Understanding and exploring the difference between desktop and mobile content
The internet has drastically changed the way we live. The e-commerce business has changed the face of marketing, and with the advent of smartphones and tablets, consumers now have the essential information of products, like their price and quality, at their fingertips. Be it selling or advertising their products and services or merely engaging users with quality content, the medium plays an important role in the lifespan of any business. When we talk about the internet business, the focus should be on both desktop as well as mobile marketing. At home or outside, a consumer is constantly connected to the web, thus making it easier to reach out to them. However, the expectation of a consumer accessing a desktop is different from that of a consumer glued to a handheld device. It is important for marketing managers to understand the nuances of both and be able to lure customers into buying their product.
Size does matter
From a user’s perspective, clarity is a major factor. Be it news, a video, online shopping or any other activity, desktops provide ample screen space to fully capture the attention of a user and divert it to every little detail. Even for marketing managers, the desktop has more room to play with when compared to a mobile. Studies show that a PC or laptop is the most popular device used to surf the internet, with smartphones not far behind. The user of a desktop expects to see much more content than a mobile phone user who would prefer the content to be as precise and to the point as possible.
App advantage
The biggest advantage of mobile over desktop is the option of apps. Nearly 80 per cent of mobile users prefer apps over traditional browsing because of their convenience and elimination of unnecessary content. While desktop users might just log in to casually browse content, individuals who access an app are looking for something specific and might not need extravagant advertising to impress them. Hence, content writers and designers need to be careful and keep in mind the requirements of such users.
Sales and purchases
When it comes to online shopping platforms or any sort of e-commerce portals, most people choose to have a better look at the product on their desktops rather than on their mobile phones. Yes, the size does play a part in this, but the whole idea for them is to get a better visual of the product as a whole. As a result, people buying expensive, rare products will use desktops to get a better look, whereas individuals who use mobiles to make purchases might only want to buy general commodities due to the paucity of details.
Nature of users
People who have busy schedules or are often on the move would prefer crisp and relevant information delivered to them. Mobile users might not want to read or go through content that is long and time-consuming, unlike desktop users who would prefer detailed description over tit-bits and summaries.
Drawing a common line between mobile and desktop audiences is difficult. Audiences in both these categories have different expectations and different reasons to use their respective medium. Understanding the mindset and delivering precise content depending on the medium of usage can be very rewarding for content and marketing managers.