55% click mobile ads over desktop: What this means for your website

When your team is producing site content, is it part of your process to review the articles or videos before they’re set live? Here’s an equally important question: Is it part of your process to review the articles or videos on a mobile device before they’re set live?

2015 has been a groundbreaking year for mobile:

• Mobile searches surpassed desktop searches for the first time
• Google introduced its first algorithm targeting websites’ mobile-friendliness
• 46 percent of smartphone owners say they “can’t live without” these devices

This shift from desktop to mobile is perhaps most apparent in advertising. Not only is mobile forecasted to account for more than half of digital ad spending this year, according to a new Econsultancy report, but new research from Adroit Digital shows that 63 percent of Millennials (and 59 percent of the 35 and older crowd) are more likely to notice an ad on mobile compared to a desktop.

Perhaps even more important than noticing an ad, 55 percent of Millennials and 52 percent of those 35+ are more likely to click an ad on mobile than desktop.

Content marketing goes hand-in-hand with advertising efforts, because once a person clicks on an ad, they’ll likely be directed to something that’s content-based: an optimized product landing page, a downloadable asset or a resource center.

At Brafton, we create social media ads

If people are more likely to click ads on mobile, what does this mean for your content marketing?

Your website needs to be mobile-friendly

We’ve been preaching this since Google introduced its mobile algorithm update in the spring. On top of appeasing the search engines, though, it’s important to remember that if a person finds your website on mobile and is unable to access it fully because of their device, it’s going to leave a negative impression.

Google offers a free test tool.

Here’s more: Google’s mobile algorithm & a checklist for your website.

Copy should be concise

Mobile readers are typically on the go, and they want to get information as quickly as possible. (Devices aside, writing style professors Strunk and White would approve.)

Whether you’re crafting a mobile ad or the landing page where an ad directs someone who clicks, the copy needs to compel quick action. Mobile bounce rates are 10-20% higher than desktop for a given page, according to Rocketfuel research.  If this page is text heavy and full of different options, your small screen reader is going to become distracted, overwhelmed and will likely bounce from the page.

Additional resource: 4 Tips to optimize your content for mobile readers

Completing an action needs to be painstakingly easy

The fat finger struggle is real. Google has even introduced ad formats to combat accidental clicks. If you’re trying to convert mobile content consumers, you can forget about it if the form fill you provide is difficult to navigate.

Here are some pointers:

1. Keep form fields to a minimum

Form completion rates can vary with the addition or subtraction of one word. The less form fills fields a person has to complete, the more likely he or she will be to convert. To learn more about what makes a form successful, check out this study.

2. Go for buttons over forms, when possible

For mobile users, we also recommend creating a one-click form completion button. According to Adroit Digital, one-click purchasing makes a difference in their likelihood to buy something.

3. Don’t make people scroll to much

Changing the size of a mobile viewing field can detract from the experience. Place CTAs high up on the page, and if it’s a button (as opposed to hyperlink text), give it some breathing room and contrast.