What is a Mobile Optimized Site?
Many of the fundamental optimization elements of mobile SEO are identical to desktop such as good rich content, natural backlinks and relevant keyword optimization. However, there are a number of techniques that are used to strengthen search signals.for mobile devices.
Some key optimization elements specific to mobile search :
- Mobile Friendly Web Presence
- Local SEO
- Google and Apple iOS Maps
- Voice Search (Siri, Cortana, Okay Google)
Mobile Friendly Web Presence
Google highly recommends a responsive design that will respond and work in all the various devices that we all use. Desktop, phone, tablet, phablet… when someone wants your services, you should be able to provide a website that caters to all.
I’m not sure how Bing and Yahoo feel, but Google feels so strongly that your website be mobile-friendly that they offer any mobile responsive design a Google Mobile Search ranking boost. They also have tons of tools and articles out there to help you reach that goal.
Local SEO
According to Google, 4 in 5 consumers conduct local searches on search engines. And yes, Local Search is important for both Mobile and Desktop. However, mobile searches being of a more immediate need, such as business hours, phone number, directions to store, etc., search results are providing more local info for their users. So make sure your business is listed!
From Google My Business, Bing Places, Yahoo’s Localworks… and so many more. There are places out there to list your business and build its presence.
A few tips : Use exact location information. Get past clients and patrons to post reviews. If they let you add photos, add ’em. Fill out all the information to its fullest!
Google & Apple Maps
Apple and Google Maps are both scored in comScore’s top 25 mobile apps in the USA. This location and directional information is often used solely on mobile devices. With so much consumer usage it is vital that this information be up-to-date and optimized. Proper local listings optimization is a starting point but specific tweaks are often required in Google Maps via Google Map Maker and Apple Maps via Apple Maps Connect.
Voice Search
Hands-free searching is utilized on mobile devices more and more often. Bing states that 25% of all their searches are voice searches. Voice Search in general has been primarily used for local search and location information, but as people get more comfortable with using it, the mobile search landscape is expanding.
Optimizing your site for voice search is very different then optimizing for traditional search queries. The text-based interface and keyword-driven algorithms of the past forced searchers to enter terse search queries that contain just the relevant keywords with all sentence structure stripped away.
Voice searches are much more conversational using natural language. So instead of searching for “Maui vacation rental” people using a Voice Search may say something like “where can I find a nice vacation rental on Maui?”
In Conclusion
Google said back in May of 2015 that “more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the US and Japan.” With more Internet searches happening everyday on mobile devices, I have an inkling that search engines will only continue to further calibrate their mobile search algorithms and displayed results to accommodate the differences and limitations of searching on all the various devices. Who knows what’s next?