An Increasingly Mobile World Part 2: The Multi-screen User

Is your business ready for the ever-growing mobile market?somanyscreens

In part one of “An Increasingly Mobile World” we discussed selective mobile-only users and how this new trend will affect businesses and the workforce. If you missed part one you can catch up
here
. While important in their own right, SMOs are a relatively small portion of the mobile market. A different type of user has already emerged, one that commands a significantly larger share of the mobile market and demanding new, creative ways to deliver content: the multi-screen user.

Multi-screen users are using a combination of phones, tablets, computers, and TVs to consume 90% of all media. They use multiple devices to accomplish a goal or task in one of two ways: sequential usage and simultaneous usage. Sequential usage occurs when users move from one device to another at different times to accomplish a task. Simultaneous usage occurs when users use more than one device at the same time for either a related or unrelated activity.

For simultaneous users, smart phones are the most frequent companion. 78% of simultaneous usage is multi-tasking, and 22% is complementary according to a Google study. The most popular activities while consuming media simultaneously are emailing, browsing the internet, and social networking.

Nine out of ten people use their devices sequentially and 98% move between devices that same day. Sequential users are primarily searching, browsing the internet, and social networking. Smart phones are the common starting place; with most users continuing on PCs. Search is the most important aspect of sequential usage. Not only is search the top activity performed sequentially, consumers rely on search to connect their experiences between devices. This means that they search again on a different device to continue their task. Businesses best be sure their goals for conversion aren’t tied to one device.

Businesses must make applications accessible on all devices. The days of returning to your workstation to access information are over. Going mobile is no longer an option, it’s a requirement.

Image credit: adactio

By |2016-11-09T21:03:11+00:00January 5th, 2016|Mobile|