First of all, it's important to explain what defines mobile first. It's an approach to website design and development that prioritises mobile devices (mobile phones, tablets...) over larger resolutions such as computers.

The aim is to ensure that the website provides an excellent experience for users accessing the site via mobile devices. The desktop version should be designed and developed at a later date.

Data from StatCounter (GlobalStats) reveals that in 2024 accesses by mobile devices in Europe totalled 53% and desktop 44%. Tablets were practically negligible with around 2% of accesses. You were probably surprised by this statistic. Nowadays we tend to assume that mobile access is much more significant than desktop access.

Well, the truth is that it depends a lot on the sector in which each business operates. While there are industries that appeal to younger targets and therefore have a greater tendency to have more significant mobile access, other sectors prove the opposite. Desktop is still very relevant, and sometimes more so than mobile.

When it comes to accessing websites, we can also see that there are differences in the behaviour of users who access via mobile devices and desktop. According to Semrush, in a 2024 study which analysed the 100 most visited websites in the USA, on the one hand mobile accesses represent a greater number of visits and unique users, on the other hand desktop visitors end up browsing more website pages per visit, and the average dwell time is also higher on these devices. Consequently, the bounce rate is lower for desktop visits.

What this study also reveals is that web access via mobile devices is more popular for quick answers and transactions, such as online shopping and accessing social networks. On the other hand, desktop web accesses are more discerning because they involve more complex tasks, with longer search times, and therefore result in longer website sessions.

Each target is different, and each sector has its own specificities. That's why it's crucial for each company to know its target audience and their online behaviour, in order to develop the web (and offline) tools that are most likely to succeed in its business strategy.

Does it always make sense to think mobile first? Our answer is: it depends. Never neglecting all versions: desktop, tablet and mobile, our focus is on guaranteeing an equally competent experience whatever the resolution through which the user accesses the website.