The Ultimate Guide To Mobile Friendly SEO

This guide covers essential aspects of mobile SEO. Firstly, we’ll explore why mobile optimization is crucial. Next, we’ll prepare your website for Google’s mobile-first index.

Ready? Let’s get started.

Mobile Optimization 101

This chapter covers the essentials of mobile optimization.

If you’re uncertain about your site’s mobile readiness, this guide will set you on the correct path.

Later chapters will delve into advanced strategies and techniques.

What Is Mobile SEO?

Mobile SEO involves optimizing a website to improve its ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It’s crucial in today’s digital landscape, with increasing numbers of people relying on mobile devices for internet access and information searches.

Why Is Mobile SEO Important?

Currently, 58% of Google searches originate from mobile devices, surpassing desktop searches by 27.8 billion queries. This trend highlights the increasing dominance of mobile in search, prompting Google to prioritise mobile-friendly content in its algorithm updates.

Is “SEO” Now About Optimizing for “Mobile SEO”?

Yes, indeed. Especially if your site is geared towards Google optimization. Currently, Google handles 95% of all mobile searches. Moreover, Google has fully shifted to a mobile-first index as of 2023.

What Is Google’s Mobile-First Index?

Google’s Mobile-first Index prioritises search rankings based solely on the mobile version of web pages, regardless of whether the search is conducted on a desktop.

Previously, Google’s index included a mix of desktop and mobile results.

Now, whether you search from an iPhone or a desktop, Google displays results from its mobile index.

Stay tuned for more detailed guidance on optimizing your site for mobile SEO in chapters 3, 4, and 5.

Is Google’s Mobile-First Index a Big Deal?

It varies.

If your website is already well-optimized for mobile, you should be fine.

Ensure your site:

Loads resources effectively on all devices
Doesn’t hide content on mobile versions
Loads quickly as expected by mobile users
Has functioning internal links and redirects
Provides a user experience (UX) tailored to any device

If your site meets these criteria, you’re on track.

If not, expect potential drops in rankings as Google implements these changes.

That’s why the remainder of this guide focuses on optimizing your site for mobile.

But first…

What Does Google Consider “Mobile”?

For most, a “mobile device” refers to a smartphone or tablet.

Google categorizes tablets separately, stating they are not typically considered as mobile devices.

In essence, according to Google, mobile equals smartphones.

In practical terms, this distinction shouldn’t heavily affect your mobile SEO efforts.

The key is to optimise your site for all devices, whether it’s phones, tablets, or future innovations like those from Elon Musk.

How to Implement a Mobile Website That Ranks in Google

To succeed with mobile SEO, your site must work well on mobile devices.

If mobile users see a shrunken version of your desktop site, you’ll have problems.

Fortunately, creating a mobile-friendly website isn’t difficult.

In this chapter, I’ll explain various methods to set up a mobile version of your site, with an emphasis on mobile SEO.

When It Comes to Mobile, You’ve Got 3 Options

There are three main ways to configure your site for mobile:

Separate URLs (also known as an “M.” configuration)

This setup involves having a separate mobile version of your site alongside the main desktop version. The site detects the visitor’s device and redirects them to the appropriate URL. However, managing this setup is challenging and can create SEO issues due to the need for multiple URLs and complicated tags. It’s not recommended.

Dynamic Serving

With dynamic serving, all content is on the same URL, but different HTML/CSS is shown depending on the user’s device. While better for SEO than separate URLs, it can still cause issues like showing desktop versions to mobile users. Additionally, you need to keep updating for new devices. This method is also not recommended.

Responsive Design

Responsive design adjusts the layout and content based on the user’s device without needing separate URLs or different HTML. This approach is the most SEO-friendly because it keeps all content on a single URL, avoids SEO headaches, is user-friendly, and eliminates the need for redirects. Google recommends this method.

How to Mobile Optimize Your Site

Now that your site is set up for mobile visitors, it’s time to focus on mobile SEO.

In this chapter, I’ll show you how to make sure Google and other search engines recognise your site as mobile-optimized.

Use Google’s Mobile Usability Test

Google’s Mobile Usability Test helps identify mobile usability issues on your site.

To access it, go to your Google Search Console (GSC) account and click on “Mobile Usability” in the sidebar. This tool will show if mobile users have trouble using your site, such as issues with Flash or small fonts.

