Numerous recent studies have all pointed to the rise of mobile, which is poised to become the undisputed king of digital user technology.
A report late last year by web analytics firm StatCounter revealed that desktop web browsing traffic had dropped to 48.7%, finally losing its majority share to smartphones and tablets.
In October this year, StatCounter released updated numbers that show desktops’ market share has dropped to 44.78%, while mobile leads the pack with 50.87% and tablets a paltry 4.35%.
So why, in the face of these indisputable statistics, would South Africa’s most technologically advanced app-based property marketing software, Propscan, launch a website version that shines on the computer “ big screen”.
Founder and CEO, JP Van der Bergh explains his reasoning: “The most commonly used statistic that places mobile ahead of other devices is based on the percentage of website traffic that comes from mobile devices. But there are other significant factors to take into consideration and, despite mobile’s numerous advantages, there are also areas in which bigger is better, and that’s where PCs and laptops come into the picture.”
Digital market research company, SimilarWeb, found that people still spend more time on sites via a desktop computer (59.9%) than a mobile device (40.1%). Their studies also found that the bounce rate for mobile devices is higher at 44% compared to 32% for desktops and, another statistic in desktop’s favour is the number of page views per visitor – 58.5% for desktops and 41.5% for mobile devices.
Says Van der Bergh: “When one considers the broader picture, it’s clear that the conversion to mobile is nowhere near done. Smart phones indisputably generate the most visits, but desktops still drive the most engagement.
“That said, it’s imperative that websites are optimised for mobile viewing as even the most ardent desktop user will occasionally need to browse on their mobiles. As any regular mobile user will confirm, not being able to properly access a website is immensely frustrating and the standard response is to simply move on to another web page.”
Van der Bergh says while it’s true that we now spend much more time on our smart phones than ever before, the reality is that many people predominantly use their mobile devices for specific activities like social media, sourcing geographical directions and for quick information searches, but that big screen digital is still an important feature in most people’s lives.
“We not only use them for work which is where people often do their personal online research; many also still have their own desktop devices which they use for more detailed searches and purchasing. The larger screen offers better clarity and a lot of people feel that working on a keyboard is generally more functional.”
“Ultimately personal preference, the task at hand and circumstances will dictate whether a desktop or mobile browser will be used. One of the greatest differences determining factors for most regular desktop users is screen size while for mobiles it is the convenience of having immediate access to information regardless of one’s location.”
Advantages of mobile browsing:
- Speed
- Convenience
- Portability
- Ease in sharing content
- Improved user experience
- Often a more ergonomic browsing experience
Advantages of desktop browsing:
- Stability
- Often greater bandwidth
- Much larger screen for viewing content
- Full access to website content
- Can be easier to navigate content
Van der Bergh says that it is especially the latter four advantages that make desktops better devices for searching for the largest investment many of us will ever make – buying a home.
“And with virtual reality technology, a host of search parameters and features like an easy-to-access bond calculator, there is no easier way to search through all the options and inspect prospective choices in great detail.”
The new web-based Propscan platform can be surfed at http://www.propscan.co.za/.
