Mobile SEO
What is the relevance of websites optimized for mobile devices?
Frequently on the go, always carrying their phone with them – this characterizes today's society. It is therefore not surprising that already in 2015, more search queries were made via mobile devices than via the stationary desktop. Since then, the trend has intensified. This means that Mobile SEO and thus also Local SEO are becoming increasingly important. But what should a mobile website look like? And what needs to be considered for search engine optimization? You will find tips here.
Google's "Mobile First" approach: why Mobile SEO is part of the basics
"Mobile First" is an idea that Google has been pursuing for quite some time. Since March 2021, the search engine's crawlers, the Googlebots, only consider the information displayed on the mobile version of a website. Thus, only the Mobile-First index is relevant for the ranking of a page in the SERPs. For site operators, this means consequently
that they need to adapt their website for mobile use
that they need to optimally position themselves for Mobile SEO
The mobile-first index always refers to the content of a page and aims to ensure that the content is also available on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. Furthermore, the ranking factor "Mobile Friendliness" comes into play. This ensures that mobile-friendly criteria are met for better ranking. But what does this mean exactly for webmasters and website operators?
How does mobile SEO differ from regular SEO?
Users of smartphones or tablets search differently and, above all, they are looking for different information: Those on the go want to have specific information available quickly. Therefore, every website and online shop owner is advised to design special pages for mobile users and to use Mobile SEO for them.
A main aspect is the local relevance of a page: Someone at home looking for a nice restaurant for a date next Saturday wants to see beautiful photos on the website, the full menu, and the reviews from other guests. However, someone who is spontaneously plagued by hunger in the city just wants to know via a device like a mobile phone which restaurants are nearby, what type of cuisine they offer, and if the reviews are good.
The possibilities for implementing a mobile website
To make your own page and its layout ready for Mobile SEO, there are various options:
Responsive Design
Dynamic Serving
Separate mobile Website
Responsive Design
Responsive design means something like "reactive design." Page elements and layout adapt to the display resolution of mobile devices. The goal is to display the same content (possibly in a slightly modified appearance) on all viewports and ensure the same user-friendliness. Especially when elements disappear on certain viewports, scrolling becomes difficult, or views are distorted, it affects the user experience—and thus the conversion rate. A good user experience, on the other hand, lowers the bounce rate and increases the time spent on the page, which is positively viewed by search engines like Google. The implementation of responsive web design is done with HTML5 and CSS3.
Advantages
Easy to implement
Construction of a system, no different page versions as with Dynamic Serving
Hardware-independent design
Disadvantages
Possibly faulty display on complex websites
Dynamic Serving
Another way to adapt the website for mobile SEO is Dynamic Serving. In this case, different versions of a website are stored on a server. Depending on the device from which a request is made, the HTML code of the page also changes. If the search is made via a smartphone, the source code looks different than it does on a tablet.
Advantages
Suitable for more complex pages
Mobile page versions can cover specific mobile search intents and corresponding keywords
Disadvantages
Possible susceptibility to errors with some end devices
Adjustment necessary when new devices come onto the market
Separado móvil Sitio web
A dedicated website for mobile SEO can be useful when the different pages (desktop version and mobile version) pursue different goals. This approach is especially suitable for complex local SEO. Such a site can be marked with an "m." instead of the "www" in the URL or domain. A ".mobi" at the end of the address is also possible.
Advantages
Clearly marked for search engines
For very complex websites intended
Disadvantages
The danger of duplicate content, however, can be averted with canonical tags.
Same content on one page or not?
Whether the same web content is used for the mobile site as for the regular website also depends on the content. The "Corporate Identity" with color scheme and logo should of course be maintained. For mobile SEO, however, it can be advantageous if the mobile content is offered on its own URL with specific keywords. Smartphone users usually use shorter keywords or keyword combinations worth targeting. Especially when it comes to local SEO, optimization of search terms must take place. It is particularly worthwhile to focus on the common W-questions, which are also important for voice search with Siri and the like. Especially voice queries on a mobile device are one of the major SEO touchpoints.
