Mobile vs Desktop Conversion Rates – Find Out Which One Is Highest

With website builders making it easier than ever to optimize websites for mobile devices, it’s no surprise that many businesses are paying particular attention to mobile optimization. And with good reason, too. In recent years, mobile websites have received more traffic globally than their desktop counterparts.

Yet traffic volume is only part of the equation when it comes to website success. How much of that traffic converts into valuable action and sales also plays an important role.

In this article, we’re going to explore the differences in optimising for conversion rates between mobile and desktop websites. We’ll offer some specific tips that you can use to improve conversion rate on each platform.

Exploring Conversion Rates on Desktop

Desktop conversion rates aren’t all that difficult to understand. They’re simply the percentage of people who visit your website via a desktop computer that then take valuable action such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

For example, if 5000 people visit your desktop site every day and 50 of them make a purchase your conversion rate would be calculated as follows:

(50 / 5000) x 100 = 1%

Typically, conversion rates are higher on desktop versions of a website than on their mobile counterparts. Statistics from 2021/2022 show this, with desktop conversions consistently reaching 1-2% higher than conversions on mobile.

This increased conversion rate could be down to several reasons. For example, desktop websites offer more space, which can make it easier to create streamlined user experiences. Desktop sites will also often have increased functionality and offer more detailed levels of information. This makes it easier for customers to find what they need and ensures that they move more smoothly through the conversion funnel.

Arguably, visiting a website on a desktop can also indicate higher buyer intent. This is because mobile devices are often browsed casually during downtime. In contrast, visiting a site on a desktop often shows a deliberate pursuit of deeper research or a commitment to buy.

Analyzing Mobile Conversion Rates

Mobile conversion rates use the exact same equation as conversion rates on desktop, except – you guessed it – it accounts for conversions on your mobile device, instead.

For example, let’s say 6000 people visit your mobile site every day and 50 of them make a purchase, your mobile conversion rate would be:

(50 / 6000) x 100 = 0.8%

Statistically speaking, mobile conversion rates tend to be 1-2% lower than conversion rates on desktop sites. This could be due to several reasons such as limited screen space making it trickier to develop comprehensive customer experiences.

Mobile devices also offer more distractions, with countless apps (for example, social media) just a click away. This often draws people away from mobile sites when any friction is experienced, such as slow load speeds or issues with navigating the site via touchscreen.

User Behavior on Desktop and Mobile

When it comes to conversion rates on mobile vs desktop, user behavior on each platform can have a big impact. Take a look below, where we outline exactly how people interact and use websites differently when viewing them on different devices.

User Behavior on Desktop:

• Larger screen allows for better and more content visibility
• Users typically spend more time browsing each webpage
• Multitasking is common within the browser (such as having multiple tabs open)
• Often used for deeper research into a product, service, or topic
• Complex interactions such as forms and navigation are smoother.

User Behavior on Mobile:

• Scanning and quick interactions are typical
• Limited screen space requires concise content
• Users are often on the go and seeking quick answers
• Interactions typically via tapping and swiping
• Location-based searches and actions are common
• Conversion rates might differ due to shorter attention spans.

Optimizing Mobile Conversion Rates

Here are two things we know for certain:

1. Mobile conversions are typically lower than desktop conversions
2. Mobile internet traffic is typically higher than on desktop

So, the likelihood is that your website gets more visitors on mobile devices, but a lower percentage of those visitors convert.

By taking the time to make sure your website has a mobile-first design, you can improve the browsing experience and increase conversions within the largest segment of your visitors.

Here are some smart ways to boost your mobile site conversions:

• Ensure that your website is responsive and works seamlessly on mobile devices
• Optimize your checkout page so that it’s streamlined for use on mobile
• Create specific mobile-optimized CTAs that are shorter than your desktop ones
• Optimize your page for faster load speeds on mobile
• Leverage micro-moments and geolocation

Leveraging Desktop Strengths

Of course, ignoring your conversion rates on the desktop is a bad move. After all, a robust strategy should include driving higher levels of conversions across the board in order to capitalize on all traffic to your website.

Optimizing your desktop site will help you drive greater conversions on the platform where visitors are already more likely to convert.

Here are some smart ways to maximize desktop conversion rates:

• Use rich multimedia and interactive content to capture visitors’ attention
• Optimize your product pages and offer alternative products in order to capitalize on higher desktop purchasing intent
• Use multi-step forms to collect valuable data
• Personalize user experiences and marketing
• Segment your audience to offer bespoke communications and recommendations

Mobile vs Desktop Conversion Rates: Summary

There are significant differences in the conversion rates of mobile and desktop websites. While desktop sites generally offer better conversions than their mobile counterparts, mobile sites receive more traffic.

Whether desktop or mobile converts best for you depends on several factors such as your audience and what you offer. However, something that stays consistent is the fact that you need to optimize both platforms in order to create a robust strategy for scoring the most conversions.

In this guide, we’ve given you some top tips to help you make the most of both the mobile and desktop versions of your website. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to put these tips to use and boost your conversions across the board.

Written By

Owain Williams

I’m a freelance content writer at Website Builder Expert. I’m a bit of a business and marketing nerd and love sharing my knowledge and experience to help others achieve their business goals.

From complex engineering and brewing to international events and brand design agencies, I’ve worked in marketing roles for well over 10 years now. During this time I have set up my own content marketing consultancy and launched my own ecommerce business on Shopify.

Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to contribute to the marketing space in many ways. This has ranged from speaking at top marketing events and contributing to industry whitepapers, to writing content for leading websites such as MarketingProfs, Small Business Bonfire, Digital Doughnut, Neal Schaffer, and Social Pros.

I have also written for top brands including RedBull, Nestle, and Dr. Jackson.

You can find me on LinkedIn here.Owain started his marketing career as an apprentice for an international engineering consultancy – this is where he developed a skill for turning complex (and occasionally dull) information into exciting, easy-to-understand, and actionable content. Since then he has gained extensive experience in various business leadership and marketing roles in several areas ranging from brand design to ecommerce.

In 2017, Owain decided to pursue his passion for content and helping businesses grow. Roughly 12 months later he launched MAKE IT MANA – his content strategy and writing business. Since then Owain has managed several large-scale content projects and researched and written hundreds (possibly thousands) of pieces of content.

Specializing in topics surrounding business and marketing, Owain has worked with many marketing agencies, business software providers, and media sites to help them create content that is both high-value and actionable. He has also worked with several top B2C brands.

Owain was offered the opportunity to work with Website Builder Expert in 2019 and jumped at the chance – sharing in their vision to bring well-researched, high-quality, easy-to-understand, and actionable content to businesses that want to grow online. Since then he has written several of their most popular guides and articles, as well as consistently contributed to the research and briefing process for other pieces of content across the site.

Meticulous in his approach to research and writing, Owain delivers quality content on a huge range of topics for Website Builder Expert. However, you will notice that his passion for key marketing areas such as influencer marketing, social media, and content truly shines through.

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