Why Mobile Matters Most for Publishers

Mobile traffic now accounts for the majority of digital news consumption. While exact figures vary across markets, one major UK publisher - The Guardian - recently reported that 75% of its daily digital audience visits via mobile. It’s a strong signal that for many publishers, mobile now dominates total engagement numbers.

So why is it that some publishers still treat mobile as the secondary experience?

In this post, we’ll explore how publishers can better serve mobile users, why video UX matters more than ever, and what you can do to increase engagement and commercial returns from your mobile audience - without needing to rebuild everything from scratch.‍

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Mobile-first doesn’t mean mobile-only - but it’s where the gains are

While desktop still plays an important role for long reads and in-depth research, mobile is where users casually browse and catch up on the day’s headlines. It’s also where many users are most likely to engage with short-form video and social content.

But for too many publishers, the mobile video experience is still an afterthought. Think small player windows, clunky buttons and controls, or endless scrolls before a video even appears.

This matters because mobile users behave differently - they’re less patient, more distracted, and quicker to bounce if something doesn’t load fast or fit the screen properly. Even the smallest friction point can cause you to lose a viewer.

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Improve the experience and the results will follow

Optimising your mobile video experience doesn’t require a ground-up rebuild. Often, it’s about smart tweaks that remove friction and help users get to the content they want faster.

Get it right, and you’ll see higher engagement, stronger retention, and better monetisation across the board.

Some examples we’ve seen work well:

• Make video prominent: don’t bury it halfway down the page. Give it real estate, and make it scroll-stopping
• Use auto-play wisely: consider muted auto-play for featured content to catch attention without being disruptive
• Prioritise touch-friendly design: buttons, players, and swipe areas all need to feel intuitive on smaller screens
• Contextual recommendations: help viewers discover more relevant content without needing to navigate away

And don’t overlook vertical video. With so much mobile usage happening in portrait mode, it makes sense to meet users where they are - literally - with one study by Mediabrix showing that vertical video completion rates are 90% higher than horizontal on mobile. 

Whether through vertical-first formats or smart repurposing of existing content, publishers can experiment with storytelling styles that feel more native and immersive - especially when paired with a clean, mobile-first design.

Better UX helps keep users around. Improving mobile video design can lead to significant gains in session duration. It can be a simple change, with real downstream impact.

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Apps: your mobile power play

If mobile web is where casual users land, then apps are where your most loyal -  and most valuable - users live.

Whether your model is ad-supported, subscription-based, or a mix of both, a well-designed app offers clear advantages. It gives you full control over the user experience, enables deeper engagement, and delivers the kind of premium feel that audiences increasingly expect on mobile.

Native design elements in iOS and Android help create a fast, fluid, and intuitive interface - one that’s tailored for smaller screens, and optimised for content discovery, playback, and re-engagement.

Some of the benefits we see across publisher apps:

• Stronger engagement: app users typically watch more video, for longer
• Higher ad performance: cleaner design and better viewability often lead to stronger CPMs
• Deeper personalisation: apps allow smarter use of data to drive relevance and retention
• Direct engagement: push notifications remain one of the most effective tools for driving video views

And if you're running a subscription or membership model, an app becomes even more valuable. It’s often the best place to onboard new users, deliver a frictionless content experience, and build habits that keep subscribers coming back.

For publishers looking to future-proof their audience, apps can also help bridge the gap between younger mobile-first users and higher-value engagement. By offering a premium experience early - even before someone subscribes - you’re building the habits and trust that make long-term loyalty possible.

Apps aren’t just another way to reach your audience - they’re a direct line to the users who matter most.

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Don’t leave mobile money on the table

When the mobile experience works, so does the business model: publishers that improve video UX can see significant revenue lift. Internal benchmarks across several publisher implementations also point to clear gains when mobile is treated as a first-class platform.

Optimised video doesn’t just look better - it performs better.

If your mobile experience isn’t working hard enough, we’d love to help. Whether you're looking to make tactical improvements or planning a wider mobile upgrade, our team is here to lend a hand.

Let’s meet the audience where they already are - and make their experience worth sticking around for. Talk to us and find out how.