In brief
Research from eMarketer found that 88% of smartphone time is spent in apps, and 83% on tablets. Browsers are mainly used to shop at stores without apps, and over half of usage among the top 100 websites went to checkout or payment systems. Businesses should send push notifications selectively and pair apps with email.
As the pandemic broke out, many retailers set up online platforms, working to move their business onto the web and provide retail services in the form of online stores. Online stores did offer retailers a lifeline, allowing customers staying at home to fight the pandemic to keep shopping. However, market research firm eMarketer has published research indicating that when people use smartphones, they rarely use traditional browsers, spending nearly 90% of their time in apps.
Low browser usage, with over half ending in payment
The research found that people spend an average of more than 4 hours per week on their smartphones, with 88% of that time spent using apps, and the share of app usage is still rising year by year. On tablets, users spend an average of 83% of their time using apps.
eMarketer also cited research from last year indicating that the experiences businesses offer on websites and in apps are very similar, yet users still tend to prefer apps. Among all apps, social media, video platforms and messaging are used for the longest time. Users turn to browsers in order to shop at online stores that have no app.
According to data from analytics firm SameWeb, mobile browser usage in April this year rose 11.4% compared with the same month last year. Among the top 100 websites, more than half (55.6%) of usage was for going to checkout or to the payment systems of different technology developers, meaning that more than half of browser users make purchases through the browser. In addition, traffic to government and public health-related websites grew by 44.9% and 54.9% respectively compared with the same period last year. The website with the largest growth saw traffic increase by 1870% in March, and by 990% in April.
Don't overdo push notifications
Besides reaching customers through websites and apps, businesses or organisations can also provide information to users through push notifications. The research found that in the first half of this year, push notifications sent via the web rose 37.5%, while app notifications fell 5.2%. However, the number of users permitting apps to send push notifications grew 28.5% this year. The research analysis noted that businesses now have multiple channels for delivering messages to customers, including push notifications and email. App push notifications receive higher click rates than the others.
The research also cautioned that when businesses send push notifications to customers, they should favour quality over quantity. Sending push notifications excessively may lead users to block them. In addition, businesses should use email alongside apps to give customers more comprehensive information.
Original article: https://bit.ly/3k7z8eK