Is Desktop Browsing Really Dead?

The numbers are likely to climb even higher over the next few weeks, as more devices fly off the shelves in advance of Christmas. If sales figures are any indication, the oft-recited prediction that smartphone andtablet browsing will replace mobile desktop browsing by 2015 may very well come to pass.

Proof that Desktop Browsing can Survive

So yes, mobile web design and mobile app development are clearly where today’s web marketing firms want to be. But what about their clients who just aren’t ready to launch mobile sites? Can they survive, or is the desktop just dead? Here is some data that may provide an answer.

• 73% of users still prefer the desktop for conducting surveys and performing research
• 57% of users still prefer the desktop for reading and sending emails
• 54% of users still prefer the desktop for engaging on social media
• 57% of users still prefer the desktop for reading the news

Source:

To be fair, three-fourths of those figures come very close to drawing a line directly down the middle between mobile and desktop usage. Regardless, they prove that desktop browsing is still a common practice that many people just aren’t ready to give up on entirely. And truthfully, they may never be.

Striking a Balance

If your company has yet to launch a mobile site or take advantage of mobile application development, the reality is this: You are falling behind. No matter what the industry is, a mobile website is necessary in today’s increasingly mobile culture.

At the same time, who’s to say some of your prospective customers aren’t finding you from desktop browsing? As the data above reveals, many users still perform desktop searches for a variety of reasons. That is why it is so important to strike a balance between both your mobile and desktop websites. Allocating a budget to each may be the key to achieving the conversions you are after.

Choosing a Web Design Path

Alternatively, you may wish to hire a high end web design firm that provides responsive web design; this service involves designing one website that can be accessed from both mobile and desktop devices.

Whichever option you choose, make sure the firm you contact is qualified to design websites for businesses like yours. Crest Media has designed sites for businesses from a multitude of industries; we will be glad to provide you a free web design consultation.