Google was absolutely right to prefer mobile-friendly websites over others when searches are performed on mobile devices. It just makes sense. It’s nice to see a large company use some common sense for a change.
Of course most companies responded by making their website responsive so it would pass the Google Mobile-Friendly Test. However, most stopped there. “Google passed it, so I’m ok!”.
But is your website really mobile friendly?
Have you tested how fast it loads on both PC and mobile devices? You can use Google’s Speed test or the GTmetrix test here. I find the one on GTmetrix to be easier to understand as far as how to improve the speed of your website on mobile devices and on PCs.
People who use mobile devices are even more impatient than those on their PCs. When they search for something on a PC, they are at home or at work and more relaxed. When they are trying to find something on their mobile device, they are hoping to find it before the light turns green so they know whether to turn left or right?
A lot of text on your page doesn’t make it mobile friendly
Just as I’m writing this blog post, I realize that not everyone wants to read a lot on their mobile phone. Maybe on their tablet, but not on their phone. It’s the same with your web pages.
They want a short, sweet explanation and an easy way to find directions to where they can get what you have to offer whether online or offline. Just like fast food, they want it their way and they want it now.
What about SEO?
Thin content is bad for search engine optimization according to Google. So without enough text on your pages, it’s hard to get higher rankings. You need proper headers, titles, and enough text to tell the search engines what your web page is all about.
There’s the dilemma. Mobile users don’t want a lot of text and the very search engine that wants us to be mobile friendly also wants us to have a lot of text.
So how can I make it mobile friendly and optimize it for the search engines?
Here’s one way to make your website and pages more mobile friendly and still optimize it for the search engines…
Put your main calls to action at the top of the page. A nice image, then 2 or 3 calls-to-actions, each to a great mobile-friendly landing page. Then write the rest of your content below that with each section having calls-to-action to great mobile-friendly landing pages.
Ignore linking from your home page to your web pages. Did I say that outloud? Sure did. Add links to your web pages in the footer and use links to mobile friendly landing pages higher on the page instead.
That means for every product or service that you build a web page for, you also need a landing page for. Landing pages are more likely to convert a sale or generate a lead. There’s no distractions like navigation.
Your PPC, Social Media and email campaigns drive traffic to the landing pages. Your home page sends them to landing pages.
The other pages in your website also should send people to the landing page. A short amount of text, a call-to-action to the landing page, then optimized content below that.
Of course most companies responded by making their website responsive so it would pass the Google Mobile-Friendly Test. However, most stopped there. “Google passed it, so I’m ok!”.
But is your website really mobile friendly?
Have you tested how fast it loads on both PC and mobile devices? You can use Google’s Speed test or the GTmetrix test here. I find the one on GTmetrix to be easier to understand as far as how to improve the speed of your website on mobile devices and on PCs.
People who use mobile devices are even more impatient than those on their PCs. When they search for something on a PC, they are at home or at work and more relaxed. When they are trying to find something on their mobile device, they are hoping to find it before the light turns green so they know whether to turn left or right?
A lot of text on your page doesn’t make it mobile friendly
Just as I’m writing this blog post, I realize that not everyone wants to read a lot on their mobile phone. Maybe on their tablet, but not on their phone. It’s the same with your web pages.
They want a short, sweet explanation and an easy way to find directions to where they can get what you have to offer whether online or offline. Just like fast food, they want it their way and they want it now.
What about SEO?
Thin content is bad for search engine optimization according to Google. So without enough text on your pages, it’s hard to get higher rankings. You need proper headers, titles, and enough text to tell the search engines what your web page is all about.
There’s the dilemma. Mobile users don’t want a lot of text and the very search engine that wants us to be mobile friendly also wants us to have a lot of text.
So how can I make it mobile friendly and optimize it for the search engines?
Here’s one way to make your website and pages more mobile friendly and still optimize it for the search engines…
Put your main calls to action at the top of the page. A nice image, then 2 or 3 calls-to-actions, each to a great mobile-friendly landing page. Then write the rest of your content below that with each section having calls-to-action to great mobile-friendly landing pages.
Ignore linking from your home page to your web pages. Did I say that outloud? Sure did. Add links to your web pages in the footer and use links to mobile friendly landing pages higher on the page instead.
That means for every product or service that you build a web page for, you also need a landing page for. Landing pages are more likely to convert a sale or generate a lead. There’s no distractions like navigation.
Your PPC, Social Media and email campaigns drive traffic to the landing pages. Your home page sends them to landing pages.
The other pages in your website also should send people to the landing page. A short amount of text, a call-to-action to the landing page, then optimized content below that.
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