Conversion Rate issue in Mobile Safari UI/WKWebView

[ron0211]

Hey all, hope you are doing ok.

I’ve been noticing a steady decline in conversion rate when customers browse my store through in-app browsers on iOS (like when they click a link from Instagram or Facebook and the site opens in Mobile Safari WebView rather than the native Safari app).

Literally these are the metrics:
Last year: Mobile Safari UI/WKWebView Conversion rate: 7,8%

Now: 0.86%

I’m curious if anyone else has seen something similar.  I’d love to hear what’s worked or have presented the same issue or if it's something related to technical issues in my store. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Bundler-Manuel]

Hello there Ron @ron0211 

If the difference in conversion rate is proportionately lower than when customers use the native Safari app, then the first thing you should try is placing an order on the store to see if all is well with the checkout process itself. 

Another thing would be to check on the links from social media leading to your store and test run that they actually bring back accurate results with the help of analyst/tracking tools.

[ron0211]

Thanks for your response! and yes, we have tried testing all the links from social media, actually we hired a QA agency to make sure about it, also the checkout process looks fine. This is an issue we are dealing wirh for months, and 4 days ago conversion rate went even lower. I was trying to research and I think some privacy things with IOS is related here.

[Website_Speedy]

Hi @ron0211 

A significant drop in conversion rates from 7.8% to 0.86% on Mobile Safari UI/WKWebView can be concerning, but there are a few common causes and solutions to explore:

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Browser-Specific Issues: There could be compatibility issues with Safari’s UI/WebView (commonly used in mobile apps). These can affect how your site loads or functions on these devices.
2. JavaScript Issues (Performance & Functionality):
• Solution: Minimize and defer non-essential JavaScript. Ensure that critical scripts, such as those for form submissions, pop-ups, or checkout functionality, work as expected on Mobile Safari.
3. Page Load Time & Mobile Performance:
• Solution: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to specifically check how your site performs on Mobile Safari and within the WKWebView environment.
4. Image Optimization:
• Solution: Compress your images and use next-gen formats like WebP to speed up load times.
5. Lazy Loading:
• Solution: Implement lazy loading for non-essential resources (images or scripts) to ensure faster page loading.

UI/UX Specific Issues:

1. Pop-ups, Forms, or Checkout Issues:
• Pop-ups interrupting the user experience can impact conversion rates. Consider optimizing or reducing them.
2. Mobile Responsiveness:
• Solution: Review how your site looks and functions on Mobile Safari. Ensure it’s user-friendly and intuitive, making any necessary adjustments to CSS or media queries to improve interaction.
3. Mobile Navigation:
• Simplify mobile navigation to enhance ease of use, particularly on Safari.

By addressing these areas, you should see improvements in your conversion rates on Mobile Safari and WKWebView, bringing them back to optimal levels.

If you’d rather streamline the optimization process, you can try our Website Speedy app, which comes with a 14-day free trial. It automates optimization for you. You can check it out here: Website Speedy App.

(Disclaimer: We are the developers of this tool and are happy to answer any questions you may have.)