While you’re likely aware we’re well into the mobile era for marketing, some businesses still don’t think enough about optimizing content for mobile platforms.
Out of all SEO tips for blogging, optimizing for mobile should become a top priority. It’s as important as selecting the right keywords.
What tips can you use now to help your own blog fit mobile screens? With Google giving top priority to those who cater to mobile, it’s something you need to address now.
Placing First in Google Search Results
As HubSpot notes, Google gives precedence to blogs that take time to optimize for mobile devices. This started when Google updated Penguin (the algorithm they use) three years ago. Since then, statistics show well over 60% of people now use their mobile devices to search for something.
With this in mind, setting up your blog to cater to mobile users should rise to your must-do list. The prospect of being in the first top ten search results can bring a deciding factor whether your blog succeeds or languishes in obscurity.
While what search engines value is in constant flux, you have one thing to do first to help you improve your blog SEO quickly.
Using Responsive Design
No doubt you’ve heard about using responsive design for websites, though never bothered to learn how to use it for yourself.
For a blog, it works the same as it does for a standard website. It’s a programming code automatically formatting your blog to a mobile screen shape. You may have to hire a developer to employ this into your blog, though it’s going to become worth the money spent.
Your ROI will become exponential when you consider how many more visitors you’ll receive. If you’re promoting new products on your blog, you’ll more than pay back what you pay to a developer.
With responsive design being an off-branch of SEO, an SEO expert can also help you find ways to use it. However, you also have a few practical ways to optimize for mobile formats.
Keeping Your Blog as Simple as Possible
One of the biggest problems with optimizing blogs for mobile is in images used. The basic rule of thumb is to avoid huge graphics or images since they take forever to load when viewed on a smartphone or tablet.
Major faux pas blogs make is posting such huge images, it requires mobile users to scroll across the page to see everything. Even with responsive design, large images just aren’t a good idea.
Try to use smaller image files. Also, consider these optimizing steps:
- Keep your blog one page so it’s easier to format for a mobile screen. Most mobile readers want to read your blog by scrolling down rather than selecting “Next” to read the rest of your content.
- Avoid using Flash or Java as code in your blog. For one thing, iPhone still doesn’t support Flash, and many mobile platforms don’t work well with Java.
- Keep any surveys or forms to fill out to a minimum. Since mobile users usually have to type with their thumbs, forcing them to enter information can become a liability.
Testing Across Multiple Mobile Platforms
An SEO consultant can take what you’ve done and test it to see whether you’ve completely mastered mobile optimization.
What’s important is to see how your blog looks at all the main platforms like iOS, Android, and even Blackberry smartphones. Your format might look a little different on each one, which may require some additional tweaking for cohesion.
Work closely with an SEO expert to ensure your blog truly optimizes well for mobile. Google is going to reward you, despite having to play by their strict rules.
Keep reading us at Flywithpro.com to learn more SEO and blogging tips.
- Worth Reading: Start Your Blogging Career From Today [Beginner’s Guide]
If you like this article please share it with your friends, follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
Leave a Reply