Technical mobile search engine optimization (SEO) is, at its core, the optimization of the mobile version of your website. This is done so those conducting searches on their mobile devices can find your website as easily as they can on a laptop or desktop. All businesses have a mobile version of their website – and some businesses have never actually looked at their own.
According to one study, it’s more important than ever to pay attention: “31% of current cell internet users say that they mostly go online using their cell phone, and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer.” Here, we review how to implement your mobile site so that it is optimized for search on mobile devices.
This phone is made for more than talking (get it??).
There are three main methods for optimizing your mobile site, according to experts Vanessa Fox and Aleyda Solis, both of whom have written great summaries on the methods:
Mobile URLs
If your goal is to keep the mobile experience simplistic for your customers, having a separate mobile URL and overall mobile experience is a great idea. It means maintaining two websites, but those viewing your site on a smaller screen will appreciate the faster download time and the simple nature of your site. This is an especially ideal approach for those who aren’t redesigning anytime soon and have a complex site that is hard to replicate in the mobile environment.
Responsive Design
Responsive design is the building of your website to identify and scale to the specs of whatever device the consumer happens to be using to view it. Some great examples of sites utilizing responsive design properly include TheseAreThings.com and DadaabStories.org.
Sites that are designed to be responsive are well prepared for SEO because search engines only have to index them once. This is a great approach for a business that is about to undergo a redesign and has the ability to consider the technical implications responsive design requires.
Dynamic Serving
This option requires that your site be able to assess the device trying to read it, and then the site adapts to a separate experience for every instance. You’re still using the same URL, as with responsive design, but the content will likely appear differently from one device to another. This can definitely be a pricier and more technically difficult approach than the aforementioned, but you do have the ability to differentiate your content in the mobile scenario.
Gone are the days when the desktop or laptop was the only way to get to your favorite website.
In short, with each day, mobile devices become a more integral part of our lives and gain ground as our primary tools for search. It has become more essential that every business has a website that is optimized for mobile device searches.
With the different methods cited in this post, you have options for how best to implement your own technical strategy and make sure that your mobile customers can find you. Know of a great mobile site you’d like to share? We want to know about it!