7 Reasons to Use Mobile SEO for Small Businesses

Did you know that over 3.5 billion people on the planet have smartphones? That’s over 44% of the world’s population.

With so many people accessing the internet via a smartphone, it becomes more apparent that we need to be making sure our websites are optimized for this technology. 

But what does that mean in terms of search engine optimization? 

Here are seven reasons to use mobile SEO for your small business. 

1. So Many People Are Using Mobile Technology 

As previously mentioned, nearly half of the world’s population has their own smartphone. With this in mind, the fact that so many people use smartphones to access the internet may not come as much of a surprise to you.  

The number of people accessing search engines such as Google using a smartphone is higher than those accessing via a desktop. Back in 2015, it was reported that smartphone searches had surpassed that of desktop searches. 

Since so many people are accessing the internet via smartphones, you can bet that your customers will be included in that number. 

2. Your Page Speeds Will Improve

If you optimize your content for mobile SEO, then your page load speeds will improve. 

By making the necessary changes to your website, you’ll not only benefit from having a site that is accessible via mobile devices, but you’ll also have a site that loads faster. 

Hire a developer to remove any unnecessary code from the back end of your site, this will help lighten the load. Check that your webhost is the fastest available. 

Then, have an amp version of your site created. This lighter version of your site will make sure that it works on mobile devices. 

Your page load speeds are also an SEO ranking factor. Faster page load speeds will equate to improvements 

3. Your SEO Ranking Factor Will Increase

If your site is not set up to be viewed by mobile devices, then users that try to access it from a mobile device will find that it doesn't load fully, or takes a very long time to do so. This can lead to your site having a high bounce rate. 

When your site has a high bounce rate, it can affect your SEO rankings. Not only will your site be slow and nobody will stick around to wait for it to load, but you won't rank for any of your keywords.

By optimizing your site for mobile browsing, you'll improve your overall performance in the search engine results page because the likes of Google will see your site in a better light. 

4. You’ll Improve User Experience 

Ultimately, one of the main aims of any search engine optimization activity is to improve user experience. 

If you currently have a website that is not optimized for mobile browsing, then it is likely to be slow and hard to navigate. Images may load at the wrong size and it could be difficult to view your site on a smaller screen. 

Your user experience will improve dramatically by having properly sized pages that are easy to see on a smaller device. 

When optimizing your content for mobile devices, you should always make sure that there is plenty of space around any buttons that users need to click. If they accidentally press on anything else it could be problematic and it could ruin their experience. 

5. You’ll Save Money Compared to Getting an App

If you have a website that is fully functional on any mobile device, then you may not need to get an app developed. 

Having an additional app as well as a website can be very costly in terms of development. Save yourself money by really making sure that the mobile version of your site is as good as it can be. That way, you won't need to spend on app development.  

Of course, having a mobile app does have its own additional benefits such as the ability to use push notifications to engage with your app users. However, if you're just looking for the functions of a website but in app form, improving your site should suffice. 

6. You’ll Increase the Time People Spend On Your Site

Bounce rate is an issue that will affect many sites that haven't been fully optimized for mobile browsing. If users are not able to view the site correctly on their device, then they won't stay on the site.

This will cause a lot of people to leave within the first few seconds. 

An easy-to-use site which is designed to be opened on a mobile device will be more appealing. Because it is fully functioning, people will be more likely to spend time on the site. 

7. You’ll Gain a Competitive Advantage

Although the world has embraced mobile technology, there are still some companies out there that are yet to catch up with the times. 

By making sure that your site is fully optimized for mobile browsing, you'll beat any competitors that are so to join the race. 

Get your website optimized for mobile today and keep an eye on emerging trends such as voice search and local SEO and ensure these form part of your SEO strategy too. 

The more energy and effort you can put into your SEO, the greater the rewards will be for your business. 

Implementing Your Mobile SEO 

Mobile SEO is not something that is new, but it should be something that is fundamental to your search engine optimization. A mobile-friendly website is a must these days and should be central in your digital marketing strategy. 

EliteStart is happy to help with making the necessary improvements in your website design to make it mobile-friendly. 

Get in touch today to find out how we can help you create a better user experience for your site's visitors.