You can also use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test by entering your URL for a detailed report. This tool highlights any problems mobile Googlebot has when loading your page, which is crucial now that Google’s Mobile-first index is live.

Let Google Crawl Everything

Ensure Googlebot can access all parts of your site, including JavaScript and CSS. Blocking these can prevent Google from recognizing your site as mobile-friendly, hurting your rankings in the Mobile-first index.

Check your robots.txt file to see if any important resources are blocked. This file is usually at site.com/robots.txt and can also be reviewed in Google Search Console under “Google Index” -> “Blocked Resources”.

Avoid Interstitial Popups

Google dislikes popups, especially for mobile users, as they hinder user experience. An update targets intrusive popups, so using large popups can negatively impact your rankings. Google has guidelines on acceptable popups, which you should follow to avoid penalties.

Check Your Responsive Design

Use tools to see how your site looks on different devices. This helps ensure your responsive design works well across various screens, maintaining a good user experience.

Use Mobile Version of “Fetch as Google”

Google Search Console’s “Fetch as Google” feature lets you see your page as Googlebot does. Enter a URL and select “Mobile” to view how Googlebot sees your page, helping you identify any issues.

Show All Content to Mobile Users

Don’t block or hide content from mobile users, as Google considers the mobile version the “main” version. Hidden content may not be indexed or given less weight, affecting your rankings. Ensure mobile users see the same content as desktop users to avoid these issues.

How to Optimize Your Mobile Site for UX Signal

As you know, SEO today focuses more on having a great site than tweaking meta tags.

Google’s RankBrain algorithm checks how users interact with your site. If RankBrain finds that mobile users are frustrated with your site, your rankings will drop.

In this chapter, I’ll show you some easy ways to make sure mobile users have a positive experience on your site.

Master Mobile Sitespeed

Google places a high value on how quickly your mobile site loads. They recommend a loading time of under a second for mobile users, which is challenging but achievable with some tools.

First, use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. This tool analyses your site’s mobile loading speed and provides suggestions for improvement.

Another helpful tool is WebPageTest.org. Ensure you select a mobile browser to get mobile-specific recommendations.

For more detailed guidance, refer to the comprehensive resources from Google on optimizing pagespeed.

Make Your Content Easy to Read on Phones

Ensure your content is easy to read on mobile devices. Users should not have to pinch, scroll, or squint.

Use at least a 14px font size (15-16px is better).
Keep paragraphs short (1-2 lines).
Aim for a line length of 50-60 characters.
Ensure high contrast between text and background.

Use HTML5 for Videos and Animations

If your content includes videos or animations, use HTML5 instead of Flash to ensure compatibility with mobile devices.

Don’t Forget the “Viewport Content” Tag

If you use responsive design, make sure to include the viewport meta tag. This tag adjusts your page size based on the user’s device, ensuring a proper display on mobile.

Implement These 3 Quick Mobile UX Hacks

Reduce Header Image Size

– Mobile users want fast access to content. Minimise header images to speed up loading times.

Use Negative Space

– Ensure plenty of space between text and design elements to avoid a cluttered page.

Use a Tab Bar for Social Share Buttons

– Place social share buttons in a tab bar at the bottom of the page to make sharing easy without cluttering the screen.

Advanced Mobile SEO Tips and Best Practices

Fix Your Mobile CTR

Your click-through rate (CTR) is crucial for SEO. Compare your desktop and mobile CTR in Google Search Console. If mobile CTR is lower, investigate and adjust your mobile title tags and descriptions.

Turn Mobile Donkeys Into Unicorns

Compare your desktop and mobile bounce rates and dwell times in Google Analytics. If mobile metrics are worse, identify and fix issues on mobile devices.

Boost Your Mobile Page Speed

Use ThinkWithGoogle.com to test your site’s mobile speed. This tool simulates a mobile environment and provides recommendations to improve loading times.

Optimize Title and Description Tags for Mobile SERPs

Optimize your title and description tags for mobile. Mobile allows for longer title tags, so use this space to include important keywords without exceeding desktop limits.

Should You Implement AMP?

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) load faster but come with restrictions on functionality and branding. AMP links also boost Google’s domain authority rather than yours. Consider the trade-offs before implementing AMP. With the advent of faster mobile networks, AMP may become less relevant.