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In today’s world, smartphone use is ubiquitous. Almost everyone, regardless of age, owns a mobile device and uses it every day. Browsing the news, shopping online or using social networking accounts are just examples of the activities we do on our phones. Adapting websites for mobile devices therefore seems to be a necessity. How do we do it?”
Mobile First Index
In March 2018, Google’s introduction of an algorithm to analyze the mobile version of a website was completed. This is tantamount to the fact that a site’s position in the search engine depends largely on Googlebot’s evaluation of the mobile version.
Mobile First Index was introduced mainly because of the growing number of smartphones and problems related to the speed of loading pages on mobile.
The guidelines for updating the Mobile First Index are freely available to developers, so we have the necessary knowledge and tools to best customize the site according to Google’s requirements.
Mobile website or responsive website – which solution to choose?
When preparing a website for mobile devices, we have a choice of two solutions – mobile or responsive website. What are the differences between these versions?
Responsive websites or RWD (Responsive Web Design) are desktop websites that automatically adapt to the device and its resolution.
Their primary advantage is that the content of a website on mobile devices is identical to that viewed on a desktop.
Additionally, if you opt for a responsive version of the site, you can operate it from the CMS and it does not require an additional content management system, as in the case of the mobile version of the site.
However, if you want a site that is dedicated only to mobile devices, it is worth considering an alternative option. A mobile site has a different URL, usually enriched with an ‘m’ or ‘light’ prefix, and its content is different from a site that functions on desktop devices. It requires separate moderation, usually from an additional CMS, and keeping separate statistics related to site traffic, which requires more work and costs.
However, the undoubted advantage of such a solution is the speed of loading the site and better readability of all content on mobile devices.
Each of these solutions has its own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right variant depends on many factors. It is worth considering your own preferences, your budget, the goal you want to achieve and analyze the target audience of your site.
Each of these solutions has its advantages and advantages, and choosing the right one depends on many factors.
How to adapt a website to mobile devices?
Page loading speed
The time it takes for a website to be fully readable and interactive for users is an extremely important aspect. The speed at which a site loads is one of the ranking factors and affects the user experience of the site.
To verify at what level are the basic CWV indicators and what elements block the page from loading, it is worth using the PageSpeed Insights tool. It allows us to generate reports on the aspects of our site that need to be optimized, and to monitor the status of the site on an ongoing basis.
When working on a page for loading speed, we need to focus on optimizing graphics, removing unnecessary elements in the code or eliminating elements that block rendering.
Optimize Title and Description
Considering the size of screens on mobile devices, we can guess that not all information will be able to be conveyed in the same form as on desktops.
Optimizing meta Title and Description we should pay attention to the length of meta descriptions and focus on putting key information at the beginning of the content. It is also a good idea to use a call to action message in them to encourage users to go to the site.
Structured data
Schema tags that we put in the code give information to search engine robots what is on a given page. They make the search results look better and contain more key information for users.
Rich Snippet, or extended search results can additionally, directly in the search engine present elements that tell about the price of products, availability on the site or average ratings. The implementation of structured data draws the attention of users and encourages them to go to the site.
User Experience
Considering how many users are using mobile devices to find information or shop online, we need to tailor the performance of sites to be as responsive as possible to audience expectations.
It is worth focusing on making the content on the mobile version easy to read, the clickable elements not too close to each other and allowing for convenient use. The design and color scheme of the site should also be pleasing to the eye to encourage users to stay on the site.
Easy site navigation should also not be forgotten. Make sure that users can easily get to each subpage. For this purpose, you can use breadcrumbs and expand internal linking
SEO local
Sportion of smartphone users use local phrases to find a particular service or store in a specific location. Adapting your SEO strategy for local results is a good way to attract stationary point-of-sale customers.
To optimize the mobile version for local searches focus on relevant keyword phrases that include your location, be sure to update your contact information on your website, and set up your business card in Google My Business
If you want to learn more about local SEO take a look at our article on Local SEO
Analysis and monitoring of
Whether you’ve chosen a responsive or mobile version, it’s worth monitoring user behavior through the right tools. Verifying the data in Google Search Console and Google Analytics will allow you to determine which devices your audience is using and monitor for any errors.
Mobile Page Optimization vs SEO
The number of users using mobile devices is growing every day. Checking world news, online shopping, Social Media activity are examples of everyone’s daily behavior. Adapting websites for mobile is therefore extremely important and has an impact on brand positioning and recognition online.
If you need SEO support or have additional questions – contact us 😉
