The Impact of Mobile on SEO

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We as internet marketers constantly look out for ways we can get the most out of search engines. Search engines in turn constantly look for ways in which they can make their searches fair. So search dynamics are constantly evolving. This is also very relevant in the mobile search scenario. Whether we’re building mobile apps for using websites or trying to optimize mobile websites for SEO, there are lots of things to take into account.

Here are the factors currently influencing mobile SEO:

The Role of Page Speed

Since processor speeds and internet connections of mobile phones aren’t as fast as those of traditional computers, mobile searches are slower. Even if there’s 3G or 4G internet on a phone, the speed cannot measure up to DSL and satellite speeds on computers.

So to get a good search engine ranking, it’s crucial for mobile websites and apps to load quickly. For this, you might want to use fewer images on a mobile website, make use of HTML5, or design a special app for running the site to address speed issues and improve SEO.

Size Is Important

Mobile users generally want information instantly and they tend to use shorter phrases for searching. Also because it’s less convenient to type on a smartphone than a standard computer, search phrases stay short. This indicates that short content that’s keyword rich is important for improved SEO.

Additionally, consider writing smaller text blocks for mobile sites. Mobile users have limited space for reading text and if there’s too much text, they’ll move off. Most of the larger cell phone models are not even one fourth the size of a regular laptop screen.

Local Results Do Better

Typically, people use cell phones to hunt for things close by when they’re moving around. For example, they might need information regarding where they could go for dinner or want to look for coupons of a store they are visiting. This indicates that local results have a greater tendency to show up in the search results of mobile search engines.

To improve mobile SEO, the way to go is the provision of content that’s likely to appeal to an increasing quantum of people who are working with their devices whilst they’re on the go. I agree that it’s difficult to rank well for all locations, but you can carefully zero in on areas that you want to target and optimize keywords accordingly. This will help drive local user traffic to your mobile site.

More Traffic with Social Media

One more important mobile SEO aspect to keep in mind is that people using smartphones are more likely to engage in social media than those who don’t. Studies have shown that mobile users spend much more time on social networks than on search engines. So to improve mobile SEO, stay active on various social media platforms and add social sharing buttons to gain extra traffic.

As user behavior changes, mobile searches are going to keep evolving and it’ll hold us in good stead to adjust our strategies accordingly.