How to Optimize Your Website for Mobile Viewers

A mobile-optimized website is now an absolute necessity. Business owners can no longer afford to view website optimization for mobile users as a luxury. Currently, over 50% of adults in the U.S. surf the web with mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. But unfortunately, many existing business websites are not yet mobile-optimized. This is because business owners have not realized the impact that a mobile-optimized site has on successful search engine optimization.

A mobile-optimized website will provide greater visibility in search engines, attract more traffic and bring more conversions and sales. It will also provide vital product and service information in a format that is easy to navigate for many mobile users. That is why a mobile-optimized site should be a critical aspect of every company’s online marketing strategy. Industry experts forecast that within a few years, mobile devices will overtake PCs as the preferred internet access platform globally. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between optimizing for tablets and smartphones as well as some professional recommendations on website optimization for mobile users.

Differences Between Tablet and Smartphone Website Optimization

Screen Size. Smartphones have smaller screens than tablets. So a site that looks very good on a smartphone will appear too simple and sparse on a tablet. The template for the smartphone should have a single column display with very simple navigation. The site template for the tablet should be similar to the desktop version but with larger buttons and links. Remember that the desktop user has a mouse pointer to click on small links but the tablet user must have links that are large enough to be touched with the fingers.

Purpose and Target Users. A major difference between tablets and smartphones is that tablets are used mainly for leisure web surfing. They are not used to search for information on the move like smartphones. Therefore it is important to do proper website speed optimization for smartphone users and provide a display that is attractive but simple and uncluttered. The site optimized for phone users should also take advantage of the unique features of a smartphone by providing location aware information such as the nearest branch or dealer location, click to call phone numbers and other important contact details. It should also have barcode and QR code scanners and mobile coupons delivered by SMS.

Recommendations for Mobile Website Optimization

A. Follow Google’s guidelines for mobile site optimization. Google’s recommendations include: avoiding frequent errors such as including videos that require flash, redirecting users to a page that is not optimized for mobile viewing, or pages that show 404 errors and showing ads that ask users to download apps. Committing these errors will not allow your mobile optimized site to rank high in mobile search results.

B. Use the kind of mobile website that suits your users and your business requirements. There are three types of mobile websites and Google supports all of them.

1) A dedicated mobile website. This kind of site will detect the user’s device and then redirect the visitor to a mobile optimized website on a different URL, for instance, from sample.com to m.sample.com or sample.mobi. This works well when you are designing a new site targeting the specific needs of mobile users. It also helps you take full advantage of features like the voice, SMS, camera and GPS.

2) A responsive web design. This uses similar content for desktop and mobile devices. But cascading style sheets are designed to configure the content and layout for each device. This is design approach recommended by Google.

3) Adaptive web design. This method detects the visitor’s device and serves a mobile optimized site on the same URL. This is the approach used when you take advantage of content management tools such as WordPress.

C. Provide High Quality Content. Your mobile site should target keywords that are more frequently used by mobile users. It should also provide information about your target location and a call to action that will allow users to take instant action.

Mobile website is no longer a luxury but a compelling necessity. All business owners must devise a strategy that will serve their users adequately and increase their profit. For a detailed assessment of your needs and more recommendations on the best approach to use for your mobile website please consult a professional SEO / online marketing company.

Contact Website Optimization to learn more about mobile website optimization.

Website Optimization
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