Mobile and tablet traffic set to overtake desktop

Research by Intelligent Positioning has revealed the true extent of how far mobile and tablet traffic will grow halfway into the year.

According to their research, mobile and tablet traffic will outrun desktop traffic by July.

The research, based on examining 10 websites from a variety of areas, showed that mobile and tablet traffic increased from 22.8% to 37% in 2013 alone – a massive jump – while desktop traffic decreased from 77.3% to 62.9%.

Intelligent Positioning’s data showed that holiday periods had a significant impact on mobile traffic: it peaked during the summer in August, with tablet traffic sharply increasing during the Christmas holidays. Overall, mobile traffic rose at 140% during this time, with desktop declining by 2%.

If these trends continue in this fashion, the effects on brands and marketing will be significant. One can expect that marketing campaigns of all kinds will be primarily geared towards mobile users, as will apps, social media as well as websites becoming optimised for smartphone or tablet use.