In today's fast-paced society, where people are constantly on the move, Google has adapted to this mobile lifestyle. For your website to reach its maximum potential, it must perform effectively on mobile devices. Just because your website ranks well on desktop doesn't guarantee the same success on mobile. This makes having a mobile-friendly website more critical than ever.
While there are numerous factors to consider for mobile optimization, this post focuses on laying the foundation for your mobile website. There are three main options for configuring your site for mobile, listed from the least recommended to the most recommended, with the top recommendation highlighted below:
1. Separate URLs:
- In this setup, you have distinct desktop and mobile versions of your site.
- It can be time-consuming and has SEO challenges.
2. Dynamic Serving:
- All content resides on the same URL, but the code displayed varies based on the user's device.
- It has some drawbacks, including potential content creation for new devices.
3. Responsive Design (Recommended):
- This configuration adjusts your page's content and layout according to the user's device without requiring separate URLs or different code.
- It's considered best practice and is SEO-friendly, as recommended by Google.
Best Practices for Mobile Landing Pages:
- Ensure they are responsive.
- Avoid large image files that slow down loading times.
- Place your call to action prominently, preferably above the fold.
- Be concise and clear about the problems you solve and what visitors will gain.
- Consider mobile-friendly formats for downloadable content like PDFs.
- Make buttons user-friendly for thumbs, ensuring they are appropriately sized and placed.
The Importance of Speed:
Site speed is becoming increasingly significant for search engine rankings. Google strives to provide the best user experience, and a slow-loading site can be frustrating. Google recommends that mobile sites load in under a second, though this can be challenging.
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess your site's mobile loading speed and receive recommendations, which may include compressing images, caching your site, prioritizing above-the-fold content, and reducing redirects.
To ensure proper functioning and track performance, implement Google Analytics on your site and address any identified shortcomings promptly.
Creating a mobile-friendly website may seem daunting, but it's not as complicated as it appears. The key is to get started. Stay tuned for more monthly posts on mobile optimization, covering mobile content, campaigns, and email.
