Compare Shopping with Apps Versus
Mobile Optimized Sites
Mobile users are research prone. Fascinated by the search, they spend time scouring mobile sites and apps to find the best products, deals, and reviews. To do this they must have fast load time. The analytics shows consumers don’t have a strong empathy toward apps or mobile optimized sites, they do however serve unique needs in to shoppers’ journey.
This report details how both platforms serve to enable purchase decisions. check out these four insights that are sure to frame your mobile marketing strategy.
Shopping Apps
Apps have long been viewed as the preferred platform for engaging loyal/returning customers. Recent Google research shows that 87% of people say they can be loyal to a brand without having its app on their phone. In fact, 53% of smartphone users say they do not have their favorite brand’s app installed on their phone. 42% of those who haven’t downloaded their favorite brand’s app have never considered downloading it. While 25% didn’t know their favorite brand had an App. Other won’t download just any app. Fear that it will clutter the phone and storage space is a problem. Brands have an opportunity to educate customers on the unique benefit of an app, rather than just assuming people will organically stumble upon it.
Brands need to earn a spot on people’s phones not forcing them to download an app. Forced downloads can be perceived as a gimmick, and 63% of people say that when a brand forces them to download an app to access a deal, they will typically delete it shortly thereafter. People voiced frustration when a download was necessary for a deal, especially when they weren’t ready for that more “permanent” relationship. There’s a balance to strike when building awareness to ensure you’re not turning people off.
People turn to a mobile site for direct access to a brand’s website or to broaden their hunt across multiple sources. Often, mobile sites fulfill a customer’s need to learn, engage, and make purchases from a brand without needing to resort to an app. In fact, two in three people say they can achieve the same goal on a brand’s mobile site as they can on its app. Many consumers will switch from an app to a mobile site when shopping, browsing, researching, or purchasing. This is especially true when they want to go directly to the source, if they’re more familiar with the mobile site, or when they want to broaden their search.
Shopping Mobile Site
The stakes are high when it comes to mobile site experiences. Most people expect their experience on a brand’s mobile site to be as easy as their experience on the app. When a mobile site doesn’t live up to expectations, people look elsewhere.
Having a mobile site that’s slow or hard to navigate doesn’t just hurt short-term conversions, it impacts a person’s perception of a brand. More than half of people say they look poorly on brands with mobile sites that are not designed for use on a smartphone. More importantly, it could destroy the relationship someone has with a brand. Nearly half of people say they won’t consider purchasing from a brand that has a poorly designed mobile site.
App and Mobile Site Work Seamlessly
With over 40% of online transactions happening on mobile, it’s easy to see why creating a friction-free mobile shopping experience across apps and mobile sites is key. Both platforms offer specific benefits to users. But the advantage they pose for marketers is their ability to complement each other. Whether it’s using your mobile site to build awareness for your app or using your app to drive sales via your mobile site, the opportunities for success are there. Empower your users with investments in mobile platforms that will keep them coming back.
