Preparing Your Site For the Split Index
With the news that Google will soon be splitting their index, separate mobile and desktop search results, even more focus has been put on optimizing your content so it’s accessible on mobile devices. Here are some quick points on how to make sure your site is as mobile friendly as possible.
Use Headings
The heading (H1, H2 etc) tags are important for normal SEO as they tell the search engine where to look for the most important information, but they’re even more useful on mobile, as not only do they point Google in the right direction, but they break the text up clearly for the reader.
Quotes and Highlights
Another way of breaking up the text to make it easier to digest on a small screen is by highlighting important passages of text. One way you can do this is by inserting quotes or highlighting information that you think is important. Again, this makes the text easier to break down and grabs the attention of someone reading on mobile.
Summary at the Top
Sometimes introduction paragraphs can be a little esoteric. Try to avoid this on mobile. Or, if you must write something complex in the introduction, add a really brief summary above. This helps the mobile reader know exactly what’s going on without having to scroll any further down the page to find out what you’re trying to say.
Have a Table of Contents/ Or Put Info on Tabs/ Expandable Content
Create a table of contents that links to different sections of your page or put tabs at the top of the page to separate content. Or you can even add sections that will expand or contract when you click on them. This makes it very simple to navigate for a mobile user and allows you to put more information on the page, without having to worry too much about scroll fatigue.
Use Bullets and Lists
Listed information is easier to read quickly. Where you can, add bullet points or lists to make your content scannable for a reader. When we’re using our mobile devices we’re often on the move, or in a busy environment, so keeping things short and to the point will help your key points get seen quickly.
Mobile Index and Mobile Friendly
If you’re following these five points then your site should be mobile friendly enough not to suffer when the mobile index is turned on. Do you have any tips on how to make your content more mobile friendly?
How can we help?
Are you ready for the mobile index? Is your site optimized for the SERP split?
We are Spectrum Group Online, and we offer strategic and tactical consulting so you can monetize your online presence. Call us for a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss your website’s user experience and translate that into sales.
Photo credit – Top: Mark Jensen
Photo credit – Bottom: Pxhere
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