The share of website traffic coming from mobile devices has grown enormously over the past decade. In fact, mobile has overtaken desktop as the leading source of website traffic in most parts of the world.
What percentage of web traffic is mobile vs desktop?
According to Statcounter, as of October 2022, globally 52.64% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, while 45.74% comes from desktop. This represents a complete reversal from 10 years ago in 2012, when desktop accounted for 84.8% of traffic and mobile only 14.4%.
| Year | Mobile | Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 14.4% | 84.8% |
| 2022 | 52.64% | 45.74% |
The rise of mobile has been driven by the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, as well as improving mobile internet connectivity. Today, most people browse the web primarily through mobile apps and mobile browsers.
Mobile vs desktop traffic by region
The mobile vs desktop split varies significantly by region. In general, developing countries with limited desktop infrastructure tend to have higher mobile traffic shares. Mature markets with strong desktop penetration like North America and Europe have more balanced mobile/desktop splits.
Here is the mobile vs desktop traffic split for some key global regions as of October 2022 (via Statcounter):
| Region | Mobile | Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 77.92% | 20.44% |
| Asia | 71.33% | 27.51% |
| Europe | 52.92% | 45.62% |
| North America | 44.51% | 54.38% |
| South America | 67.97% | 30.75% |
As you can see, regions like Africa and Asia now get over 70% of their traffic from mobile, while desktop remains dominant in North America.
Mobile vs desktop organic search traffic
Looking specifically at organic search traffic, mobile now accounts for 61.11% globally vs 36.54% from desktop as of October 2022.
Google has driven this trend, as over 60% of Google searches now originate on mobile devices. Understanding how to optimize for mobile SEO has become crucial for ranking highly.
| Source | Mobile | Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Organic Search | 61.11% | 36.54% |
Mobile vs desktop organic search by device type
Looking deeper at organic search, traffic patterns vary by mobile device type:
| Device | Share of Organic Search |
|---|---|
| Smartphones | 50.15% |
| Desktops | 36.54% |
| Tablets | 10.96% |
Smartphones now drive 50% of all organic search traffic globally. Optimizing for voice search is becoming increasingly important as people rely on assistants like Siri.
Ecommerce website mobile vs desktop traffic
Looking specifically at ecommerce websites, mobile is responsible for an even greater share of traffic compared to websites overall.
According to BuiltWith, the average ecommerce site gets 69.4% of its traffic from mobile devices. This is significantly higher than the overall web average of 52.64%.
| Channel | Mobile | Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce websites | 69.4% | 30.6% |
Many consumers now prefer to shop online through their phones and tablets. Having a seamless mobile ecommerce experience is more important than ever.
Mobile vs desktop ecommerce sales
Interestingly, while mobile accounts for 69.4% of ecommerce traffic, the split of sales is more balanced between mobile and desktop.
According to BuiltWith, the average mobile conversion rate is 1.15%, compared to 1.73% for desktop. As a result, desktop accounts for 44% of ecommerce sales on average, while mobile is 56%.
| Channel | Sales |
|---|---|
| Mobile | 56% |
| Desktop | 44% |
These numbers can vary substantially by vertical and product type. But in general, desktop conversion rates remain higher despite lower traffic share.
Conclusion
Mobile has overtaken desktop to become the top source of website traffic globally. However, desktop remains relevant for conversions, sales, and monetization.
The best strategy is to invest in both mobile and desktop optimization. Key priorities include:
- Mobile-friendly, responsive website design
- Accelerated mobile pages
- App download promotion
- SMS/messaging integration
- Seamless checkout experience
- Google Analytics setup and conversion tracking
Monitor your mobile vs desktop site metrics closely. Experiment and refine your optimization approach based on real user data. Keeping up with mobile and desktop trends is crucial for driving results across all channels in today’s multi-device world.