Biggest Mobile Conversion Blockers for Users
Conversion blockers come in all shapes and sizes and can be different from user to user. Here are three of the biggest mobile conversion blockers that users face.User Intent in Mobile vs. Desktop Searches
Users on mobile devices perform searches differently and thus have different intent. Google stipulates that 95% of searches with the words “near me” come from mobile devices. These kinds of searches, whether they’re “close by”, “around me”, or “nearby”, mean that people are looking for a solution to their queries in their area which can result in their purchases being made in-store instead of on their mobile device. This is a general symptom of a larger phenomenon, being that mobile searches typically average less keywords than desktop searches. Moreover, a recent survey conducted by SessionM revealed that 90% of in-store shoppers consult their mobile devices while shopping. This is because they’re either comparing product prices, acquiring additional product information, or sifting through product reviews. Even though users didn’t specifically make a purchase on their mobile device, they still used the mobile website to educate themselves about their purchases. It’s a kind of pseudo conversion in a way, an assist from the mobile website to the in-store conversion. So while users may be converting less on mobile devices, they still use their mobile devices in a majority of cases as a research tool to complete their purchases whether it’s in-store or later at home from their desktop devices.Distractions: Real-world and On-Screen
In the age of multitasking, smartphones are at the pinnacle of distractions. We tend to be on our phones while doing the most menial everyday tasks–from waiting in line to riding the bus. Thus, our concentration can break at any moment; whether it’s something happening in the real world or a push notification coming from Snapchat that pulls us off the page and into another app entirely. Essentially, it comes down to time. How much time does a user have to peruse through a mobile site before they run into a walking and talking real-life distraction? Much less than the average desktop user, who usually has the benefit of a quiet space in the office or at home to make their decisions. But distractions don’t just mean off-page distractions. Having too much clutter on your mobile website in the form of lengthy copy and headlines or a multitude of images that take away from the CTA can cause a decrease in mobile conversions. Reduce the informational dump on users on your mobile sites and they’ll be less likely to become distracted. Give them what’s necessary and nothing more.Real and Perceived Friction
Perceived friction happens when users get to your mobile pages and become discouraged because the buttons seem too small to click, the images are too small to see, the headlines are unclear, or there are too many form fields that look like they’ll require an FBI background check to complete. Basically, anything that, in the user’s mind, will be too time-consuming and strenuous to complete can be considered perceived friction. Real friction is when the interface literally makes it too difficult to complete certain tasks. Your buttons are too close, and users click on the wrong link, they have to pinch and zoom in on certain items to read, or page loading times are extremely slow. Whether real or perceived, literal or imagined, these types of problems can cause users to abandon the site altogether. However, there are methods that businesses’ have come up with to combat the above-mentioned grievances to increase their mobile conversion rates.Increasing Your Mobile Conversion Rate
Let’s start with how you choose to construct the mobile version of your website.Responsive Web Design
Google first recommended that you use responsive web design; however, using it is not a ranking factor. Responsive Web Design (RWD) means that your website’s pages are adjusted according to screen size. Thus the same version of your site is displayed to users on desktop or mobile devices. This allows you to have your website on one URL, which is beneficial for SEO purposes as all of your link building efforts remain intact. However, it also means that you’re not providing users with a unique mobile experience, which leaves them with the same on-page elements as your desktop users. Ultimately, what converts with desktop doesn’t always carry the same implications for mobile.Adaptive Web Design
Adaptive Web Design (AWD) or also known as Dynamic Serving means that you essentially create different HTML versions of a webpage that are displayed to users based on their devices. This allows you to offer a unique mobile experience to users and you can optimize each page this way for conversions based on user behaviors on each device. You’ll notice the slight different within each larger screen and the somewhat drastic difference between the tablet and smartphone versions. The mobile version is clearly optimized for mobile conversions as it is less cluttered, uses larger buttons, and allows for scrolling in a vertical manner. Dynamic serving allows for you to publish different content within the same URL and will not affect your SEO. However, AWD will cost more to maintain as it has to be consistently updated to be compatible with new devices, needs a unique HTML code per device, and requires different content for each depending on your strategy. In other words, it requires a lot more time and manpower. From a conversion standpoint, AWD is the clear winner as you can optimize your content visually and rhetorically to benefit users and increase mobile conversion rates.Separate URLs
Another more conversion-friendly way to build your mobile website is by using separate URLs. Separate URLs allow you to have a version of your website just for desktop users, such as www.mywebsite.com and a mobile website that looks like m.mywebsite.com respectively. Like dynamic serving, you can optimize separate content within each page for mobile or desktop users. With this method, the server will detect what device the user is on and redirect them to the appropriate page. Unlike dynamic serving, having separate URLs can affect your SEO as you’ll have to link build and essentially perform SEO for two separate websites. This again adds to more stress in terms of having the time and resources to maintain two versions of your website. Also, if you have faulty redirects, users coming from mobile devices may be mistakenly directed to desktop pages and vice-versa. Thus, separate URLs can be great for increasing mobile conversion rates as you can streamline a user’s experience based on a device; however, the cost and time to maintain it is much more difficult.On-Page Factors That Affect Mobile Conversion Rates
While most of us don’t have fat finger syndrome or the eyes of a senior citizen, many users still encounter a lot of problems with on-page elements as described above. But never fear! There are plenty of ways you can mitigate any user frustrations and expedite their experience on your mobile-friendly website.Optimize Your Product Descriptions and Images Together
Nobody likes having to tap three times to check out a product description, view its image, and then go back to the CTA. In the words of Sweet Dee: “Ain’t nobody got time for that”. While it’s completely true you have to be economical with space on mobile websites, it’s possible to do it in a visually pleasing manner without losing the integrity of your image resolution and downgrading your copy to a few ineffectual words. Here you have a clear, high-resolution image along with an effective product description in an easily readable font. The “customized item” link is between two non-tappable elements so the risk of a user accidentally tapping the wrong link is minimized. They also use white space effectively to showcase the image and feature a discreet coupon at the bottom for users to get. With this kind of display, mobile users have all the information within a small space and can easily convert with just a few clicks.Maximize Mobile-Only Features
Mobile only features are elements or attributes that can only be performed on mobile devices. Use these whenever possible to create a more fluid user experience and increase your mobile conversion rate. Tap-and-hold: One feature I really like for e-commerce websites is the tap-and-hold attribute, which lets users simply press down on an item to have a popup appear so they can send it straight to their shopping cart. That means less CTA taps and the user doesn’t have to be removed from the page. Click-to-Call: The click-to-call feature allows users to quickly call your business when browsing your mobile site without having to manually enter the number themselves. The click-to-call for Shake Shack is an easy to see button that doesn’t require much effort from the user. The other contact page has the phone number in small print that isn’t so easy to see above a form that requires a lot more information. By enabling users to quickly get in touch with your business, you’ll minimize frustrations and increase your conversions from mobile users that want to know more about your business. To create a click to call, you can add this html code with your relevant information: Mobile payment: By adding instant mobile payment options, you can increase your mobile conversions with the apps listed below. To learn how to allow these forms of payment on your website, simply click the links below.- Google Wallet
- Apple Pay
- Paypal
