Game-Changing Mobile SEO Dos and Don’ts

Is your website designed for mobile or desktop? Most people build websites on desktops and make the mistake of getting stuck in this perspective, not considering that the majority of users access the internet primarily or solely via a mobile device. Users on mobile versus desktop are likely in entirely different mindsets and locations, and your content needs to meet their needs.

What is mobile SEO and how does it differ from traditional SEO?

The principles of mobile SEO and traditional SEO are the same: user experience, site speed, and intentional keyword research. However, mobile SEO requires another layer of attention to make sure your site is answering your customers’ queries. Mobile users are looking for information quickly on a small screen, perhaps while on the go or distracted, so taking steps to make your site easy to use in these situations is all part of mobile SEO.

DO: Build for Mobile

Since the vast majority of users are on a mobile device, your site should be built using a responsive mobile design. Your customer shouldn’t have to zoom in to a “desktop” webpage to read text or tap the screen several times to call up the search bar. A mobile site will have features like mobile-formatted content, features like swipe to the next page, and a native search bar and menu.

DON’T: Overwhelm Your Customer

Users on the go don’t have time to read paragraphs of text or scroll through several videos. Your text should get to the point (and answer their questions) quickly, and videos should be short and seamless, and you should utilize internal linking to guide the user through your website. User experience is key!

DO: Incorporate Mobile Search Trends

While you generally want to keep the mobile design clean and simple, adding features like a live chat overlay or voice search can meet consumer expectations and utilize mobile apps.

DON’T: Rely on Desktop Relics

Step away from the popup! While customers are used to popups on desktops, popups on mobile with the inconveniently placed “X out” can make consumers abandon your website out of frustration. Other offenders include ad-heavy mobile sites and videos or sound on autoplay (to be honest, we don’t recommend this on desktop either!).

Need help?

Ready to make your site mobile-friendly? We offer mobile SEO packages and many other digital marketing services for businesses in all stages. Reach out today!