If you are not optimising your content for mobile SEO, you are missing out on a chance to reach your audience more effectively. As Google’s Mobile First approach shows, mobile devices are fast overtaking desktops as the primary way that people find information online. Websites that have not yet adapted to mobile find themselves losing out to those that are responsive, fast, easy to use and geared towards local search.
Which elements are most important for a successful mobile SEO strategy? How important is mobile in the broader SEO landscape? Keep reading to find out.
Mobile SEO Essentials
According to Google, in 2016, nearly 40% of people searched only on a smartphone in an average day. Google has slowly been making the move to rank pages based on mobile versions of websites rather than desktop versions. What this means for businesses is that mobile SEO can no longer be ignored. Some of the most important essentials to ensure that you don’t miss out on the growth of mobile search include the following:
- Responsive design. Websites that can be easily read on any device – desktop, tablet or smartphone – will always do better in the SERPs. Those that are not responsive will end up losing their hard-earned place to websites that are responsive.
- Page speed. Likewise, mobile pages should be fast to load. Slow mobile websites have a higher bounce rate – especially if they use up a lot of bandwidth. If your website is responsive and fast loading, you are already winning.
- User experience. Another major factor that influences mobile site ranking is the overall user experience. Websites that are easy to use, with forms that can be easily filled on small screens and other elements that add to the overall experience will also do better online.
- Localised search. In 2016, Wordstream stated that 72% of consumers doing a local search visited a store within five miles. Search Engine Watch noted that Google “near me” searches had increased by two times in 2016 alone. Using keywords that are designed for local search will help brick and mortar businesses significantly.
At the end of the day, whether or not your website is optimised for mobile marketing will make all the difference to how well your business grows in the next few years. A site that is optimised for mobile SEO will almost always be able to scale and grow as the mobile era continues.
