Last week, I talked about how I’ve been experimenting with monetizing mobile traffic using the WPTouch mobile theme and AdSense.
Another great feature of WPTouch is that it allows you to post metrics code into the the ads, so you get a true picture of how many people are viewing your site not only on the normal theme, but also on the mobile one.
I’ve been using WPTouch for a number of months now, but I’d never added Google Analytics code to it. As a result I was undercounting visitors to my site.
A few days back, I added Google Analytics code to my WPTouch theme, and was amazed to see just how many of our viewers are viewing the site using that theme. Following is a chart of mobile device viewers accessing Digital Photography School. Up until I added the Analytics code, it was only counting mobile device users who were using the normal dPS theme—it wasn’t counting those using WPTouch.
Since I added the code, the stats skyrocketed from an average of 700 a day to around 4000 a day! That means about 5% of the blog’s readers now view it on mobile devices.
Again, this isn’t an increase in actual traffic: it’s just a more accurate count. But it’s worth noting that if you are using a mobile version of your site, you should pick a theme that you can measure.
Hi Darren,
Thanks for the tip. I bought and installed WP Touch after your review. However, I did not install the Analytics code. I will install it right now.
Thanks.
Thats nice. Thanks for sharing this little secret. I ll add it right away!
I have been using MobStac for redirecting and rendering mobile traffic on my blog. MobStac is very easy to setup, provides basic analytics and also allows you to show adsense ads. http://technofriends.in/2010/07/29/get-your-blog-mobile-ready-in-5-minutes-for-free/
I have been thinking recently with all the development in smart phone technology people are going to start using mobiles to browse more and more. I bet in about ten years phones will be almost level with computers for internet browsing. Also thanks for releasing stats. Always good to know how well you are doing.
Nice to know this, I ll have to wait a bit though, my blog is real new and isnt seeing a lot of traffic yet (but increasing nicely week on week)
Interesting. I really need to get on the mobile devices bandwagon, I feel like I’m missing out on lots of traffic as you have shown.
To me, mobile traffic is something to consider seriously. more, people now browse with their phone. money from that angle cannot be easily ignored. there might really be more to it than one can imagine.
Hey Darren,
Im reading your blog from my mob every night in my bad (typing this comment from my mobile actually). I might consider to put analytics code to my mobile optimized theme too. Thanks for the advice!
I learn so much from your blogs. Even someone as non-technical of me feels so warm inside knowing these things can be easy to understand. Thanks for that!