We might not be qualified neuroscientists here at Net Visibility, but we do know a bit about how the brain works when it comes to online ads. And it turns out when it comes to conversions for those bigger purchases in life, size matters.
When you’re thinking about optimising your ads, and your website, it’s important to know what type of device your customer is likely to be using. Knowing this will help you improve the user experience and tailor your content to better meet their needs.
Grab a brew and we’ll share a few Net Vis brain-related insights with you!
Tell me about devices.
When we talk about devices, we mean the various screens people use to browse online: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Each device offers a unique browsing experience. Think about the devices you have and how and when you use them. With well over 50% of all global internet usage coming from a mobile device (smartphone or tablet) its highly likely you’re reading this blog on your phone.
Why do I need to track what devices people use?
Tracking the devices people use to access your website is crucial – by paying attention to this you can:
Different devices have different screen sizes and capabilities. By understanding which devices your visitors are using you can optimise your web layout, design and functionality to ensure a smooth user journey across all devices.
Mobile browsing continues to rise – if your website isn’t optimised for mobiles, then you’re losing out. It’s like trying to read a newspaper with a magnifying glass. Frustrating and (if you’re anything like us) you’ll soon lose patience and move on to another more accessible site.
By knowing what your users are viewing your ads on, you can work out which devices generate the most conversions. This allows you to optimise your budget allocation and tailor your ad strategy for each device type. For example, mobile ads might work better for driving web traffic, even if most of your conversions happen later on a desktop.
Here comes the (neuro)science bit…
Our brains are constantly adapting to the digital world. Neuroscientists are working hard to understand how we digest information online; revealing fascinating insights into how factors like screen size and content presentation influences our attention, focus, and decision-making. *
The bottom line is you need to tailor your content to fit the devices your audience use…
Designing for goldfish: why small screens need structure.
Our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. We consume information throughout the day on our phones in bitesize amounts. You need to take that into account when considering content strategy.
If your audience are predominantly visiting your site on mobiles, make sure your site is concise and packed with content. Make it easy to scan, with bold text, subheadings and visuals to break up the text. Effortlessly guiding users to perform the actions you require of them, whether that’s a quick purchase or filling in a form.
Don’t forget that most people hold their phones vertically – so make sure your layout accommodates that orientation.
Why bigger might be better – the big-screen effect.
Why is it that when we’re doing complicated tasks, like comparing insurance quotes, or booking a holiday, we gravitate to a bigger screen?
Studies suggest that larger screens offer some advantages when it comes to making important decisions:
Of course, it’s never an either/or situation when it comes to devices. As with many of the more ‘grown up’ purchases we make, most people do their early research on a mobile but convert on a desktop.
One of our clients rents holiday properties – who doesn’t love an idle scroll through potential holiday villas on their phone? But when it comes to making that final decision often, we opt for (quite literally) seeing the bigger picture before we convert. So, make sure you always optimise for all devices.
How do I tailor my ads to different devices?
Funny you should ask. We happen to have a lot of experience in this area!
Tailor your ad creatives (images, text, CTA) to each devices’ strengths and limitations. Larger, captivating images for mobiles, more detailed information for desktop ads.
Your ads are like interconnected pathways on your user’s journey. Each advert tells a different story – sparking interest on the mobile ad, offering product information on a desktop ad. Ultimately leading the user your site for conversion.
If you use tools like Google’s responsive display ads, you can also make your ads work across multiple devices to ensure a consistent brand message across platforms.
It’s not all about screen size…
In the end it doesn’t matter if a screen is big or small. As long as you know what device your user is accessing your site with, you can optimise their journey accordingly.
At Net Vis, we use a range of tools to track device usage and user experience on each device type. We decode the data for you and include it in your monthly report – so you always know who’s visiting your site and how.
If you’d like to know a little more about what devices your customers use, and how to increase user engagement by optimising your site and your ads. Then get in touch. Use an iPad, a mobile, a desktop or a laptop. It makes no odds to us – we’re optimised and ready for you!
* Want to read more about the science – this article talks about the impact of screen size on visual search tasks. Enjoy! Screen Size and Cognitive Performance: PMC article (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5597950/)
