The figures related to the use of mobile devices for internet access have been staggering for quite some time now, and the constant rise in the number of users shows no intention of slowing down. Mobile traffic has increased by more than 200 percent since 2015, while the 2018 research forecasts a threefold increase by the end of 2021.
Studying these statistics more closely reveals another interesting fact: mobile online usage supremacy when it comes to business, finance, and news. Therefore, for all those whose profits come from these work areas, mobile presence is of utmost importance. There are several techniques for increasing mobile visibility, with mobile SEO playing a crucial role. With this in mind, here are the mobile optimization techniques to use in 2021 that will enable a business to secure a top spot in the mobile online search.
UX above all
If you are not sure what UX (user experience) stands for, it was high time you mastered it. Your SEO ranking literally will depend on it in 2021. Google’s new Core Web Vitals, a set of user-centered metrics, clearly announces that UX will have a central role in the Google Search algorithm. Now, what constitutes a good UX? Above all, these would be loading time, content interactivity, and stability, as well as the easiness of reach and accessibility on all available mobile platforms and devices.
One other thing that makes a direct impact on user-centered metrics is the content and the content experience. Those that provide the most value for the users will be favored. Double-check the content and make sure it delivers valuable and compelling UX.
Impeccable mobile site design
As explained in the previous paragraph, UX needs to be as compelling and as smooth as possible. The mobile site design has been changing and improving with every new generation of mobile devices, which is perfectly understandable. It may seem hard to keep pace with continual upgrades that happen in the mobile device industry. However, the essential fundamentals are universal: to enable the users to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible and on their own terms.
Of course, other things need to be incorporated to obtain a winning mobile site design. There is no better place to look for insight into how to make it happen and enable the best possible SEO ranking than Google’s own advice on the matter.
Appropriate mobile site configuration
When it comes to mobile site configuration, there are three choices available: dynamic serving, responsive or separate site configuration. Each of them comes with certain pluses and minuses, be it design, the budget required, or the risk of content duplication, to name just a few. Which one to opt for depends on several factors, and the best way to cover them all is to talk to your website designer.
They are all supported by Google, although it openly prefers the responsive design. Therefore, if you aim for the best possible mobile SEO ranking and have the means to undergo a complete website redesign if needed, going for the responsive web design would provide a better starting position for your mobile optimization.
Superb mobile optimization
Even though mobile devices come in different screen sizes, they are still considerably smaller than desktop ones. To make the best use possible of such a limited surface requires various content optimizations. To begin with, meta descriptions, titles, and URL’s need to be as concise as possible to be featured in SERPS in full scale. Naturally, without compromising the quality of the content wherever possible.
It is a well-known fact that rich snippets significantly improve SEO rankings of any website. Due to limited screen space, a mobile site’s visibility is considerably better if a search result features a rich snippet. To make this happen, make sure you implement schema mark-up to structure the data to enable the rich snippet to be easily recognized by the Google Search algorithm.
Finally, do not forget to optimize mobile content for local search. This is particularly important if your business includes a local element; however, local SEO is essential in general, since nearly 50 percent of all Google searches seek local information.
Improved page speed
As mentioned, how fast the content of the page loads is one of the most critical UX criteria. The result is that higher page speed invokes a lower bounce rate and higher average time spend on the page, with both of these factors being closely monitored by the Google Search algorithm. Now, what can be done about that?
A number of things. To name just a few, optimizing a code to remove spaces and other unnecessary characters, reducing redirections to another page, pay attention to data flaw jams caused by slow routing or database queries that result in low server response time and optimize images and enable file compression. If none of this helps, using Google’s page speed insights will guide you in the proper direction.
Semantic search gains further prominence
Every update of the Google Search algorithm causes a particular shift in SEO services that are being offered to obtain the best possible search ranking. However, the ultimate goal of the search algorithm – constant improvement of understanding how people search and providing the information they search for remains the same.
One of the most critical factors in reaching this goal is the semantic search, particularly search intent. It slowly but firmly takes supremacy over keyword search. Having this in mind, to jump on-board this trend requires a shift in the nature of the content offered. It should be built around the audience’s intent and strive to fulfill their needs by being presented concisely and naturally.
Optimizing content for sought-after topics rather than keywords, internal linking that brings additional value to the content, and providing answers to questions are the most prominent trade tools for improving any website’s semantic search potential.
Constant upgrades and fine-tuning of the existing content will obviously remain to be a trend in 2021, as well. Therefore, look for the signals your customers are sending while searching for content, provide fast and concise results, and your mobile SEO can only get better along the way.
