LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms for professionals. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn allows people to connect with colleagues, find jobs, read industry news, and more. But given LinkedIn’s dual utility as both a social networking and job hunting site, an important question arises – do people tend to use LinkedIn more on their phones, or on their desktops and laptops?
The answer likely depends on what the user is trying to accomplish on LinkedIn. Those actively searching for a new job may be more likely to use LinkedIn on a desktop, where it’s easier to update your profile, search listings, and apply to positions. However, for brief check-ins like scrolling the newsfeed, connecting with coworkers, or sharing an article, the convenience of mobile may win out.
Looking at LinkedIn’s own data on this provides important insights into real world usage patterns.
LinkedIn Data on Mobile vs Desktop Usage
According to LinkedIn’s own statistics, mobile usage of LinkedIn has been steadily rising over the past decade. In 2012, LinkedIn shared that just 15% of their traffic came from mobile devices. However by 2016, that number had jumped to over 50%, indicating that mobile was becoming the dominant way users accessed LinkedIn.
By 2021, LinkedIn reported that 75% of their sessions globally originated on a mobile device. These numbers make it clear that accessing LinkedIn on smartphones has become the norm for most users. It provides the convenience of checking notifications, news and connections on-the-go.
However, LinkedIn’s data also indicates that desktop usage still retains an important, if smaller, share. As of 2021, 25% of LinkedIn usage still occurred on desktop and laptop computers.
Certain key tasks like updating profiles, searching jobs, writing long posts and messaging still lend themselves better to desktop and its larger screens and keyboards. Desktop also allows easy access for those working on computers in office settings.
So in summary, LinkedIn’s internal data shows a decisive tilt toward mobile access, but desktop remains relevant for a minority of important use cases.
Survey Data on How People Use LinkedIn
In addition to LinkedIn’s own data, several surveys provide further insight into how people use LinkedIn on mobile vs desktop in real-world settings:
– A 2021 survey by SocialPilot of 5000 LinkedIn users found that **87% used LinkedIn mobile apps**, while only 28% regularly used the desktop site.
– When asked about frequency of use, **68% said they check LinkedIn on mobile daily** compared to just 14% who check the desktop site daily.
– For their most common activities, **67% said they read newsfeed posts on mobile apps**, while **50% use the desktop site for sending messages**.
– The survey also found the **LinkedIn mobile app rated higher in satisfaction** than the desktop site, likely due to convenience and ease of use on-the-go.
| Device | Regular Use | Check Daily | Top Uses | User Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile App | 87% | 68% | Read newsfeed (67%) | Very satisfied |
| Desktop | 28% | 14% | Send messages (50%) | Somewhat satisfied |
– Similar results were found in a 2022 survey by Social Insider of over 600 LinkedIn users. **71% said they predominantly use LinkedIn on mobile**, while just 12% mostly use the desktop site.
– For activities, the mobile app accounted for **74% of newsfeed reading and 63% of profile viewing**. The desktop site was preferred for **messaging by 45%** and **searching jobs by 41%.**
– User satisfaction was again higher for LinkedIn’s mobile experience compared to desktop.
Key Survey Findings
The survey data aligns closely with LinkedIn’s internal mobile vs desktop usage breakdown. Key findings show that:
– The vast majority of people, about 70-80%, are accessing LinkedIn primarily via their smartphones. This allows convenient access on-the-go.
– Checking the newsfeed and viewing profiles are the most common mobile activities, while messaging and job searching remain strong use cases for desktop.
– Users report higher satisfaction with LinkedIn’s mobile apps compared to the desktop site. Convenience and ease of use are likely big factors.
– A minority of users, around 15-30%, still regularly utilize LinkedIn on desktop – likely for messaging, job searching, and accessing it while at a computer for work.
So in real-world usage, mobile access dominates, but desktop remains relevant for key functions like messaging and job hunting.
Industry Data on Mobile vs Desktop Usage
Looking beyond just LinkedIn, industry data on mobile vs desktop usage provides helpful context:
– According to StatCounter, as of 2022 **mobile devices account for over 50% of web traffic worldwide**. Desktop traffic is declining as global mobile penetration increases.
– Data from BuiltWith shows the percentage of website traffic from mobile averages around **55% across all sectors**. On many news and content sites, mobile traffic now exceeds 70%.
– For social media specifically, mobile dominates access. DataReportal indicates the average percentage of mobile use across social platforms is **above 80%**.
| Industry | Mobile Traffic Share |
|---|---|
| Global web traffic (StatCounter) | Over 50% |
| Websites – all sectors (BuiltWith) | Around 55% |
| Social media sites (DataReportal) | Over 80% |
This data shows that mobile has become the dominant form of web access across most industries and use cases. Social media in particular sees heavy mobile usage, given user habits of frequent check-ins and scrolling feeds on-the-go.
With 75% of traffic from mobile devices, LinkedIn’s mobile vs desktop ratio closely mirrors broader trends for social platforms. The convenience of accessing LinkedIn’s features through smartphones likely explains its heavy mobile skew.
Factors Influencing LinkedIn’s Mobile Dominance
What factors are driving the predominance of mobile access on LinkedIn compared to desktop? A few key reasons likely explain mobile’s rising adoption:
– **Smartphone penetration** – As smartphone ownership increases globally, accessing sites like LinkedIn on mobile becomes the default for most people. LinkedIn launched their mobile app in 2010, right as smartphone sales began to take off.
– **Convenience** – Reading newsfeed updates, commenting on posts, and sharing content on-the-go is more convenient than sitting at a desktop. The always-connected nature of mobile makes accessing LinkedIn a daily habit for many users.
– **User experience** – LinkedIn has invested heavily in improving its mobile apps, with features like notifications, messaging, and an AI-driven newsfeed tailored to user interests and connections. The user experience is now excellent on mobile.
– **Changing job search habits** – Even job hunting has begun shifting to mobile, with over half of all job applications now submitted via smartphone according to LinkedIn.
– **Remote work** – With more people working remotely outside of offices, mobile fills the gap for briefly checking LinkedIn during the day or while commuting.
While desktop retains users needing the larger screen and keyboard for messaging or job searching, convenience and mobility are the key drivers of mobile dominating access for most LinkedIn users.
Conclusion
The data makes it clear that mobile access now accounts for the vast majority of LinkedIn usage, with their own statistics showing 75% of sessions originating on mobile devices as of 2021.
Surveys of LinkedIn users confirm that around 70-80% predominantly use LinkedIn on smartphones and tablets, given the convenience for tasks like checking newsfeeds and profiles on-the-go. Messaging and job searching remain the lone holdouts still primarily done on desktop.
This mobile dominance mirrors wider trends of mobile devices generating over 50% of web traffic across sectors. For social platforms like LinkedIn, mobile is especially convenient for frequent check-ins throughout the day.
While a minority of users still utilize desktop for messaging and job hunting, convenience is king. LinkedIn’s leadership in mobile apps ensures that smartphones will likely continue driving the vast majority of its usage moving forward.
