From smartphones to tablets, mobile devices are increasingly dominating the time consumers spend consuming digital media. And it’s really no surprise – we all know it was already in 2015 that mobile search surpassed desktop searches. In certain emerging markets, like Indonesia, they’ve completely skipped desktop adoption and pressed fast forward on mobile-first with 91% of digital time spent on mobile. But what are consumers really doing on their mobile devices? And more importantly, how can small and medium businesses (SMBs) take advantage in order to drive more business?
Mobile App Usage is Skyrocketing
Recent estimates show that in 2018 the average US adult will spend an average of three hours and 35 minutes per day on their mobile devices, and 90% of that time will be spent in mobile apps. Business owners know that consumers are increasingly mobile first and that Google continues to push mobile-indexing — so they need to take action if they want to grow online. But what can SMBs do to ensure a strong mobile-first strategy?
Small businesses could consider a native app. The adoption of apps has been on a steady increase — with dedicated apps being developed for just about every kind of need, from communication (messaging/calling) to entertainment (music/video/games) to practical functions (flashlight, calculator and weather). Here comes the but. Investing in an app is expensive. A native app could easily take up a significant portion of an SMB’s otherwise limited budget, and the competition to get users to adopt them is tough. Furthermore, the reality is that most apps get deleted within a week of getting downloaded, which further makes it a risky investment. However, there is a viable alternative.
A New Future for the Mobile Web
Innovative mobile-first options are emerging for SMBs based on web technologies that are significantly improving the usability, speed, and quality of the mobile web. Progressive Web Apps (PWA) and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) are two big technology initiatives that are increasingly being promoted by Google to improve the mobile experience for users.