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Mobile SEO Tips The Basics

Thanks to smartphones and tablets that are constantly at our fingertips, online marketing has changed as we know it.  And with the warp speed at which mobile internet is taking over, accounting for 25 percent of all searches across the net, it is estimated that by 2014 mobile web surfing will be more popular than traditional web surfing (Google Smartphone User Study).

So as more and more people are taking to their phones and tablets in the mobile world in which we live, you might be wondering what it will mean for your internet marketing and SEO efforts.The good news is that optimizing your website’s content for mobile searches isn’t any different than optimizing it for desktop or laptop-based searches.  However,because of the increasing number of people conducting their cyber searches on mobile technology, it is crucial that you make sure your website is compatible with such devices to increase your web traffic and provide effective experiences for your visitors.  Here area few tips on the basics of mobile SEO:

Tip #1:  Don’t drastically revamp your SEO.  You may worry that you’ll have to make dramatic changes to your SEO so that you can cater to your mobile customers.  But because SEO on a mobile device is basically the same as SEO on a desktop or laptop, there is no need.  Apply the general principles of SEO regardless of what device you pan on your visitors using and you will be good to go.  Here’s a quick refresher on SEO basics:

  • Use the most relevant keywords or phrases directly related to your site content.
  • Create a goal of gaining as many backlinks as you can from other websites.
  • Make sure that your site is search-engine friendly and devoid of material that will slow it down.  For your content to be easily viewed on most browsers, don’t fill it with Flash-like content.  Note:  Apple’s iPhone and iPad don’t support Flash.

Tip #2:  Make your website mobile accessible.  Smartphone and tablet browsers are able to view most websites the same way as a desktop or a laptop browser would.   However, if you know that a large percentage of your customer base uses mobile devices, you may need a dedicated mobile site.  Use Google’s Mobile Filters in Google Analytics to research the mobile activity of your site before creating a specific mobile site.

Tip #3:  Go for short search queries.  The shorter, the better actually.  Because typing on a mobile device is more difficult than typing on a standard keyboard, mobile searches usually involve shorter phrases—on average, they are 25 percent shorter than desktop searches.  So to draw more mobile users to your site try using only two keywords.Use Google’s Keyword Tool to access the Mobile Filters so that you can review stats for competition, global and local monthly searches and trends to determine the best mobile keywords to use for your site.

Tip #4:  Test drive your site.  If people can’t view your website, then what’s the point of optimizing?  So before putting your site out there it is important to check the formatting and layout to ensure that your content appears how you want it to on a mobile device.  Utilize resources like Mobile Moxie ($25 per month) for mobile website development.  With such a program you can test your site by using tools like keyword research, mobile website emulation, mobile search engine simulation and more.  Not only should you make sure that your layout and formatting are correct, you also need to test how effective your mobile content is on your target audience.  Study how users are interacting on your site and learn everything you can about your visitors including their interests, opinions and keywords.  After you gain this valuable insight on your website’s traffic you can apply it to your SEO strategy.

Now that you have the basic tips for creating an SEO plan that will not only optimize your content in desktop and laptop-based searches but will also optimize it in searches on-the-go, you are sure to be successful in driving internet users to your website and building your online presence!

Cindy McDonald is a guest post author who shares with us her tips for optimizing websites on mobile devices.  In addition to guest posting, Cindy also owns Christian dating sites where she offers advice on internet dating in the Christian community.

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