The document discusses mobile SEO, emphasizing its similarities and differences with traditional SEO, particularly in technical requirements and user behavior. It highlights the importance of mobile-friendly websites due to growing mobile search trends and offers practical tips for optimization, including responsive design and technical adjustments. Additionally, it contrasts the pros and cons of responsive versus separate mobile websites, recommending the former for most cases.

1. Mobile SEO
Ektor Tsolodimos

2.  Introduction
 Mobile SEO – by Ektor Tsolodimos
 Local SEO – by Roswell Balentien
 Quick scans of your websites
GHG Academy SEO session

4.  Ektor Tsolodimos, 26
 SEO Specialist @ Blue Mango
 Marketer & Photographer @ ML
 Music (guitar), cooking & traveling
Introduction

5.  Mobile SEO is similar to Classic SEO, but with more emphasis
on certain technical aspects.
 Note: definition of “mobile” may vary
 Google: Not mobile-first, but cross-device
What is mobile SEO?

6.  People freak out about it lately
 It’s been on Dutch national news (NOS)
Why about mobile SEO?

7.  Minor impact on rankings
Actual impact

8.  You should invest in mobile-friendly websites anyway:
 Confirmed ranking signal (though not as crucial yet)
 Good for UX/CRO
But rankings is not eveything

9.  As of now there is just as much mobile searches as desktop
searches (while mobile continues to grow).
Mobile search data
Further information:
 Penetration (NL)
 Infographic
 Slideshare
 Video

10.  Social: Tweets in Mobile SERP
 Apps: Deeplinks in Mobile SERP
 Organic vs. paid results
 KW “iphone 6” on desktop:
 9-11 organic results (4 above fold)
 15 paid results (15 above fold)
 KW “iphone 6” on mobile:
 8-10 organic results (1,5 above fold)
 7 paid results (4 above fold)
Mobile search characteristics

11. So again: what is mobile SEO?
 Mobile SEO is similar to Classic SEO, but with more emphasis
on certain technical aspects.
 Conclusion:
 Similar in how websites are judged
 Different in how mobile search looks
 Different in how mobile searchers behave

12.  Every website/brand (unlike Local SEO)
 Some industries in particular
Who might benefit form mobile SEO?

13. 1. Content delivery (be relevant)
 Keyword research: usage, relevancy & relations (further reading & visual example)
2. Technical aspects (meet requirements)
 Make your content efficient, understandable, reachable & readable
3. Authority signals (increase your popularity)
 Show search engines that you the best in what you do by providing:
 Backlinks, social signals, citations, reviews, bookmarks etc.
Step 1: understand “regular” SEO
Mobile SEO

14.  Extra emphasis on following technical aspects:
1. Make your website(s) as fast as possible
2. Responsive web design or separate mobile version
3. Allow crawling of CSS, JS & images (via Robotx.txt)
4. Take UX serious (touch-friendly spaces? too much text?)
5. Don’t use Flash, pop-ups or not supported video players
Bonus: optimize for local & app search
Step 2: take this into consideration
More about this later

15. Step 3: that’s it, you’re done

16. In-depth Mobile SEO

17.  Hard to say, one thing is for sure though: the faster the better.
 Also really good for UX/CRO in general (read more)
 Best indication available: Google PageSpeed Insights (free)
 Be aware: even tweakers.net gets “only” 72% & 85% (mob./deskt.),
and that’s a really fast website.
What is fast loading website?

18.  There are basically 2 options:
 Responsive web design
 Separate mobile website
 Though Google also says:
 “Google does not favor any particular URL format as long as the page(s)
and all page assets are accessible to all Googlebot user-agents.”
What type of website for mobile SEO?
Google’s
recommendation

19. “Responsive web design is aimed at crafting sites that provide optimal viewing
experience (e.g. easy reading and navigation with minimum resizing and
panning) regardless of device, resolution and aspect ratio.”
What is a responsive website?
Further information:
 Live demo: coolblue.nl
 Google documentation
http://www.coolblue.nl http://www.coolblue.nl

20. “A separate mobile website is either a sub domain (m.example.com) or a sub
folder (example.com/mobile) that has been specifically developed with mobile
devices in mind.”
What is a separate mobile website?
Further information:
 Live demo: bol.com
 Google documentation
http://www.bol.com http://m.bol.com

21. Pro’s/con’s of both options
Responsive website advantages Responsive website disadvantages
Consolidation of backlinks, social shares etc. Compromises have to be made
No redirects, possible mistakes etc.
Cheaper/easier to develop & maintain
Mobile website advantages Mobile website disadvantages
More freedom regarding design & UX Multiple URL’s can be complicated
Easier to get fast-loading websites Costs more (investment & maintenance)

22.  Both are acceptable by search engine standards and have their
own pro’s and con’s
 Personally, I would recommend responsive web design in most
cases (and so does Google)
Conclusion on the debate

23.  Relatively unknown
 Can be really important
 Can be really difficult as well
 SEO/ASO have become more similar
 Test: search for “travel app” or “AirBnb” on your Android device
App Store Optimization (ASO)

24.  Title of your app
 Keywords/categories
 Total amount of downloads
 Rating score & amount of reviews
 These are the basics, but of course there is more.
 Download this free e-book
Rank higher with ASO

25. WordPress tips

26.  Don’t use you too many plugins (there is a plugin for this issue)
 Use free CDN (use Cloudflare or Jetpack)
 Minify some of your code & enable caching (W3 Total Cache)
 Reduce image size (compress beforehand + Lazyload & WP Smush)
 Host video’s, slides & photo’s externally (YouTube, SlideShare & Flickr: embed)
 Further readings:
 15 easy ways to speed up WordPress
WordPress speed tips

27. 1. Before improving your WP website, measure both mobile- &
desktop speed using Google PageSpeed Insights.
2. After improving your WP website, measure again.
A. Satisfied? Well done!
B. Not satisfied? Keep optimizing!
Measure your results

28.  You shouldn’t be worried too much about robots.txt, it should be
OK by default (same for XML sitemaps when using Yoast-plugin)
 Use a responsive website, seriously. Check also this blog post.
Also takes care of potential duplicated content.
 As far is Flash/pop-ups/strange video players etc: you shouldn’t
(and probably aren’t) using those anyway.
WordPress general mobile tips