7 Reasons Why Not Focusing On Mobile SEO is Hurting Your Business

If you’re looking to grow your online presence, there is no cheaper, easier or more effective solution than SEO.

Studies have shown that 81% customer turn to online search engines when they’re looking for something, be it a local dental practice in their neighbourhood or the latest Nike sneakers.

Whenever a customer makes a search query, the algorithm in place provides them with the top relevant results. If your business ranks high on these pages, the searcher might just turn to your business to make a purchase.

So, to be your customer’s first choice and gain an edge over your competition, you need an effective website optimization strategy.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is like your partner in marriage: sometimes you don’t get them and the other times you’re inseparable, but together, you can conquer the world.

However, there’s another side of SEO that only a few businesses focus on: mobile SEO. With mobile devices accounting for 48% of the web traffic worldwide, the need for mobile SEO has become top priority.

What is Mobile SEO?

Mobile search engine optimization is the process of optimizing your browsing experience for smartphones with the goal of achieving a higher ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Simply put, mobile SEO is all about delivering mobile-friendly content.

Let’s look at a few reasons why businesses need to start paying attention to mobile optimization:

Mobile search determines Google search rankings

There has been a major shift in the Google search landscape from mobile-friendly to mobile-first indexing.

In 2018, Google announced that it switched tomobile-first indexing, which meant that its algorithm now ranks websites on search engines based on the user experience for mobile devices. If your site has both mobile and desktop versions, the algorithm prioritizes the mobile version.

Therefore, if you aren’t focusing on SEO, you might miss out on a huge chunk of web traffic, and the content you post might not be effective at all.

Mobile SEO builds brand credibility

By improving the chances of higher rankings on search engines, mobile SEO strategies not only guarantee high conversion rates, but they also present the picture that your brand is one of the top players in the industry. After all, creating brand awareness is a key step in promoting a product/service.

When your site is optimized for mobile devices, your product and/or service is easily found by search engines through organic search and leads to higher chances of your link being clicked.

Mobile SEO Dominates Sales—the Growth Of m-commerce

People are using their smartphones for more than just browsing and surfing; they’re looking to make purchases through online shopping stores, leading to the rise of mobile commerce (m-commerce). In fact, studies have shown that m-commerce is responsible for 34% of all global e-commerce transactions.

With smartphones becoming the primary tools for online shopping, the buying process is expected to be easier and more convenient for the shopper—and that’s where mobile SEO comes in!

Since mobile SEO offers exceptional mobile user experience, Google is likely to rank your website high on SERPs, thus generating a lot more leads, and eventually increasing sales.

Take Advantage of Voice Search Optimization

With the rise of voice assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Home, people have become a lot more comfortable speaking to their devices rather than physically typing in their queries. In fact, studies have predicted that by the end of 2020, nearly 30% of all website sessions will be voice-based.

Needless to say, voice search drastically improves user experience because it allows the users to get their queries answered using conversational words.

As you might expect, this fundamental shift in internet search habits has a significant impact on digital marketing strategies and SEO services. By combining mobile SEO strategies with voice search optimization efforts into a hybrid approach, marketers can make the most of this emerging trend.

Ok Google, How Do I Optimize For Voice Search?

As the voice search continues to take up a majority share of the web traffic, we look at how you can optimize your site to secure high rank in voice searches:

Use Natural Language and Long-Tail Keywords

70% of all searches on Google Assistant are carried out in natural language rather than disconnected phrases. People are more likely to say, “What is the best Italian restaurant in Seattle” rather than typing the words, “Italian restaurant Seattle.” This means that website owners must take into account the semantic differences in queries.

Incorporating long-tail keywords that use words like ‘what’, ‘how’, ‘where’, ‘best’ provide website owners with an excellent opportunity to score high Google ranking for certain searches.

Fast-Loading Websites Have an Edge in Search Results

Page speed is a key ranking factor when it comes to mobile SEO. Business owners who overlook the importance of page-speed are likely to take a hit in search rankings because it impacts user experience—especially when people are out and about and looking for quick answers.

Mobile SEO strategies deliver great speed improvements because the code is structured in a way that is compatible with mobile devices. Moreover, mobile websites provide optimal download speed, which means less waiting and more purchasing.

The PageSpeed Insights tool can help you track how fast your pages are loaded and give you some pointers on improving the loading time. Moreover, Google suggests using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs) to improve page loading time.

Creates a Seamless User Experience

It doesn’t come as a surprise that mobile usage has long surpassed desktop usage and the numbers only continue to increase.  Website owners need to take immediate measures to cater to this changing landscape by ensuring that their websites are optimized for mobile phones.

Page speed and a mobile-friendly design are two key components of a mobile-optimized site. Mobile SEO strategies ensure that your site is easy to read and navigate and thereby more effective at facilitating the conversion from a visitor into a customer.

Decreases Bounce Rate

Time is of the essence when it comes to your potential customer. This is even more so when it’s a mobile user who’s on the go. Experts believe you have less than 3 seconds to impress your mobile user and capture their attention long enough to motivate them to browse your site.

Bounce rate is the percentage of users who leave your site too quickly and a high bounce rate puts a negative impression on your SERP ranking. A mobile-optimized site, however, helps in decreasing the bounce rate by not only optimizing the data structure, but also engaging with the users through comments and reviews.

Conclusion: Mobile SEO as A Competitive Advantage

Mobile web is no longer a concept but a mainstream reality that impacts a majority of your target audience. So, if you wish to stay ahead of the competition (or at least in the same league as your competition) mobile SEO will enable your business to just that; from enhanced visibility in organic search to improved conversion rates, the competitive advantages of mobile search optimization are unparalleled.