According to one report, nearly 56 percent of all online searches are from a mobile device. It was just 10% in 2012 as told by the same report.
An increasing number of users are turning to mobile devices for web browsing, shopping, and other online activities.
Having no mobile SEO in place means you are missing out on those huge numbers of visitors. Sure, they can find your website on their mobile phones. But poor navigation, unresponsive design, slow loading time and annoying pop-ups are there to kill their experience. Poor user experience can cost you ranking and traffic.
And Google prioritizes mobile page load speed as an important factor when determining the ranking of your website.
No wonder why mobile SEO has become more important than before.
Mobile SEO is the process of optimizing a website for mobile devices.
Key Statistics Showing the Importance of Mobile SEO
With the increasing use of smartphones and mobile devices, mobile SEO has become crucial for businesses to reach their target audience effectively.
Let’s explore some key statistics highlighting the importance of mobile SEO.
- Statista reports that mobile phones contribute to a staggering 58.99% of all website traffic worldwide.
- More searches are taking place on mobile phones than desktops as found by Think with Google Think with Google.
- There would be nearly 72 percent of internet users access the web through their smartphones as predicted by CNBC.
- Over half of smartphone users, as reported by Think With Google, have discovered new companies or products while conducting searches on their mobile devices.
- Think With Google also reveals that 18% of local searches on smartphones result in a purchase within a day, compared to 7% for non-local searches.
- Think With Google finds that people who face negative experiences with a mobile website are 62% less likely to buy from the same website in the future.
(TIP: USE MOBILE-FRIENDLY TEST TOOL BY GOOGLE TO FIND OUT IF YOUR WEBSITE IS MOBILE RESPONSIVE)
How to Make Your Website Mobile SEO Friendly
Ensure Your Website is Mobile-Friendly
One of the most critical components of mobile SEO is making sure that your website is mobile-friendly.
Not only does a mobile-friendly website increase your search engine rankings, but it also improves user experience and increases traffic to your site.
Your website needs to be optimised so that it runs well on a variety of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Google and other search engines prioritise mobile-friendly websites in their rankings. Use a responsive design, which adjusts to the user’s device and screen size.
You can also ensure that your site is optimized for touch-based interaction, loads quickly, and has a simplified, mobile-friendly layout.
Use Responsive Design to Optimize for Different Devices
In 2023, the majority of internet users access websites on their mobile devices. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure your website is optimized for all screen sizes and devices.
One effective approach is to use responsive design, which adapts your website’s layout to fit the device being used. By using responsive design, you eliminate the need for multiple websites, as one website can adjust to any screen size.
Improve Site Speed and Loading Times
Slow-loading sites not only annoy users but also impact your ranking in search results. In 2023, as mobile usage is set to overtake desktop, Google is focusing on providing a faster and more efficient mobile experience.
Some of the basic site speed-improving tips include compressing the images, minifying HTML CSS and reducing the number of redirects on your site.
You can also test your site speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Pingdom, and make improvements accordingly. By improving your website’s speed and loading time, you can enhance user experience and boost your mobile SEO ranking.
Implement AMP to Improve Mobile User Experience
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a framework that creates faster and lighter versions of your website’s pages to improve the mobile user experience.
With the majority of web browsing now taking place on mobile devices, it’s essential to optimize your site for speedy loading times and smooth navigation on smartphones and tablets.
AMP helps you achieve this by stripping down the unnecessary elements of your site and presenting only the essential content. As a result, users are more likely to stay on your site and engage with your content, leading to lower bounce rates and higher conversions. By implementing AMP, you can also enjoy the SEO benefits of faster load times and improved user engagement.
Use Pop-ups Carefully:
Pop-ups are those little boxes that suddenly appear on your screen when you’re browsing a website. They are designed to grab visitors’ attention and get them to do something, like signing up for emails or downloading free stuff. Many companies use pop-ups to get you to take a specific action.
But here’s the thing: pop-ups can be annoying on mobile devices. If a pop-up takes up the whole screen on the phone, it can be frustrating. Your visitors won’t be able to see the information you wanted to see, and they might not even know how to close the pop-up. This can make you leave the website and go somewhere else.
If you use pop-ups, be careful about how to use them, especially on mobile devices. Too many pop-ups can drive people away. It’s better to use them sparingly and only in important parts of the page where the pop-up really matters. And there should always be an easy way to close the pop-up, like a big “X” at the top.
Optimize for Local Searches:
When it comes to making your website work well on mobile devices, one important thing to focus on is local SEO.
When people are looking for something nearby, they often use phrases like “near me,” “open now,” or “where can I buy.” To make sure your website reaches these people, you need to adjust your strategy.
One way to do this is by using local keywords. For example, if you have a coffee shop in ABC City, a good local keyword would be “coffee shop in ABC City”. When someone searches for a flower shop in their city, they are likely to use a phrase like that to find one.
By using local keywords, your website will show up more often in local search results. It’s a smart strategy to help you succeed with your mobile SEO plan.
Use Voice-Friendly Keywords:
Make it easier for people to find your website when they use voice search on their phones. Many people use devices like Alexa or Siri to search for things by talking instead of typing.
So, it’s important to use the right words that match how people talk. Instead of just short keywords, think about longer phrases that sound like questions.
For example, someone might type “buy iPhone 14” on a computer, but when they talk, they might say “Where can I buy iPhone 14?” By using these conversational keywords, your website will be more likely to show up in voice search results and help people find what they’re looking for.
Wrapping Up…
So these are some best tips to ace mobile SEO and ensure a good ranking for your website on mobile devices. What do you think? Let me know by commenting below!