An overwhelming 88 percent of Americans are fed up with mobile apps and websites that load too slowly, according to Mountain View, Calif.-based testing software provider Soasta. The firm recently released the results of a survey of more than 2,000 people to gauge their sentiment around mobile sites and apps.
- The most common negative feelings Americans go through when an app or site doesn't load is annoyance at 75 percent, followed by frustration (69 percent), but nearly 20 percent said they also feel distrust--wondering if they have somehow been hacked.
- Seventy-two percent said the most important usability factor around apps and websites is that it works whenever they need it, followed closely by apps that load quickly or without any waiting time, at 62 percent.
- An app's entertainment value is not to be overlooked, with 38 percent citing that as the the most important usability aspect.
- Forty-five percent of those surveyed said they expect mobile apps and websites to provide trustworthy results.
- Sixty-two percent said they tend to blame their device, network or something else when a failure occurs.
"If companies want to remain competitive in the modern landscape, they need their web and mobile websites to engage the user and work as expected. Those that are creating a seamless and enjoyable online user experience are reaping the benefits," said Soasta.
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Source: Soasta |
Soasta, perhaps not surprisingly, released the survey results in conjunction with the launch of a product called mPulse that performs what it calls real user monitoring. Though probably aimed more at enterprise users, particularly e-commerce stores, there's a free "lite" version that may provide some metrics developers could use.
Overall, the data reinforces much of what has been tracked in this area by similar surveys. If nothing else, developers should take heed that, as usage of apps and sites increases, consumer expectations aren't getting any lower.
For more:
- see this blog post
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