Don’t Listen to Statistics
There are statistics everywhere. They can be very helpful in guiding us towards making better decisions. But, what happens if we listen to a statistic which isn’t correct?
Statistics is defined as “the collection and analyzation of data, for the purposes of presenting and using this information to the masses.”
Many businesses use statistical data, including ourselves, as a way to make better decisions. If the data is correct, it can help improve our decision-making process in many areas. If it is wrong, the results could be bad.
One statistic we hear often is “Internet usage is greater on mobile phones than desktop computers.” This shouldn’t surprise anyone, but is it true for everything consumers search for?
We put our own data to the test and have come up with our own belief.
There is no “one size fits all”, and we all must be careful in understanding the data. Every business type is different, from geography to level of competition – which all affects the stats. Many statistics are broad based. We should understand “our data” and “our existing and potential customers” to see if this is true for us. For example, in a rural area where cell coverage is poor, we can agree mobile search is minimal.
Our data in working with local businesses shows something very different from this broad statistic. Local searches for businesses are happening on desktops, whether organic or paid. We find desktop search is still ruling. Our data shows desktop search is outnumbering mobile search by 2:1 – yes, 67% of the time people are searching for a local business on a desktop. And of course this varies from business to business. For example, a local restaurant we track is showing almost 85% of their web traffic comes from desktop searches.
As you hear future statistics on consumer behaviors, consider the source, and ask questions specific to your business. It is the only thing that counts! (p.s. – these statistics have a 72% chance of changing over time!)