In a recent survey released on its Mobile Ads blog, Google detailed findings related to mobile websites and their impact on purchase intent for web users. According to the study, sites optimized for smartphone users make prospects 67 percent more likely to buy an item or carry out other desired transactions. Meanwhile, 61 percent said issues with mobile site performance lead them to other websites to find what they’re looking for.
Optimizing for on-the-go audiences is key to building relationships with prospects and customers, as 71 percent of respondents said a strong mobile website makes it more likely they’ll work with that brand again in the future. However, 96 percent said they have encountered sites that weren’t mobile-friendly in the past. Appealing to these users with mobile SEO and content marketing strategies is a good step for a business, but ensuring that users can access every feature of site is even more important.
Optimizing for on-the-go audiences is key to building relationships with prospects and customers, as 71 percent of respondents said a strong mobile website makes it more likely they’ll work with that brand again in the future.
Fifty-two percent of respondents said a website that either malfunctions or is inaccessible on the mobile web negatively impacts their view of the company. Previously, an optimized mobile website may have been a luxury, but Google’s report shows it’s increasingly a necessity, as prospects demand multiple access portals for a site.
Earlier this year, Brafton highlighted data from Viacom that found 96 percent of tablet owners access the web from their devices in their living rooms. This demonstrates that Americans turn to the mobile web even when laptop or desktop computers are available.
Consumers no longer simply rely on mobile devices for web access on the go. It’s become a critical component of their everyday web content consumption, and a strong mobile website will help attract a larger audience. Furthermore, Google’s SEO standards for smartphone SERPs have undergone some changes to highlight pages offering a strong user experience. Whether it’s the presence of icons promoting mobile sites or changes to search that simplify the process of entering queries from smartphones, Google has clearly made it a necessity for search marketers to make mobile a part of their strategy.
Much of Google’s work in making mobile search more actionable has come this summer, and it started mobile SEO tips from Pierre Farr, Google’s webmaster trends analyst. One of his notable tips for mobile search optimization is ensuring that a site functions optimally on both the mobile and desktop web, which he claims is the best way to succeed with SEO.
