Mobile SEO is the hottest trend in the online world right now! In fact, you might be shocked to discover that over half of all searches online take place using a mobile device. It is no longer enough to simply focus on catering to desktop users, now you should understand how the mind of mobile users work. Though the different types of SEO play well together, there are certain strategies experts use that are specifically designed to understand the mobile crowd.
Know What Mobile Users Search
The search habits of mobile users is quite different than that of desktop users. Firstly, you will find that most people searching on a mobile device use short search terms as opposed to long tail keywords made popular for desktop users. Additionally, many searches made on a smartphone are local in nature as many people rely on their phones to help them get directions or to find a local company that meets their search criteria. When you compile keywords for your site, use short phrases as well as long tail keywords to help users find your business.
Social Media Comes First
Most mobile users want to be entertained when searching online, which is why the mobile version of your website should offer value entertainment for your visitors. In addition, make sure that you enable sharing via social media as almost all mobile users use popular social media sites on a regular basis.
Size Does Matter
One of the most important aspects of mobile SEO is creating a website that fits onto mobile screens with ease. Navigation that is horizontal can be cumbersome to deal with on a small screen, so a vertical drop down list can make your layout more mobile-friendly. It is common practice for businesses to only include the most important links in the mobile version of their site, but make sure you don’t leave out pages that are relevant to your business.
Develop A Mobile Site
Your website should be programmed for mobile search, and not just become an afterthought of the desktop version of your website. What that means is you shouldn’t just link a scaled-down version of your website to your main one and assume you’ve done everything to create a mobile-friendly experience. If possible, configure your servers to host the mobile version of your website as a sub-domain.
Don’t Force Mobile
Most websites are now able to detect if a website is being accessed through a mobile device and will automatically load the mobile version of the page. However, you need to provide your visitors with the option to revert back to the full site if they wish to do so by placing an obvious link at the bottom of the page. Most successful websites know that forcing users to access the mobile version of a website is bad SEO practice.
Enable The Click-To-Call Function
You will want your visitors to be able to call you directly from the mobile version of your website if they wish to do so. Enable the click-to-call function which activates your phone number as a link and allows users to call you directly using their mobile device.
Use Your Content Sparingly
It is very easy to get carried away with mobile website design and show the world your programming chops. Ultimately, loading a website with too many images, videos and JavaScript can freeze the mobile device, not to mention, eat up the data plan. Use your images and engaging content sparingly, and try to think things through from a mobile perspective.
Apps Aren’t Necessary
For banking websites, apps provide a resource that consumers are likely to use on a daily basis. However, most websites really can’t add different resources to the mobile version of their site and their apps. Well established companies like eBay employ apps to make shopping easier as well as the listing process. For the average business owner, the cost of designing an app is rarely justified.
SEO tips for mobile are going to be different than tips for desktop websites. You have to think like the average mobile user in order to design your campaign, and once you recognize the differences between users, you will find success!
Solar Flare Marketing is here to help you whether you need a simple mobile responsive update to your site or if you need a completely new 75 page website. Don’t let your competitors grab all the customers searching on mobile devices. Call us today to get mobile friendly today.