Mobile websites are also often shared via social media, so "like" and "share" buttons play a significant role in mobile SEO: the strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, & Co. is, in turn, rewarded by Google with a better ranking.
Special form: App
Instead of a mobile website, there is still the option to develop an app. This is useful when a website enables functions such as price comparisons, bookings, and user communication. Thus, an app has a complex range of functions. At the same time, it is correspondingly time-consuming to develop and quite costly. Moreover, the target audience is limited to tablet and smartphone users. The advantage is, of course, that data is stored locally, allowing offline use. While apps are not relevant for mobile SEO in terms of search engines, their discoverability in the app store does play a role. This is referred to as App Store Optimization (ASO).
What needs to be optimized for Mobile SEO
Once the website configuration is in place, it is important to address the individual technical adjustments that are important for Mobile SEO. In doing so, user-friendliness must always be put to the test.
Check loading times and performance
If the user goes to a mobile website and several seconds pass, they will immediately bounce back. That is not a good signal for Google. Therefore, the page speed should be as high as possible. To accomplish this, several measures can be taken for Mobile SEO:
Avoid large files
Reduce Javascript, more CSS
Smaller and fewer images
Compress images
Load visible content first
Enable caching
Avoid redirects
The loading speed of an internet presence can be checked with the Google Page Speed Insights Tool.
Optimize the display area of a mobile website
Not to be forgotten is the display area. The page width should be oriented to the display size of a smartphone or tablet, so that the content is fully and clearly visible. This is especially important in responsive web design. After all, everything runs through a source code there.
Better user-friendliness
Usability, user-friendliness, occupies a high priority in mobile marketing. Basic optimization measures for this are:
Clear arrangement and structuring of the elements of a webpage
Avoidance of long click paths
Waiver of annoying pop-ups
Optimal size for buttons and elements and a well-chosen distance to other elements
Centrally accessible search function (ideally with auto-completion)
Easily readable font (Google recommendation: CSS base font size of 16 pixels), using text with high contrast
Same content for desktop display and for the mobile page
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO refers to a specialized form of search engine optimization designed to display regional businesses and services in search results. Especially because searches via mobile devices now make up the majority of inquiries, local search is gaining more relevance. Many people use Google on the go to find something nearby. All ranking factors that play a role in "normal" search engine optimization (such as backlinks or the use of keywords) generally apply here. However, a few additional criteria are added:
Local keywords (Example: eye doctor Heilbronn), the meta-data should also be oriented towards them.
Google My Business profile with company data such as address, city, and postal code
Reviews: Positive references are social signals for Google and beneficial for ranking
Backlinks from local websites: Even in local search engine optimization, link building as part of off-page optimization is a supporting pillar
Local reference in content
Local and Mobile SEO combined
It makes sense for Mobile SEO to consider local search. With smartphones and cell phones, it's easy to make inquiries while on the go. It's convenient when the user immediately sees that what they are looking for is nearby. Such search queries will be even better in the future with the use of artificial intelligence. For example, Google uses AI for local search. It allows users to upload an image to their smartphone and immediately see where they can get that or similar products. With an additional text query, even supplementary items can be found—for example, someone looking for matching clothing items in terms of color to a specific fashion piece.
Conclusion: Don't forget mobile SEO
In the digital age, speed and flexibility are what matter. That's why more and more online activities are taking place on devices such as smartphones, tablets, and others. The question is no longer whether shop operators need a mobile website, but rather how to implement it. Especially since local search engine optimization is becoming increasingly relevant, no one can avoid optimizing their site for mobile SEO and setting up regionally oriented landing pages. Those who are new to e-commerce and are just starting to set up their shop should think about equipping the online shop with responsive design, dynamic serving, or a separate website from the very beginning. We are also happy to assist you with local searches and mobile SEO.