Why Is Mobile SEO Important?
Developing a mobile-optimized website is an endeavor worth undertaking for any business. If your business is still on an old m. (m-dot) subdomain, keep reading. We have a solution to your woes. Even if you’re not part of the mobile revolution, you should be. Mobile is increasingly becoming the top platform of choice among consumers, beating out desktop by miles.
As users continue to consume content on mobile devices, the necessity of the platform becomes clear. By developing your site to work on as many platforms as possible, you will put your business in front of as many consumers as possible. You may be thinking “But I’m not a fan of mobile. Let’s leave it until the last minute.” Unfortunately, this approach means that you won’t take your customers and their browsing habits into account. This may be disastrous for your business.
Today, most people who browse the web consume content on more than one device. Even Google has switched to a mobile-based search index, paving the way for people to use the search engine on any device they choose. At Hennessey Digital, our process allows for a completely responsive design, building on foundations laid in our development. By creating a strong base for mobile success, you can be assured that your mobile presence will satisfy your users in the years to come.
Mobile apps are increasingly used by companies to continue to stay in touch with a customer long after they make a sale. If you’re a law firm, for example, you can have your customers fill out surveys in the mobile app, shortcutting the review process. If you’re an e-commerce store, you can engineer your app to send out deals and other enticing lead magnets. The possibilities are endless with your own mobile app. Thankfully, with the Hennessey Digital difference, we are equipped to help you accomplish your mobile goals.
Mobile-First Indexing and Best Practices
The arrival of Google’s mobile-first index gave rise to “mobilegeddon” due to its connotation as being the end of all things desktop. Luckily, desktop computers continue to thrive despite the naysayers and Google’s shift to a mobile-first index. Thankfully, all is not lost with the special techniques of the Hennessey Digital difference. We pay attention to many mobile-first factors that determine your success in Google search.
You must consider these factors when designing a website for the mobile screen. You must think about user experience, navigation, page speed, and other issues. If these are not properly optimized, you stand to lose a great deal when potential clients are unable to use your site. Did you know that the size of your screen is important? What about how the site functions? A site improperly engineered for these technical aspects has weaknesses and may result in a loss to your business.
Responsive design is the best method. You may have noticed that some sites have separate mobile themes on different subdomains, and these do not conform to mobile best practices. If you expect to compete in the world of mobile-first indexing, having a responsive design is essential. These implementations are the latest in mobile technology, meaning that they are fluid across all resolutions your site may encounter.
Mobile sites must also be quick to load. If you’re on a mobile smartphone, the last thing you need is a site that takes over 3 seconds to load. Maile Ohye, in her work at Google, said back in 2010 that they aim for under half a second for minimum e-commerce site viability. You can imagine the page speed values they look at on today’s websites.
Your user experience should also be considered. Don’t always think that short content is going to please everyone. In fact, long-form content can be quite beneficial for mobile devices. Studies from PEW Research showed that long-form content works on smaller devices. When was the last time you read a long article rather than its shorter counterpart on your smartphone? This afternoon? Yesterday? The study’s findings “support the fact that long-form content on a mobile device does not mean that users will immediately shy away from the article.”
Our team at Hennessey Digital has your site covered with mobile design specialists who can develop a complete, functional mobile experience for your brand.