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Sluggish mobile content engagement an opportunity for marketers: report

While half of online traffic related to content consumption comes from mobile, the engagement rate on smartphones is only 33 percent compared to 47 percent on desktop, according to a new report from BrightEdge. 

The findings underscore the need for better performing content on mobile and the significant opportunity available to marketers who get there first. Marketers are investing more in creating content and, as the volume of content increases, they have to compete more for consumer attention. 

?Mobile content can no longer be considered a ?secondary? concern for companies,? said Brad Mattick, vice president of marketing and products at BrightEdge. ?The payoff of high-performance mobile content is capturing the traffic and attention of everyone on their mobile devices. 

?And that's a big segment of your audience ? according to data from our Mobile Share Report, mobile traffic is set to grow by 50 percent this year alone,? he said. ?Making sure your mobile content is configured correctly for devices is also crucial. 

?Our data has showed that a little over 1 in 4 mobile sites are misconfigured which results in a whopping 68 percent loss of smartphone traffic. Those who can create effective content for mobile? They stand to capture up to 200 percent in lost traffic.?

Different content needs
The biggest driver of content performance is engagement. 

Mobile engagement with content consistently lags desktop across five key industries. 

In retail, desktop content has a 16 percent engagement rate while on mobile, the rate is only 8 percent. The gap underscores how consumers tend to spend more time on desktop devices to research and complete purchases while mobile is used for quicker, less-engagement rich reasons such as finding a nearby location.


In the insurance space, the rate of engagement is 28 percent on desktop and 20 percent on mobile. In business-to-business technology, the rate is 53 percent on desktop and 26 percent on mobile. In manufacturing, desktop commands a 54 percent engagement rate while mobile gets only 42 percent. In hospitality, the split is 87 percent desktop, 69 percent mobile. 

Localizing content
The report also highlights the need for content to be properly configured for mobile. According to BrightEdge?s data, more than one in four mobile sites is misconfigured, resulting in an average 68 percent loss of smartphone traffic to that content. 

As mobile use continues to grow, consumers expectations for high-quality content and a variety of content on their smartphones will increase. 

Best Western and The Home Depot, both BrightEdge customers, are currently doing a good job providing quality mobile content. 

?They are really digging in on understanding demand and creating mobile content that meets that demand at a hyper local level,? Mr. Mattick said. ?Both brands have worked to create mobile sites and content that's designed to meet the local demand for each bricks-and-mortar location. 

?So when people tap into their mobile content, they're getting the most relevant, engaging content for them,? he said. ?That's the kind of content that drives performance and, ultimately, conversions.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York