What is Mobile Search and Should a Local Business Focus on It?
Mobile search is when someone searches on the internet using a mobile device like a smartphone, tablet, iPad and more. Mobile search actually surpassed desktop searches in 2015. The United States has gone mobile and now more than ever everyone wants to find information lightening fast and if you are not mobile your business will get left behind. So, to answer the above question, Is Mobile search important to local businesses the answer is ABSOLUTELY. The first line of action is to figure out if your website has a mobile version or is responsive. That is the very first thing you need to take care of because if you are not mobile you will have big problems online. Google has already announced that soon we will see rankings based on mobile rankings and no longer the desktop rankings. For the very first time we will have a mobile search algorithm that will take over the desktop alogrithm entirely. So, if you are not mobile and it isn’t done well with your internet marketing strategy in mind you will suffer and get less online customers than when the desktop version was the leading factor.
It is easy to switch over a website to mobile but after that there are still many issues to take care of because when the website developers first throw up a mobile site they are not always SEO friendly because they knew desktop was leading the way in rankings. But when all of that changes have you had your mobile version of your site evaluated? Do you know if your site is responsive? All of these questions you need to know if you own a local business. Also, just because your site is mobile or responsive have you taken a look at it on a mobile device to make sure your phone number is in the right place or your contact information can easily be found? Remember you have about 2 seconds for a visitor to find your phone number before they get bored and find a website that will serve up the needed information quickly and it isn’t pushed to the bottom of the page. The online world has already shifted from desktop to mobile have you made the shift as well and are you ready for the mobile customer?
What Testing Shows for the Mobile Search
One of my passions is to test and really know the algorithm. If there is a big change in Google or search then I will see it first and I am able to take action to make sure my clients are on top of the search platforms. Because we do so much testing we will often see a big change before it rolls out across the web. Right now our testing is showing us that the Desktop search and the Mobile search are two different algorithm. I can do certain things to boost only mobile search or boost only desktop search and the two searches are no longer working as one system but rather two complete systems. Because you can manipulate one or the other search system my guess is that some time in early 2018 I think the mobile algo will be able to function on its own and be the main ranking algorithm. Google has announced that soon the mobile algo will be the main and first algorithm that will be the first and only deciding factor to position your website across the web. That means if you are not set up for mobile properly when the change occurs your website won’t do as well as it is currently. No one knows when the switch will be made with Google search but we do know the change is coming and I am sure we will see the mobile search become the dominate algorithm in 2018 and if you and if you prepare your local business website now you will be ahead of the competition.
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