With my new data collection methods it's become much easier to look at important website design and usability metrics. Computer speeds, internet connection speeds, mobile technology, and web browsers all play a pivotal role in our daily lives. A small change in any of those 4 parts of technology can force a complete redesign of your website.
Approximately every other month I'm collecting data about the latest web browser usage on jewelry websites. The last time I published these reports was May 28, 2012, Memorial Day in the USA. Let me repeat that these measurements are for jewelry stores only and not generic numbers for every industry.
Here's a quick reminder of the old measurements as of May 27, 2012:
38.18% Internet Explorer
19.83% Safari
19.65% Firefox
12.01% Chrome
6.33% Android Browser
1.83% Mozilla Compatible Agent
0.88% Opera
0.49% SeaMonkey
0.21% Mozilla
0.21% Opera Mini
Here's the most popular web browsers as ofAugust 2, 2012:
40.34% Internet Explorer
26.87% Safari
12.76% Firefox
11.12% Chrome
6.08% Android Browser
2.08% Mozilla Compatible Agent
0.25% Opera
0.19% IE with Chrome Flame
0.15% Opera Mini
I find it surprising that Internet Explorer is pulling ahead again. It's interesting that Firefox and Chrome are falling behind, but honestly when you think about it, these two browsers are popular with people who are more tech savvy.
I don't have demographic data, but my guess is that people who like pretty jewelry are more willing to use the default browser that their computer or smartphone comes with.
Take a look at Safari's numbers, they keep climbing. In September 2011, Safari was at 17.3% but now it's almost 10 points higher. I dug further into the Safari numbers and found that all iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod) account for 16.85% of that number.
According to my measurements, 25.18% of website visitors are using mobile devices of some type, 16% are iOS users.
These mobile numbers are going to get larger. There are many intricate parts of a website that simply do not work well with a touch screen. You've got to make sure your site does!
Users of mobile devices have an average bounce rate of 43.40% with 6.6 pages viewed per visit. PC users have an average bounce rate of 40.42% with 4.84 pages viewed per visit.
Mobile users are probably bouncing more due to connection drops and slow speeds, so I have to assume the mobile bounce rate is off. But clearly the mobile user is far more engaged and willing to surf longer.
Today's action plan is to make sure you include mobile in your holiday 2012 advertising strategy.
