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Google Mobile SEO

As more people switch over to smartphones, mobile search is becoming all the more important. With nearly half of searches coming from mobile web browsers every month, it is important to have your site mobile-friendly so users can access your site from their phones. Without this, you could be missing out on a great deal of potential business.

Of course, with StatCounter you are able to track where your visitors come from, including how many searches were from mobile devices, and how users interacted once they were on your site. This will give you unique insight as to how important mobile search is to your website or business and how you can improve your site for such devices. Additionally, some search engines, like Google, will penalize websites that are not mobile-friendly, making it more difficult to appear in search results for the keywords you are aiming for.

Suggested Reading

For further information in regards to Google and the SEO strategies for such, take a look at the pages provided below:

Why Mobile SEO is Important to Google

As mobile traffic continues to make up a larger percentage of Google’s overall traffic, Google, in turn, continues to deliver strong penalties for websites that aren’t mobile-friendly. This is because Google and other search engines want to serve the best websites at the top of search results, and if a site isn’t responsive for nearly half of the searches, the site isn’t nearly as important in their eyes.

Additionally, having a mobile-friendly site should be important to website owners because it can help drive more traffic than it otherwise would have. The user experience can easily be improved by having a mobile-friendly website that works properly and is easy to navigate. Having a clickable phone number is a good way to get started in this endeavor, as this makes it easier for visitors to contact you.

Another reason why mobile SEO is important is social media sharing. Social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, are some of the most utilized applications and websites used on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website is more likely to get shared and viewed on mobile devices than on a desktop computer. Also, social media posts can appear in search results, making it all the more important to have a sound social media presence, and that begins with a mobile SEO site.

Facts

As of 2016, over 50% of total search queries on Google come from mobile devices, and the number continues to increase. In fact, nearly 60% of US web users search on Google from their mobile devices.

Note: Statistics provided by Search Engine Land

Best Practices for Mobile SEO

Seeing as having a mobile friendly site is of so much importance, selecting the right mobile SEO tactics can help improve your website’s performance in search results. Many website templates have a mobile friendly version included. If you chose a template like this, odds are you won’t have to do much. If you don’t have an easy option, you may need to hire someone who can help. It’ll be worthwhile, though, as many of the mobile SEO tactics to follow are quite necessary to keep mobile users satisfied and on site.

Pay Mind to Site Design and Navigation

The first order of business in creating a mobile friendly website is ensuring your mobile site is easy to use and navigate. Be sure the buttons and links on your site are sized correctly so they aren’t accidently clicked when the user is scrolling through your site. Any issues with navigation and design will ultimately increase your bounce rate and hinder your ability to rank in search results.

Keep CSS, JavaScript, and Images Unhidden

Considering how advanced mobile devices have become, they can support many elements a desktop can. With this, it’s essential to keep CSS, JavaScript, and the images on your site unhidden. Plus, it’s these elements that help Google determine the type of mobile site at hand.

Avoid using Flash

Despite the advancements in mobile devices, many still don’t support Flash or don’t have the plugin for such. Considering this, those users will unfortunately not be able to view anything utilizing Flash.

Ensure Optimal Page Load Speed

You will want to be sure your website’s page load speed is fast, as this is even more important on mobile sites due to hardware and connection issues. You can increase your page load speed by minifying coding and reducing redirects. Be sure to run a Google Page Speed Test to discover any issues with your site’s load time.

Consider Mobile-Optimized Pages

Another sound mobile SEO strategy you will want to consider is Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). This project allows pages to load immediately when clicked on, allowing for a better user experience. AMPs are specific to mobile web browsers and have been utilized by many news organizations and websites worldwide.

Optimize for Local Search Results

Whether you’re a local service provider or have a physical storefront, the mobile aspect of your website should also be optimized for local search results. In ensuring such, place the city and state in title tags for each of your pages and have it accessible at the top of the home page. Both the phone number and address for your business should be clickable, as well. This way, users can easily call you with the click of a button or get directions to your storefront.

Don’t Forget Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Keep in mind, mobile devices have far less space on the screen than a desktop or even a tablet. Considering this, you’ll want to ensure your title tags and meta descriptions on each page will display fully on a mobile device. Keep both as concise as possible, including the keyword for each page and some quick, descriptive text.

Pro Tips

As you implement the changes suggested above to improve the mobile usability of your website, you can utilize a range of tools to see how your website appears for mobile users. This way, you can ensure you’re making the necessary changes to your website and see how the changes appear.

Measure Your Google SEO Efforts with StatCounter Insights

Now that you understand the importance of having a mobile friendly site, especially with regards to Google SEO, you will need to track your performance to find areas that need improvement. With StatCounter, you can track the progress you have made on your website through our SEO resources to ensure your website is competitive online. If you are in need of assistance, you can contact member support by filling out the form below.

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