Mobile Is King Not Just Because of Google
Last month when Google announced an algorithm change that penalized non-mobile websites, it was dubbed “Mobilegeddon,” and everyone was scrambling to ensure their sites were mobile-friendly in order to perform well in mobile search.
In the time since that update, mixed reports have emerged about the impacts this algorithm has had on mobile website traffic. Because a sudden impact wasn’t noticed, many have assumed that they don’t need to worry yet about compliance with the mobile-friendly mandate Google set. In reality, “Mobilegeddon” is just one example that illustrates how much mobile has changed consumer behavior and Internet search behavior. In fact, the search engine Bing recently announced intentions to implement its own mobile-friendly algorithm.
Here are three reasons why local businesses should consider a mobile website a critical part of doing business.
1) Mobile Increasingly Used for Local Search
Look at these important stats:
– More than 50% of all searches now done on mobile
– Mobile devices account for 80% of nearby searches
With consumer behavior moving to mobile platforms, Google and Bing must emphasize mobile sites and content in their mobile search results in order to provide a good experience to their users. So, even if you have not seen an immediate impact from this mobile search algorithm update, you could start to see higher bounce rates or fewer conversions over time if your website is not providing a mobile-friendly experience that meets your potential customers’ and search engine’s expectations.
Plus, this is surely not the last of such algorithm updates, so while “Mobilegeddon” may or may not have impacted your web traffic, there’s still plenty of time for this algorithm update, or subsequent ones, to significantly impact your organic traffic. Plus, consumers prefer to visit mobile websites from mobile search, so you are more likely to convert local searchers on a website that’s easy to navigate, call, and fill out a form using a mobile device.
2) Mobile Can Help Boost Advertising Results (It’s More Than Just SEO!)
While Google’s update affects the display of organic results, a mobile website or landing page can also positively impact your results from search engine advertising. Landing pages are considered as part of your overall Quality Score, so non-mobile landing pages could negatively impact any ads that may be triggered by a mobile search, meaning your ads could show up lower than your competitors or not at all.
Don’t stop at just mobile-friendly landing pages. Optimize your entire search advertising campaign is for mobile with key elements such as:
– Copy written with mobile searchers in mind and mobile-preferred ads with keywords
– Ad extensions such as click-to-call and location to help searchers contact you or visit your store
– Geo-targeting that allows your ads to show for nearby consumers searching on the go
3) Consumers Believe Mobile is Important
The latest Internet Trends Report says consumers are more connected to the web than ever before, a trend which will continue to grow. In fact, more than 64% of the U.S population owns a smart phone and 75% of US adults online use 2 or more devices connected to the Internet.
As mobile continues to grow in importance for users, the search engines are taking notice and making changes to ensure a positive mobile experience for their users. Google and Bing have started the revolution, but it’s likely that other major search engines will soon follow to ensure mobile user satisfaction.
Originally published at: http://blog.reachlocal.com/after-mobilgeddon-why-you-still-really-need-a-mobile-website