Why everyone doing mobile commerce needs to start using conversational interfaces
If you don’t remember, or weren’t there to witness this - the landscape of internet-connected devices has changed drastically over the past 20 years. Terminals were the first port of entry to the information highway, and desktops made it accessible to the general population. I can still remember using my landline connected via modem to my Commodore Amiga (RIP!) to access Bulletin Board Systems and stay up all night on countless forums discussign the latest in demo scene events.
Once smartphones came onto the scene, everyone ended up with a web browser in their pocket. The moment we got hooked on them, it was impossible to imagine life without them. These days, you can even access the internet through connected devices like Alexa, smart appliances, smart whiteboards, video game consoles and countless other pieces of hardware.
How websites became Dr Frankensteins’ nightmare somewhere in the process
Comparing today’s sites with the very first ones feels like peering at the artifacts of an ancient civilization.
Simple text pages started things off, and websites like Craigslist stick to that basic interface. As technology moved forward and connection speeds increased, graphical-rich user interfaces became commonplace. The standard width of the sites matched the most common monitor sizes, and then smartphones and tablets emerged.
Many businesses developed mobile-friendly or mobile-optimized versions of their websites to accommodate these devices. Sort of one-size-fits-all solutions. The rationale was there — the introduction of responsive web design made it possible to use a single design that adapted to the screen size of each device. For more thoughts on RWD, be sure to check out why “Mobile is not about Responsive Design”.
New Kinds of Interfaces Are Needed for Today’s Mobile Environment
Today, mobile devices make up 70 percent of web traffic, but only 35 percent of internet-based transactions take place on them. One of the biggest barriers to mobile purchases may well be the ubiquity of Responsive Design. As will all lowest common denominators, RWD was unable to take full advantage of each mediums’ specific features and fully cater to each audiences’ unique use cases.Having “the best of both worlds” turned into “the meh of both worlds”.
Why? Because when mobile users get on their phones and tablets, they don’t interact online the same way they would when they have a keyboard and mouse at their computers. In particular, the younger demographic spends a lot of time in messaging apps, Snapchat, Instagram and other conversational platforms. Take a look at Snap — it’s user interface conventions are mostly invented for the task of quickly sharing content. Sure, the learning curve is steep, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quick and addictive.
They employ emojis, pictures, GIFs and voice to communicate with the apps and web browser. ComScore predicts that half of all internet searches will be via voice input by 2020. If you want your mobile commerce conversions to surpass the desktop numbers, your UI needs to adapt and become mobile native.
The Benefits of Mobile-Native Interfaces
A switch to a conversational, mobile-native interface will quickly get adopted by your mobile traffic. Why? Because it’s already familiar to anyone with a smartphone.This approach aligns with the way they use their mobile devices and their preferred input methods.
Since you’re reaching them in a way that feels natural to the mobile environment, you can encourage higher conversion rates compared to the UIs that are developed with a desktop-first style. For example, a Shopify store could offer mobile visitors a search that allowed them to explain, in natural language, what type of products they’re looking for.
Mobile-native interfaces also put you in a position to better serve internet traffic from connected devices. Their numbers are expected to reach 25 billion in 2025, and they’ll be present in every aspect of daily life. In some cases, no visual interface is present, as voice control powers this equipment. The same way as all payments will become mobile payments, all e-commerce will become mobile commerce.
By converting your e-commerce website into a conversational form, you reduce the friction that prevents mobile users from converting. They don’t have to struggle with an interface that is better suited to an older way of interacting with technology.
You can better serve your customers today and prepare yourself for the next major UI shift that’s already started. This competitive advantage can make the difference between building up a long-term, loyal customer base and losing them to a company that’s more in tune with the mobile e-commerce environment.
