payment options and social commerce, the purchasing journey on mobile devices has become more intuitive and integrated into daily social media use, driving further adoption. Mobile-first design has become a critical component of website development, reflecting the importance of delivering content effectively to the majority of internet users who now access the web via mobile devices. This approach ensures that the user experience is optimized for smaller screens, which can lead to increased engagement, lower bounce rates and higher conversion rates.
Therefore, an online page designed with a mobile-centric mindset is more likely to score much higher in search engine results, thus generating bio-traffic. Beyond SEO, mobile-centric design is about respecting the user’s time and context, offering fast service and a responsive, intuitive experience that meets the highest expectations of today’s users. Failing to implement a mobile-first strategy can lead to a competitive disadvantage, as consumers prefer companies that offer a great cellular experience.
Craig Greiwe, chief strategy officer and president of marketing at GoDigital Media Group, a media technology company focused on intellectual property rights management and distribution, told CMSWire that mobile-first has been an important command for almost a decade now, and ecommerce is no different. “However, the back-end platforms many businesses use have been slow to adapt. Most importantly, and still up in the air, are two questions: first, how to give the customer a positive, descriptive experience with the product that makes them want to buy, and second, how to minimize the number of steps at checkout.”
Greiwe explained that on mobile devices it can be difficult to deliver the same level of detail that consumers get on desktops. “The displacement intensity factor is a primary factor, as is the size of the device. For the latter, in the absence of one-click payment systems like Apply Pay, there are still too many steps to take a visitor from the product to the final purchase. “
Related Article: A Practical Guide to Local Marketing
Businesses should prioritize mobile-first development for “near me” searches primarily because these searches are predominantly performed on mobile devices by users on the go. When users search for services or products “near me,” they are often looking for quick, immediate solutions and are likely to act on the information they find. A mobile-first approach ensures that these potential customers are presented with a website that loads quickly, is easy to navigate on a smaller screen, and provides the essential information upfront, such as business hours, location, contact information and services offered.
In addition, search engines like Google place a maximum price on local search engine optimization and mobile-friendliness when they rate search effects for “nearby” queries. Mobile-friendly websites will take the top spots, making them more visual for potential local consumers. This optimization includes responsive design, fast load times, localized content, and simple one-click access to buttons or calling cards, all of which are imperative for capturing local search activity. Basically, the mobile-first strategy for “short-sighted” search engines. it’s capturing the attention of local consumers who are in a position to take action by offering them a seamless online experience.
Gene Caballero, co-founder and CMO of GreenPal, a “lawn care service near me,” told CMSWire that prioritizing a cellular technique in e-commerce is not just an option but a necessity, especially considering customer conversion behaviors. , it is critical to perceive this shift, as landscaping professionals are making extensive use of cellular devices for their business operations. To capitalize on this trend, we focused on optimizing our platform for mobile users,” said Caballero. “This meant making sure that our online platform page and app were not only responsive, but also provided a smooth and intuitive experience on smaller screens. The key most productive practices we followed included optimizing the user experience for easy navigation and mobile transactions.
Caballero said a vital component of this procedure is simplifying interfaces and improving the speed of its cellular applications. “We’ve also focused on mobile-specific features, such as push notifications and easy-to-use booking systems, which are favorable to our users who are on the go. This mobile-first strategy has boosted user engagement and satisfaction, contributing crucially to GreenPal’s expansion and market presence.
Related Article: CMSWire’s Top 10 Ecommerce Articles of the Year
Creating a mobile-first website is not always a straightforward process, although fortunately, the majority of website Content Management System (CMS) themes or styles automatically include mobile-first design. That said, there are still many obstacles that can present themselves in the process of mobile-first development, including:
With mobile being the primary mode for online businesses, adopting a mobile-first eCommerce strategy has gone from advice to imperative. Prioritizing the mobile experience delivers invaluable benefits: driving greater engagement, streamlining user journeys, increasing conversions, building logo visibility, and ultimately delighting always-on customers. Brands that adopt a mobile-first approach give themselves an advantage when it comes to engaging with today’s consumers.
Scott Clark is a veteran journalist founded in Columbus, Ohio, who has made a name for himself covering the ever-changing landscape of visitor experience, marketing, and generation. He has more than 20 years of experience in information generation and 27 years as a web developer. Their policy covers visitor experience, artificial intelligence, social media marketing, visitor voice, diversity and inclusion, and more. Scott is a strong advocate for visitor experience and corporate responsibility, combining statistics, facts, and insights. from thought leaders to delivering informative and thought-provoking articles. Connect with Scott Clark:
For nearly two decades, CMSWire, produced by Simpler Media Group, has been the world’s leading network of travel experience professionals.
Today, the CMSWire network includes more than five million influential visitor experience, virtual experience and visitor service leaders, most of whom are founded in North America and recruited through mid- to large-sized organizations. Our sister network, Reworked, brings combined expertise from the world’s smartest workers and virtual professionals.
Not a CMSWire member yet? We serve more than five million of the world’s most productive visiting professionals. Join us to take advantage of member benefits and jumpstart your career, all for free.
For nearly two decades CMSWire, produced by Simpler Media Group, has been the world’s leading community of customer experience professionals.
Today, the CMSWire network includes more than five million influential visitor experience, virtual experience and visitor service leaders, most of whom are founded in North America and recruited through mid- to large-sized organizations. Our sister network, Reworked, brings combined expertise from the world’s smartest workers and virtual professionals.