How Much Search Traffic Comes From Mobile?
The smartphone changed how we think of computers. In the past, a computer was a dedicated device that did little else and that had to be wired into the network to access the internet. Laptops started to do away with this by making portable devices that could use wireless technology, but it was the phone that really changed the game forever. Suddenly, anyone who wanted one could have a computer in their pocket at all times. It’s no wonder that smartphones tend to be expensive. They’re essentially just miniature computers, and the phone function is an afterthought for a lot of users.
Naturally, this changed how people ran searches. You didn’t have to make a mental note to look something up when you got home. You could just do it at the moment. People began searching for products and reading reviews while in a physical store, looking for directions to nearby locations, getting the answers to pressing questions, and much more — and they did it all on their phones. When considering your site and what it needs to thrive in this new marketplace, you have to consider how much traffic comes from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
The Answer Depends on the Search Engine
In a general sense, you could say that more than half of all search traffic stems from mobile devices. In other words, this is where most of your visitors are and so you must have a site that has been optimized for mobile and that uses SEO practices addressed to smartphones. But there is some difference in the total based on the search engine that is being used.
In many senses, Google is the premier browser that gets the most use in the U.S. and abroad. Reports show that about “61% of Google’s search traffic comes from mobile devices.” If you look at Yahoo by way of comparison, they only get 49% of their organic traffic from mobile devices. This can tell you something about the types of searches being conducted, the devices being used and the potential audience on either engine. If you look at DuckDuckGo, a newer engine, they reported about 58% mobile traffic, putting them squarely in the middle.
Any way you look at it, mobile traffic is crucial. As an overall average, it outranks computer usage. What does this mean for your site designers? Does it mean more of these searches will be voice searches, and how might that impact the keywords you use? Are people who browse on their phones more likely to do so on the go, and how does that change how they interact with your site? These — and more — are all important questions to ask.
Working with Us at Content Customs
If you’re unsure what to make of this data or if you just want guidance from experienced professionals who know how to make your site more visible and more successful, contact us at Content Customs. We have years of experience and leading experts on our team to help you every step of the way.